Sinner. Sara Douglass

Sinner - Sara  Douglass


Скачать книгу

      Caelum sat down. “I will close this Council within minutes, Zared, but first I need to say that –”

      “You cannot close this Council yet,” Zared said. “There is one more item of business we need to discuss.”

      Caelum stared at him. “And what might that be?”

      “We need,” Zared said, his hand absently hovering where his sword normally hung from his weapons belt, “to discuss restoring the throne of Achar.”

       13 The Throne of Achar

      The entire Hall was silent, stunned. The notaries and secretaries had paused in their incessant hunt for precedents in their documents to stare open-mouthed at the central table. The scribes’ quills had dipped unnoticed to scratch uselessly against cloth instead of parchment. The messenger boys were rigid with terror, incapable of moving.

      The guards, already rigid and expressionless, still somehow managed to register their outrage. Restore the throne of Achar?

      “And so now the traitor speaks,” Askam said softly into the silence. “Is this what you have wanted all along, Zared? Is this the reason you so pursued Leagh?”

      “I am no traitor,” Zared said, just as quietly, “to want for the Acharites what every other race in Tencendor has – their own head. Their own pride.”

      “Sit down, Zared,” Caelum said. Nothing about his demeanour revealed the intense shock, even fear, Zared’s words had caused.

      Caelum set his hands flat on the table before him, stared at them a long moment, then raised his eyes to the six men about the table. “Speak to me,” he said.

      “Well,” Yllgaine said, “technically this conversation is academic only. The throne of Achar no longer exists. It is a relic of the past. It cannot be revived.”

      “Achar no longer exists!” Askam exclaimed. His body was stiff with outrage, his eyes bright with indignant anger. As Prince of the West, Askam had the most to lose if the realm of Achar was recreated. Achar had once covered most of the territory he now governed, and had included Carlon, the richest and most populous city in Tencendor. “And thus the ‘Acharites’ don’t exist. Have you not read your Edicts of the First Year of StarSon Caelum’s Reign, Zared?”

      Zared ignored him. “This is not how I wished to raise the issue –” he began, when Caelum interrupted.

      “Nevertheless, this is how you raised it! I – nay, all of us here at this table – would be grateful if you would enlighten us as to the motives … the desires … behind your words.”

      “But now that the issue has been raised,” Zared continued regardless, refusing to look at Caelum, “may I speak without interruption?”

      Askam started to say something more, but Caelum held up his hand for silence. “Let him speak.”

      “My friends, when Axis reunited Tencendor he righted a massive wrong. I cannot deny that. Former Acharite kings and the Seneschal had riven the ancient realm apart with their lies and hatred. Borneheld only made matters worse, and I have no quarrel with the fact that Axis killed our brother in fair duel in the Chamber of the Moons in Carlon.

      “But I do have some reservations about his choices immediately after winning that duel. He reproclaimed Tencendor, yes, but in doing so he destroyed the ancient kingdom of Achar.”

      “It had no place in Tencendor!” Askam said, looking about the table for support. “It was ever an aberration!”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEAYABgAAD/4Qd1RXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABwESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAYgEbAAUAAAABAAAAagEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAUAAAAcgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAhodp AAQAAAABAAAAnAAAAMgAAABgAAAAAQAAAGAAAAABQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIDcuMAAyMDEwOjEw OjIyIDA3OjQ5OjMwAAAAAAOgAQADAAAAAf//AACgAgAEAAAAAQAAAh6gAwAEAAAAAQAAArwAAAAA AAAABgEDAAMAAAABAAYAAAEaAAUAAAABAAABFgEbAAUAAAABAAABHgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAIBAAQA AAABAAABJgICAAQAAAABAAAGRwAAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAAB/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEASABI AAD/7QAMQWRvYmVfQ00AAv/uAA5BZG9iZQBkgAAAAAH/2wCEAAwICAgJCAwJCQwRCwoLERUPDAwP FRgTExUTExgRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBDQsLDQ4NEA4OEBQO Dg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDP/AABEI AIAAYwMBIgACEQEDEQH/3QAEAAf/xAE/AAABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAADAAECBAUGBwgJCgsBAAEF AQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYHCAkKCxAAAQQBAwIEAgUHBggFAwwzAQACEQMEIRIxBUFRYRMi cYEyBhSRobFCIyQVUsFiMzRygtFDByWSU/Dh8WNzNRaisoMmRJNUZEXCo3Q2F9JV4mXys4TD03Xj 80YnlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vY3R1dnd4eXp7fH1+f3EQACAgECBAQDBAUGBwcG BTUBAAIRAyExEgRBUWFxIhMFMoGRFKGxQiPBUtHwMyRi4XKCkkNTFWNzNPElBhaisoMHJjXC0kST VKMXZEVVNnRl4vKzhMPTdePzRpSkhbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2JzdHV2d3h5ent8f/ 2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/APMl75/i1/8AER0v+rZ/5+uXga98/wAWv/iI6X/Vs/8AP1yuc18g80B6ZJJJ U0qSSSSUpJJJJSkkkklKSSSSUpJJJJT/AP/Q8yXvn+LX/wARHS/6tn/n65eBr3z/ABa/+Ijpf9Wz /wA/XK5zXyDzQHpkkklTSpJJJJSkkkklKSSSSUpJJJJSkkkklP8A/9HzJe+f4tf/ABEdL/q2f+fr l4XTh23Y1+S2BXjAOcSDrLm17WujZu9690/xa/8AiI6X/Vs/8/XK5zXyjzQHpkkklTSpJJJJSkkk klKSSSSUpJJJJSkkkklP/9LgcMVt6ZnOc+vdY1rK6y6H+x9b3v8AT3Nbt9/5zLP+D/0i9t/xa/8A iI6X/Vs/8/XLxLDqdZ03NeGVxjtDjYWuLyLH117NzXtr2s2e31K3r23/ABa/+Ijpf9Wz/wA/XK3z Py/4X7EB6ZJJJVEqSSWP9YLOpVuxH4TX2sFg+0UVbmvcwurZ6td7G2V7qGud+q3+zJp9b9JVdj12 JKdhJYNPVOrtqx624ThvYPdYLnuZsq9R3rvNTXW2Ps/Rf4NFwOrdWy8+umzA+zYr23ufa/1N7TS+ ullL2vpqp35Hq+vTYy+31Ka7ElOykkkkpSSSSSlJJJJKf//T4PGdYOj5I9Jjqidvr7TvY4mt4rdZ u2M9dtbvQZss9T08j/jF7X/i1/8AER0v+rZ/5+uXiWAW/YeoNMya2EkHUAO+l6e5m/3+nX/we/1N i9t/xa/+Ijpf9Wz/AM/XK3zPy/4X7EB6ZJJJVEqSSSSU1MjqvT8a8Y91zWWnlpP0QR7XP/d3K2qW T0w33m77TdVMexhZt9v9et7ldSUpJJJJSkkkklKSSSSU/wD/1PPKs+yvp9uCN/p3O3Oixwb+Z9Kh v6Kz+b/P/wDRa9y/xa/+Ijpf9Wz/AM/XLwNe+f4tf/ER0v8Aq2f+frlb5r5R5oD0ySSSqJavUmZT 8KxuG5zMj2lhbHZzXbXbyz9G5vtu2WVXel/MXU3enaqtF3X/ANGL8alvurbZseXANg/aLW2PLXv2 ub+h31b3/wCE/cWokkpxKK/rJUyWbHPLXsIyH7xv9R9lN+6ra70Ps/6J7P531PS9n6F/rRrzPrFb kGu3DFbqnOezaYqc1zXNpZbd6h9R9fqM9atlOz1K/wBHZ+jW6kkpp9Pf1Rws/aLKq9R6XpE8e6d+ 5z/5H+v6RXEkklKSSSSUpJJJJT//1fMl75/i1/8AER0v+rZ/5+uXga98/wAWv/iI6X/Vs/8AP1yu c18g80B6ZJJJU0qSSSSUpJJJJSkkkklKSSSSUpJJJJT/AP/W8yXvn+LX/wARHS/6tn/n65eBr3z/ ABa/+Ijpf9Wz/wA/XK5zXyDzQHpkkklTSpJJJJSkkkklKSSSSUpJJJJSkkkklP8A/9n/7QwYUGhv dG9zaG9wIDMuMAA4QklNBCUAAAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOEJJTQPtAAAAAAAQAGAAAAAB AAEAYAAAAAEAAThCSU0EJgAAAAAADgAAAAAAAAAAAAA/gAAAOEJJTQQNAAAAAAAEAAAAHjhCSU0E GQAAAAAABAAAAB44QklNA/MAAAAAAAkAAAAAAAAAAAEAOEJJTQQKAAAAAAABAAA4QklNJxAAAAAA AAoAAQAAAAAAAAABOEJJTQP1AAAAAABIAC9mZgABAGxmZgAGAAAAAAABAC9mZgABAKGZmgAGAAAA AAABADIAAAABAFoAAAAGAAAAAAABADUAAAABAC0AAAAGAAAAAAABOEJJTQP4AAAAAABwAAD///// ////////////////////////A+gAAAAA/////////////////////////////wPoAAAAAP////// //////////////////////8D6AAAAAD/////////////////////////////A+gAADhCSU0ECAAA AAAAEAAAAAEAAAJAAAACQAAAAAA4QklNBB4AAAAAAAQAAAAAOEJJTQQaAAAAAANPAAAABgAAAAAA AAAAAAACvAAAAh4AAAANADkANwA4ADAAMAAwADcANAAwADIAOQA3ADcAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh4AAAK8AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAEAAAAAEAAAAAAABudWxsAAAAAgAAAAZib3VuZHNPYmpjAAAAAQAAAAAAAFJjdDEAAAAEAAAA AFRvcCBsb25nAAAAAAAAAABMZWZ0bG9uZwAAAAAAAAAAQnRvbWxvbmcAAAK8AAAAAFJnaHRsb25n AAACHgAAAAZzbGljZXNWbExzAAAAAU9iamMAAAABAAAAAAAFc2xpY2UAAAASAAAAB3NsaWNlSURs b25nAAAAAAAAAAdncm91cElEbG9uZwAAAAAAAAAGb3JpZ2luZW51bQAAAAxFU2xpY2VPcmlnaW4A AAANYXV0b0dlbmVyYXRlZAAAAABUeXBlZW51bQAAAApFU2xpY2VUeXBlAAAAAEltZyAAAAAGYm91 bmRzT2JqYwAAAAEAAAAAAABSY3QxAAAABAAAAABUb3AgbG9uZwAAAAAAAAAATGVmdGxvbmcAAAAA AAAAAEJ0b21sb25nAAACvAAAAABSZ2h0bG9uZwAAAh
Скачать книгу