David Eddings - The Tamuli 02 by The Shining Ones

Author:The Shining Ones [Ones, The Shining]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-02-15T22:51:34.696000+00:00

‘She’s still asleep,’ Danae said, quietly closing the door to Sephrenia’s room.

‘Is she all right?’ Sparhawk asked.

‘Of course she isn’t. What did you expect, Sparhawk? Her heart’s broken.’

‘Come with me. We need to talk.’

‘I don’t think I want to talk with you right now, father. I’m just a little unhappy with you.’

‘I can live with that.’

‘Don’t be too sure.’

‘Come along.’ He took her by the hand and led her up a long flight of stairs to the top of the tower and then out onto the parapet. He prudently closed the door and bolted it behind them. ‘You blundered, Aphrael,’ he told her. She raised her chin and gave him a flat, icy stare. ‘Don’t get imperial with me, young lady. You made a mistake. You never should have let Sephrenia go to Delphaeus.’

‘She had to go. She has to go through this.’

‘She can’t. It’s more than she can bear.’

‘She’s stronger than she looks.’

‘Don’t you have any heart at all? Can’t you see how much she’s suffering?’

‘Of course I can, and it’s hurting me far more than it’s hurting you, father.’

‘You’re killing Vanion too, you know.’

‘He’s also stronger than he looks. Why did all of you turn against Sephrenia at Delphaeus? Two or three soft words from Xanetia was all it took to make you throw away three hundred years of love and devotion. Is that the way you Elenes customarily treat your friends?’

‘She’s the one who forced the issue, Aphrael. She started delivering ultimatums. I don’t think you realize how strongly she feels about the Delphae. She was totally irrational. What’s behind all of that?’

‘That’s none of your business.’

‘I think it is. What really happened during the Cyrgai wars?’

‘I won’t tell you.’

‘Art thou afeared to speak of it, Goddess?’ Sparhawk spun around quickly, a startled oath coming to his lips. It was Xanetia. She stood all aglow not far from where they were talking.

‘This doesn’t concern you, Xanetia,’ Aphrael told her coldly.

‘I must needs know thine heart, Goddess. Thy sister’s enmity is of no real moment. Thine, however, would be more troublesome. Art thou also unkindly disposed toward me?’

‘Why don’t you leech my thoughts and find out for yourself?’

‘Thou knowest that I cannot, Aphrael. Thy mind is closed to me.’

‘I’m so glad you noticed that.’

‘Behave yourself,’ Sparhawk told his daughter, speaking very firmly.

‘Stay out of this, Sparhawk.’

‘No, Danae, I don’t think I will. Are you behind the way Sephrenia was behaving at Delphaeus?’

‘Don’t be absurd. I sent her to Delphaeus to cure her of that nonsense.’

‘Are you sure, Aphrael? You’re not behaving very well at the moment yourself, you know.’

‘I don’t like Edaemus, and I don’t like his people. I’m trying to cure Sephrenia out of love for her, not out of any affection for the Delphae.’

‘But thou didst stand for us against thy kindred when all this began, Goddess,’ Xanetia pointed out.

‘That also was not out of any great affection for your race, Xanetia. My family was wrong, and I opposed them out of principle. You wouldn’t understand

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