Brian Daley Coramonde 01 The Doomfarers of Coramonde (v4.2)

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convincing. It is supportive of . . . things I ve suspected.
Why then would Bey try to capture her? asked Van Duyn. Can he possibly
hope for some sort of reconciliation with her?
Springbuck replied; Andre s sister has told us that she knew that the baby
is extremely important to Yardiff Bey, but I think that it is no offspring of
Bey himself. Now consider this: one of his two children, Strongblade, has
given Bey access to tremendous worldly power, the armed might and political
influence of Coramonde, while the other child, Gabrielle, is the greatest
source of pure sorcerous force, a potent tool in his second sphere. I think he
meant to win Gabrielle over somehow by using the child.
But Andre was shaking his head. No. The omens, the stars, every divination
my sister and I could carry out over the babe point to this, that she is of
critical importance in some facet of the battle being waged against
Shardishku-Salam�. But I doubt her use as a lever for my sister.
Springbuck was about to speculate again when a cry came to them from ahead.
Their eyes pursued the direction of an arm raised to the sky and saw there,
high above them, a silvery object riding the night, uncertain of shape and
poised on columns of red flame.
Bey s flying ship, Andre said, and they halted to gape at the sinister
visitation. They were exposed on a grassy, rock-studded slope in the
moonlight, but the aircraft came no lower nor did it linger, but sped
unheedingly eastward.
Gabrielle galloped back to them excitedly. Yardiff Bey! He s scum, of
course, she said, her breathing quickened, but, oh! What a thing to
accomplish. To get the Gnomes and the Deep-Rock Dwarves to labor together for
twelve years and forge a metal beyond metal and imprison a fire elemental
within.
The three looked at her worriedly, searching for any approval or enthusiasm
for her father beyond his works. Andre said, Springbuck and Edward were about
to take the head of the column for a while. Why don t you ride here with me? I
will speak with you for a bit.
She glanced from face to face to mask in the moonlight, perplexed; but as the
group began to move again, she brought her roan lightly around until her knee
brushed her brother s. As Van Duyn and the Prince trotted to the head of the
band, the older man unslung his rifle from his shoulder. We ll have to
accelerate the pace a bit, he said. Yardiff Bey was no doubt scouting for
us. I don t think he s seen us or has many loyal troops in this region yet.
The slaying of Chaffinch and the raid on Amon s hall gave him reason for
pause, but he ll come after us eventually and we have a long way to ride
before we can breathe easily. Nevertheless they held a slow pace while Andre
and Gabrielle rode speaking at the rear of the file. They glanced back
occasionally and saw after a time that the magician and his sister had stopped
and it seemed in the dimness that she burrowed her head at her brother s
shoulder as if weeping. They both wanted to go to her. They both restrained
themselves.
Soon the deCourteneys were apart and moving along again. By mutual agreement,
the American and the Prince started the company moving at a fast trot.
Conversation ended as they all concentrated on guiding their horses across the
rough ground, the trail being rutted. By cutting overland they might have
saved distance, but Springbuck felt that they d lose time. Since they might
have been sighted by Yardiff Bey, they elected to take the route affording the
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greatest speed, albeit more perilous.
The Western Tangent was deserted except for the fugitives. The Prince
wondered that Bey had not raced to alert some outpost of their coming; then it
occurred to him that the wizard, if he had seen them, would still have
difficulty in locating a friendly garrison at night, for there were a number
of family Keeps in the area that would show him scant hospitality.
Old and broad as it was, built before the Great Blow fell, the Tangent rose, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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