The Shining Ones. David Eddings

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СКАЧАТЬ this is going to be fun! Flute exclaimed, clapping her hands together delightedly. ‘I’d never have believed we could jump so far.’

      Kalten squinted up toward the bright autumn sun. ‘I make it just a little before noon. Why don’t we ride on down into Korvan and have an early lunch? I worked up quite an appetite back there.’

      ‘It might not be a bad idea, Sparhawk,’ Vanion agreed. The situation’s changed now, so we might want to think our plans through and see if we want to modify them.’

      Sparhawk nodded. He bumped Faran’s flanks with his heels, and they started down the hill toward Korvan. ‘You seemed surprised,’ he murmured into Flute’s ear.

      ‘Surprised? I was stunned.’

      ‘What did it do?’

      ‘You wouldn’t really understand, father. Do you remember how the Troll-God Ghnomb moved you across northern Pelosia?’

      ‘He sort of froze time, didn’t he?’

      She nodded. ‘I’ve always done it a different way, but I’m more sophisticated than Ghnomb is. Bhelliom does it in still another way – much simpler, actually. Ghnomb and I are different, but we’re both part of this world, so the terrain’s very important to us. It gives us a sense of permanence and location. Bhelliom doesn’t appear to need reference points. It seems to just think of another place, and it’s there.’

      ‘Could you do it like that?’

      She pursed her lips. ‘I don’t think so.’ She sighed. ‘It’s a little humiliating to admit it, but Bhelliom’s far wiser than I am.’

      ‘But not nearly as lovable.’

      ‘Thank you, kind sir.’

      Sparhawk suddenly thought of something. ‘Is Danae at Matherion?’

      ‘Of course.’

      ‘How’s your mother?’

      ‘She’s well. She and the thieves are very busy trying to get their hands on some documents that are hidden somewhere in the Ministry of the Interior.’

      ‘Are things still under control there?’

      ‘For the moment, yes. I know I’ve teased you about it a few times, but it’s very hard to be in two places at the same time. Danae’s sleeping a great deal, so I’m missing a lot of what’s going on there. Mother’s a little worried. She thinks Danae might be sick.’

      ‘Don’t worry her too much.’

      ‘I won’t, father.’

      They rode into Korvan and found a respectable-looking inn. Ulath had a word or two with the innkeeper, and they were all escorted into a private dining room in the back where the golden sunlight streamed in through the windows to set the oaken tables and benches to glowing. ‘Can you keep anyone who might be curious from eavesdropping on us, little mother?’ Sparhawk asked.

      ‘How many times do you have to ask that question before you know the answer?’ she asked with a weary sigh.

      ‘Just making sure, that’s all.’

      They removed their cloaks, stacked their weapons in a corner, and sat down at the table.

      A squinty-eyed, slatternly serving-girl came in and told them what the kitchen had prepared for the day.

      Sephrenia shook her head. Tell her, Vanion.’

      ‘The lady and I – and the little girl – will have lamb,’ he said firmly. ‘We don’t much care for pork.’

      ‘The cook ain’t fixed no lamb,’ the girl whined.

      ‘You’d better tell him to get started, then.’

      ‘He ain’t gonna like it.’

      ‘He doesn’t have to like it. Tell him that if we don’t get lamb, we’ll take our money to another inn. The owner of the place wouldn’t like that very much, would he?’

      The girl’s face became set, and she stormed out.

      ‘That’s the Vanion we came to know and love when we were boys,’ Kalten laughed. The fight that morning seemed to have improved his temper.

      Vanion unfolded his map. ‘We’ve got a fairly substantial road going east,’ he said, running his finger along the line stretching across the map. ‘It crosses Edom and then goes on through Cynesga. We’ll cross the border into Tamul proper at Sarna.’ He looked at Flute. ‘How long a jump can Bhelliom make at one time?’

      ‘Would you like to pay a visit to the moon, Lord Vanion?’ She frowned. There’s a drawback, though. Bhelliom makes a very distinctive sound when it does something. It probably doesn’t even know that it’s doing it, but it does sort of announce its location. We might be able to teach it how to conceal itself, but it’s going to take time.’

      ‘And that raises another point as well,’ Sephrenia added. ‘Sparhawk’s holding Bhelliom’s power, but he doesn’t know how to use it yet.’

      ‘Thanks,’ Sparhawk said dryly.

      ‘I’m sorry, dear one, but you don’t. Every time you’ve ever picked it up, either Aphrael or I have had to walk you through it step by step. We’re definitely going to need some time. We have to teach Bhelliom how to be quiet, and we have to teach you how to use it without having someone hold your hand.’

      ‘I love you too, Sephrenia.’

      She smiled fondly. ‘You’re holding tremendous power in your hands, Sparhawk, but it’s not of much use if all you know how to do is wave it around like a battle-flag. I don’t think we should rush back to Matherion immediately. That story you cooked up for Ehlana will explain our absence for at least two or three more weeks. We’ll want to avoid the traps and ambushes our enemies are going to lay for us along the way, of course.’ She paused. ‘They might even be useful. They’ll give you something to practice on.’

      ‘Jump around,’ Ulath grunted.

      ‘Will you stop that, Ulath?’ she snapped at him.

      ‘Sorry, Sephrenia. It’s a habit of mine. After I think my way through something, I just blurt out the conclusion. The intermediate steps aren’t usually very interesting. Our friends out there have been raising random disturbances to keep the Atans running back and forth across the continent – werewolves here, vampires there, Shining Ones off in that direction, and antique armies in this. There’s no real purpose to all that except to confuse the imperial authorities. We could steal a page right out of their book, you know. They can hear and feel Bhelliom – particularly when it’s doing something noisy. I gather that there’s no real limit to how far it can jump at one time, so let’s just say that Sparhawk wants to see what the weather’s like in Darsas. He has Bhelliom pick him up by the scruff of the neck and drop him down in the square outside King Alberen’s palace. He stays there for about a half-hour – long enough for the other side to smell him out – then he hops across the continent to Beresa in southern Arjuna and stays long enough to make his presence СКАЧАТЬ