[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
more fully toward the fire. Light gathered in the white heart of the crystal,
coalescing to a pulsing brightness for no more than a blink's worth of time
before Dain lunged, forcing Rhuddlan to close his hand around the crystal and
meet his attack.
Twice more they came together, once with the scrape and slide of metal ringing
throughout the grove.
Dain took the Quicken-tree's measure even as his own was being weighed, and
'twas a fair match, he decided, fairer than he had expected. Rhuddlan was fast
enough by a hairbreadth to elude any thrust he made. Or mayhaps the dreamstone
was slowing his own movements, for even with Rhuddlan's fingers on the haft,
flashes of light escaped from the crystal and grew more brilliant with every
parry blindingly brilliant. Soon he would not be able to see Rhuddlan's hand.
He would have the restofthe Quicken-tree's body to guide him, but where the
man's movements terminated, where the pain would come from, would be naught
but a ball of light.
'Twas an eventuality he wasn't inclined to wait for, having less interest in
seeing his own blood than in seeing Rhuddlan's. Thus he changed his attack to
a retreat, slowing his movements to draw Rhuddlan out, baiting the
Quicken-tree with an advantage. The risk was a calculated one. Rhuddlan was a
Page 157
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
good fighter, highly skilled, but he was far older, and his age showed in the
way he slowed his parries to match Dain's.
Dain didn't hesitate when he saw his opening, rushing in with a high inside
feint, then marking Rhuddlan across the ribs when the Quicken-tree man exposed
his torso with his blocking parry.
A shadow seemed to fall over the grove as the light went out of the
dreamstone. Rhuddlan immediately fell back, and rather than the curse Dain
expected, he smiled. "Well done."
"There is not much blood," Dain said.
"And I am duly grateful." The smile broadened.
Moira hurried forth with a pot ofrascaand began tending the slight wound. Elen
was soon at her side with a cloak of Quicken-tree cloth. She was beautiful
still, her hair as shiny and soft-looking, her cheeks as prettily blushed.
but the allure was gone. Whatever promise had been between them had been
broken along with the spell.
Rhuddlan extended the crystal and gold-hiked dagger. "The Goddess may choose,
but the blade must be won. Her name is Ayas, and like your knife, she has a
compassionate streak."
That he was offering the dagger was apparent, but Dain did not step forward to
take it.
"Come, Lavrans. She is yours. See?" He opened his palm to show the dark
crystal. "Already my mastery over her is gone. She is your dreamstone and will
cast her light only for you."
"And if I do not wish to conjure a Druid's sleep every time I hold the blade?"
"Then do not ask for one. Dreams come in many forms, mage. You'll find Ayas is
much more easily controlled than your Goddess." Rhuddlan grinned and gestured
toward Ceridwen. "I do not begrudge you that one." Madron did, though. Dain
had not forgotten the witch's warning.
"In all truth, friend," Rhuddlan went on, "she is yours with my blessing, for
the price of another hour's magic."
Dain looked to Ceridwen. She was standing at the far side of the grove next to
Ceraunnos's dais, her uneasy stance indicating wariness justifiable wariness.
Madron could not save her now, for he was no longer counting the cost of
having her.
"Aye. I will pay your price, Rhuddlan." And Madron's too damn him to hell.
She had spoken of love. He would see what she knew of the depths of love.
He took the crystal blade and started toward her, sheathing the Damascene in
the band of leather that belted the loincloth around his waist.
"Run," he warned her in a whisper too soft for her to hear, yet her eyes
widened, and she stepped back.
"Run, and do not stop."
Her hands came down to lift her skirts. He would not take her in Deri among
the Quicken-tree. She was his in a way Rhuddlan could not understand, his need
of her different from the Quicken-tree's for a
Goddess.
Run, Ceri. Run as fast as you can, and still you will be mine.
She took off like a doe in flight, darting into the trees on the north side of
The Bramble. Dain kept his strides even, letting her gain distance. It did not
matter. This night, there would be no escape for the quicksilver maid.
"Sweet Jesus, save me." Ceridwen came to a stop, leaning against one of
Wroneu's sturdy oaks. She gulped in air and wrapped her arm around her waist.
To her left, the trees were awash in silver light, but there was no sign of
the beast stalking her. Brushing the hair back from her face, she looked
hesitantly to the east and swore. He was there, the damned crystal dagger
glinting moonlight in his hand, not ten yards distant. He had come no closer,
but neither had he allowed her to get any farther away.
Page 158
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
She struggled to slow her breathing and prayed she could thus slow the beating
of her heart. She had no plan except to go north, ever north into sanctuary. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl rafalstec.xlx.pl
more fully toward the fire. Light gathered in the white heart of the crystal,
coalescing to a pulsing brightness for no more than a blink's worth of time
before Dain lunged, forcing Rhuddlan to close his hand around the crystal and
meet his attack.
Twice more they came together, once with the scrape and slide of metal ringing
throughout the grove.
Dain took the Quicken-tree's measure even as his own was being weighed, and
'twas a fair match, he decided, fairer than he had expected. Rhuddlan was fast
enough by a hairbreadth to elude any thrust he made. Or mayhaps the dreamstone
was slowing his own movements, for even with Rhuddlan's fingers on the haft,
flashes of light escaped from the crystal and grew more brilliant with every
parry blindingly brilliant. Soon he would not be able to see Rhuddlan's hand.
He would have the restofthe Quicken-tree's body to guide him, but where the
man's movements terminated, where the pain would come from, would be naught
but a ball of light.
'Twas an eventuality he wasn't inclined to wait for, having less interest in
seeing his own blood than in seeing Rhuddlan's. Thus he changed his attack to
a retreat, slowing his movements to draw Rhuddlan out, baiting the
Quicken-tree with an advantage. The risk was a calculated one. Rhuddlan was a
Page 157
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
good fighter, highly skilled, but he was far older, and his age showed in the
way he slowed his parries to match Dain's.
Dain didn't hesitate when he saw his opening, rushing in with a high inside
feint, then marking Rhuddlan across the ribs when the Quicken-tree man exposed
his torso with his blocking parry.
A shadow seemed to fall over the grove as the light went out of the
dreamstone. Rhuddlan immediately fell back, and rather than the curse Dain
expected, he smiled. "Well done."
"There is not much blood," Dain said.
"And I am duly grateful." The smile broadened.
Moira hurried forth with a pot ofrascaand began tending the slight wound. Elen
was soon at her side with a cloak of Quicken-tree cloth. She was beautiful
still, her hair as shiny and soft-looking, her cheeks as prettily blushed.
but the allure was gone. Whatever promise had been between them had been
broken along with the spell.
Rhuddlan extended the crystal and gold-hiked dagger. "The Goddess may choose,
but the blade must be won. Her name is Ayas, and like your knife, she has a
compassionate streak."
That he was offering the dagger was apparent, but Dain did not step forward to
take it.
"Come, Lavrans. She is yours. See?" He opened his palm to show the dark
crystal. "Already my mastery over her is gone. She is your dreamstone and will
cast her light only for you."
"And if I do not wish to conjure a Druid's sleep every time I hold the blade?"
"Then do not ask for one. Dreams come in many forms, mage. You'll find Ayas is
much more easily controlled than your Goddess." Rhuddlan grinned and gestured
toward Ceridwen. "I do not begrudge you that one." Madron did, though. Dain
had not forgotten the witch's warning.
"In all truth, friend," Rhuddlan went on, "she is yours with my blessing, for
the price of another hour's magic."
Dain looked to Ceridwen. She was standing at the far side of the grove next to
Ceraunnos's dais, her uneasy stance indicating wariness justifiable wariness.
Madron could not save her now, for he was no longer counting the cost of
having her.
"Aye. I will pay your price, Rhuddlan." And Madron's too damn him to hell.
She had spoken of love. He would see what she knew of the depths of love.
He took the crystal blade and started toward her, sheathing the Damascene in
the band of leather that belted the loincloth around his waist.
"Run," he warned her in a whisper too soft for her to hear, yet her eyes
widened, and she stepped back.
"Run, and do not stop."
Her hands came down to lift her skirts. He would not take her in Deri among
the Quicken-tree. She was his in a way Rhuddlan could not understand, his need
of her different from the Quicken-tree's for a
Goddess.
Run, Ceri. Run as fast as you can, and still you will be mine.
She took off like a doe in flight, darting into the trees on the north side of
The Bramble. Dain kept his strides even, letting her gain distance. It did not
matter. This night, there would be no escape for the quicksilver maid.
"Sweet Jesus, save me." Ceridwen came to a stop, leaning against one of
Wroneu's sturdy oaks. She gulped in air and wrapped her arm around her waist.
To her left, the trees were awash in silver light, but there was no sign of
the beast stalking her. Brushing the hair back from her face, she looked
hesitantly to the east and swore. He was there, the damned crystal dagger
glinting moonlight in his hand, not ten yards distant. He had come no closer,
but neither had he allowed her to get any farther away.
Page 158
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
She struggled to slow her breathing and prayed she could thus slow the beating
of her heart. She had no plan except to go north, ever north into sanctuary. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]