Enchanter: Book Two of the Axis Trilogy. Sara Douglass

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СКАЧАТЬ tiring of the topic. Yr sat silently in a shadowy corner of the room and Faraday could feel her silent sympathy and support.

      If Faraday had managed previously to tolerate her marriage to Borneheld in Gorkenfort, now she could barely keep her distaste for the man safely hidden. She no longer sought to please or humour him in their bed, nor pretended to love him or desire his company.

      Borneheld now realised her feelings for Axis and suspected she had lied to him in Gorkenfort. Yet he could tolerate all of this – if only she provided him with an heir.

      And yet Faraday remained barren despite his most strenuous exertions. Borneheld had never been charming or courtly, but in Gorkenfort he’d made an effort to treat Faraday with respect. Now that he had been forced to abandon Gorkenfort and Ichtar, Borneheld slipped into almost perpetual surliness, not hesitating to humiliate Faraday in public. Something dark and sinister had taken root in his mind since the fall of Gorkenfort, and daily Faraday watched it grow.

      Borneheld abruptly turned aside and began to discuss with Gautier and Timozel the continuing efforts to construct a viable defence system around Jervois Landing.

      Faraday let her breath out in relief and looked about the room. Borneheld and the immediate members of his command had taken over the Tired Seagull, the very same inn that she, Yr and Timozel had stayed at on their way to Gorkenfort. The men who had escaped Gorkenfort with them were either quartered about the town, or camped in the massive tent city that had sprung up about Jervois Landing.

      Faraday caught the eye of the Ravensbund chief, Ho’Demi. She almost looked away, sure the man would be as embarrassed and uncomfortable as most others in the room, but Ho’Demi smiled at her warmly. There was nothing but sympathy and respect in his dark eyes. Faraday straightened her back a little, and Ho’Demi inclined his head in approval.

      Faraday had never had a chance to speak to the man, as Borneheld did his best to keep her sequestered from anyone save Yr and Timozel. But Ho’Demi had such a natural aristocratic bearing for one whose appearance was so savage and frightening that Faraday found him fascinating. Indeed, she was intrigued by the entire Ravensbund population camped about Jervois Landing. On the few occasions Borneheld had allowed her out of their quarters (with a suitable guard), Faraday had seen their multicoloured tents spreading for what seemed like leagues about the town, the air around them filled with the sound of the soft chimes which they threaded through their hair and the manes of their horses, and which hung from every available space in their tents. All of them were tattooed to some degree, the different designs denoting different tribal groups, but all of them, no matter their tribe, had that peculiarly naked circle in the centre of their foreheads where no line crossed.

      Little did Faraday know that Ho’Demi was equally interested in her. All Ravensbund people knew the Prophecy. They lived to serve both it and the StarMan, and Ho’Demi instinctively knew that this woman was one of those named in the Prophecy. But he could get near neither she nor her Sentinel maid, so closely watched were they by Borneheld’s men. One day. One day. Meantime, why did Borneheld humiliate one so obviously Prophecy-born? He did not understand it.

      Faraday turned her eyes away from Ho’Demi, lest her attention draw Borneheld’s suspicion on the man’s head, and saw Timozel watching her.

      There was no sympathy or support in his eyes at all. Over the past months Timozel had, tragically, become Borneheld’s man. Timozel was still her Champion, supposedly devoted to her welfare and interests, but he seemed to have decided that the best way he could serve Faraday’s interests was by serving her husband. Timozel admired and respected Borneheld, and Faraday found that very hard to understand.

      Timozel had not thought to share his visions with her as he had with her husband.

      Faraday averted her eyes. If she had known Timozel would turn into this dark, brooding, frightening man, she would have refused his request to be her Champion. Now Timozel stared at her, having sided with Borneheld on the issue of the child.

      In her shadowy corner Yr watched Faraday’s shoulders straighten as she recognised the sympathy and support in Ho’Demi’s eyes, watched them slump again as she saw the accusation in Timozel’s. Yr seriously wondered whether she and the other three Sentinels had done the right thing in so forcibly persuading Faraday to deny her love for Axis and marry Borneheld. We thought it might help to keep Axis alive, Yr thought bitterly. So we persuaded the darling girl, so full of sweetness and love, to give herself to Borneheld. Why did we find it so necessary for the Prophecy that we force her into this boorish man’s bed?

      I hope she will eventually find love and peace with Axis, Yr prayed. That Axis loved Faraday Yr had no doubt – everyone had seen that at Gorkenfort. And that Axis would fight through Achar to rescue Faraday from Borneheld’s side, Yr also did not doubt. She could not doubt it. She didn’t want to think that Faraday’s heartache would be for nothing.

      And, as Faraday had done, Yr also glanced at Timozel. She and he had once been lovers, but Timozel’s tastes had become too dark for Yr’s liking and she’d ended the affair. As far as Yr was concerned, she and Faraday would have to stand together to survive this dreadful situation.

      Pray Axis come quickly, she thought, pray that he come and rescue us both from this.

      “My man,” Brother Gilbert said, “I represent the Brother-Leader of the Seneschal himself. I demand entrance to Duke Borneheld’s quarters immediately!”

      The guard sniffed and looked this pimply, skinny Brother up and down. If I were the Brother-Leader, thought the guard, I would find myself a more imposing representative.

      “I have papers! Proof of my identity,” Gilbert shouted, losing patience. Both this dullard’s parents must have been riddled with the pox to have birthed a child so grossly under-witted! It had been a hard, fast and dreadfully cold journey up the Nordra from Carlon to reach Jervois Landing, and the sooner Gilbert saw a fire – preferably with Duke Borneheld standing in front of it – the better. Gilbert was just about to shout at him again when a figure loomed in the darkened corridor behind the guard.

      The guard snapped to attention, which puzzled Gilbert when he saw who the newcomer was – one of those savages from the northern wastes, a Ravensbundman, with even more fines scribbled across his face than normal.

      “Chief Ho’Demi,” the guard saluted. “This underfed scrawling claims to be on a mission from the Brother-Leader.”

      “I have papers,” Gilbert said, indignant. Him? An underfed scrawling? He had always thought himself a rather attractive man.

      The savage snapped his fingers at Gilbert. “Well? Show them to me!”

      Gilbert pulled a sheaf of papers out of the lining of his cloak and handed them to the savage. So, he was going to pretend he could read, was he?

      “You have news for Borneheld regarding Priam, Brother Gilbert?” the savage finally asked, looking up from the papers.

      Gilbert stopped himself from gawping only through a supreme effort. So the savage had managed to read Priam’s name. He would have guessed the rest. “Yes,” he finally got out. “Important news regarding Priam and the situation in Carlon. Important news,” Gilbert repeated slowly in case the savage had not understood him the first time.

      Ho’Demi folded the papers and slipped them inside his furred waistcoat, ignoring Gilbert’s yelp of disapproval. “I will take him through, Eavan. You have done well.”

      Gilbert sneered as he pushed past the guard. Done well, indeed. He СКАЧАТЬ