"L. E. Modesitt - Spellsong 2 - The Spellsong War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

Ashtaar moistens her lips and steps through the doors, then
dawn the black carpet toward the dais.

The black-lacquered Council table is also ancient, and behind it
sit seven figures. The woman in the center wears a
silver-and-black seal on a heavy silver chain. Her dark eyes
hold Ashtaar as the spymistress walks down the dark green
carpet toward the space below the dais holding the table.

"The mist-world sorceress now holds Defalk. The Council has
read your report, and would like to inquire further."

"Yes, Ancient One." Ashtaar bows.
"Please summarize the major events that led to the
current's.tate of affairs. Briefly."

"A travel sorceress and a player summoned the lady Anna from
the mist worlds. Both are dead now. The sorcerer Brill spirited
her away and tutored her in the ways of both Darksong and
Clearsong. The Dark Ones tried to kill her and failed. She
supported Lord Barjim against the Ebrans at the Sand Pass.
Barjim and Brill were killed, and she collapsed, but not before
she destroyed two-thirds of the invaders. She somehow found
her way south and recovered in Synope, in the lands of Lord
Hryding. Lord Behlem of Neserea then marched into Defalk
and took Falcor, but not before Lord Jecks rescued the heir, his
grandson Lord Jimbob. Lord Behlem offered his support to the
sorceress, and she accepted it and went to Falcor. The Dark
Ones gathered another army and marched toward Falcor. The
sorceress used water magic and song to destroy the entire
Ebran army and all the darksingers in Defalk. The Evult
responded by flooding the Fal and destroying half of Falcor.
Lord Behlem attempted to remove the lady Anna, and she used
her sorcery to kill him and his consort and enlist the support of
many of the Neserean troops in Falcor. Then she proclaimed a
regency for young Jimbob. Shortly, almost at the dawn of
winter, she marched a small force through the Ostfels and used
her sorcery to destroy the Evult, the city of Vult, and most of
Synek. She almost died, but the lords of Defalk, especially Lord
Jecks, rallied behind her. So did the people. She has a
reputation for being good and fair, and vindictively just."
Ashtaar bows once more.
"The rains now fall on Defalk, do they not?" asks the red-haired
woman to the left of the Council leader.
"Yes. The sorceress removed the chains on the clouds when she
destroyed the Evult."

"Will the sorceress attempt to rule directly and put young
Jimbob out of the way?" asks the dark-haired Council leader.