Читать книгу Raven's Soul. Volume 2 - Анна Морион - Страница 7

POV Derek

A muffled rumble of voices mixed with wailing and sobs invaded my sleep. The creepy, icy laughter and whispers accusing me of usurping the throne, the same invisible tormentor who came to me every night with the same nightmare, grew quieter and quieter, while the wailing and rumbling grew louder and louder, and soon my head was ready to burst from this unbearably loud noise, like the ringing of a huge church bell above my ear.

I realized that I was in my chambers, in my bed, surrounded by my entourage, but I could not open my eyes. My eyelids were so heavy that no matter how hard I tried, I could not get them open, and this suddenly frightened me. I wanted to wake up, I tried to wake up, but I couldn't. "Help me! Wake me up!" – I shouted to myself, but I think I was the only one who heard the shouts.

"Whit! If you can hear me! Hit me in the face! Make me wake up!" – I pleaded, hoping that at least my faithful familiar could hear my mute screams.

"Are you sure? What if I break your neck?" – Vit answered me, and his voice brought me such joy that I'd be ready to kiss his furry face after I woke up.

"Hit me I can't wake up… Something is holding me, something is keeping me from coming back to reality!" – I said insistently, and immediately felt a searing pain on my face. My eyes opened wide and, covered in cold sweat, I threw the blanket away from me and jumped out of bed.

– You're bleeding, Daddy! You've been bitten by a demon! – Alva squealed, hiding behind her grandmother's back.

– Daddy! Don't die! Why are you scaring us like this? – Willa screamed at the same time, jumping on Hedda's neck.

– What the hell-" I involuntarily touched my face, felt something wet under my fingers, and looked at them and was surprised to find blood on them.

"You asked me to hit you. As you can see, I tried, and I didn't even spare my claws," Vit said in an apologetic tone.

– No, it's all right… You helped me wake up," I murmured quietly, and turned to look around and grinned: all the people I cared about were here. Even Bergil had left his post and now stood before me, as pale as a freshly baked Kaldwinian pastry. Andrada, calm, but with a serious, even stern look, looked straight into my eyes, as if knowing that I was the prisoner of a nightmare. – I'm alive, my darlings, you don't have to be afraid for your daddy," I said hastily, approaching my daughters, and they threw themselves around my neck as if they were in agreement.

– Your scratches need cleaning, my lord. Let me apply a healing ointment to them. Come to my laboratory," Andrada said quietly.

– There's no need… It'll heal on its own," I dismissed her, not wanting to be alone with her. Her concern seemed too intrusive and intimate at this moment. – I have received such scratches many times, from the swords of my enemies, but as you can see, there is not a single scar on my skin.

– Those were the weapons of men, my king. A familiar's claws, on the other hand, wound much deeper. – Andrada pressed her lips together.

– What is she talking about? – Bergil looked from Andrada to me.

– Forget it," I said. I needed my faithful friend to turn his back on me when he realized I was somehow connected to magic, perhaps even dark magic. – Who's going to tell me what I'm doing here? The last time I closed my eyes, we were at mass.

– You fainted again, my king… So as not to frighten the people, we carried you out the back doors, put you in a carriage, and sent you to the palace," Hedda explained to me. Her voice trembled slightly, and she was even paler than usual. – We tried to bring you to your senses, but you didn't respond… Even Andrada's herbs didn't help. It was as if you were dead, but at the same time you were still alive. – The princess swallowed. – We thought we had lost you, we didn't know what to do.

– But I'm not dead, so my foes will have to wait," I grinned.

– Let's drop the jokes! You're dying, Derek! You need to name an heir! – Bergil interrupted me in a grim tone.

– Are you dying? No, no! I won't let you! – Vilja immediately wept.

– Come, girls-let's go! Your father is fine! Bergil is joking! – Hedda suddenly declared firmly, taking Vilja from me. – Lady Sulwai! Take Alva and let's go and have tea! I hear they've made some delicious candied cakes from Emmerlend especially for us!

– Thank you, Hedda," I said to the princess with sincere gratitude.

– Get well, my lord," Hedda smiled absent-mindedly, and, clutching a screaming and kicking Vilja to her breast, she left the chambers, accompanied by my mother and Alva.

– I need to speak to my consort," I said to Andrade when it was just her, me, Bergil, and, of course, Vit. – Can you put me in touch with her?

– I cannot vouch, my lord, but I can try. The dagger that Queen Sylvia received from me is enchanted to be the only element that can open a water portal," the sorceress replied thoughtfully, but suddenly frowned her eyebrows. – Aren't you afraid it might be dangerous? Perhaps she is in the center of the battle, and we distract her? You can see for yourself what that could lead to.

– But can't you sense the magic in that very dagger? Even though it's not in your hands, you put a piece of yourself into it. What do your senses tell you? – I said quietly, still noting rightly that her concerns were well-founded. But something told me that Sylvia herself wanted me to take the initiative and try to contact her. I hoped so.

– I feel that the dagger is at peace…the Queen is not using it. As you wish, Your Highness, I will go to my place and try to open the portal. But as I said, I can't promise I'll get the results you want. I'll take care of it right away. You and the head of security will have a serious conversation," Andrada said without a single emotion on her face. Then she nodded slightly and left the chambers.

– Women… No peace from them! – Bergil grumbled, as if he was just waiting to be alone with me. – Have you any wine? – He went without permission to the cabinet where I usually kept bottles of delicious old wines, took one of the tall glass vessels, uncorked it, and took a couple of sips from the narrow neck.

– I envy you mortals. You drink this red drink so greedily and with such relish that I wouldn't mind a taste myself," Wit grinned, looking at Bergil with interest. He had already climbed onto my bed and was sprawled on it like a big, fat cat.

– I'll pour you a drink," I said to Vit, barely audibly.

– Yes, please! – rumbled my surname. – But I don't think I'll drink it. Unfortunately, I don't eat your food or drink your liquids. Though your friend's birds look quite appetizing.....

– So who is your heir? – Bergil asked in an impatient tone.

– I haven't thought about it yet," I answered him honestly.

– I haven't thought about it… My friend, you almost died, and everyone in the church saw it! Now everyone knows that you are not well, and they demand to know who will rule Kaldwind when you die!

– If I die, Bergil," I said softly. My friend's certainty of my imminent death struck me unpleasantly.

– Look at you! You look like a living corpse! – Bergil sipped his wine again. – Go to the mirror and see for yourself! The ladies have kept silent about this out of politeness, but I am your loyal friend and I will not keep silent! – He brought the bottle to his lips again: "Andrada said that nothing can help you now, and she knows a lot about these things… You need to name an heir.

– You're exaggerating. Poison couldn't have done that fast…" I started to smile derisively, but as I walked to the mirror and saw my reflection, I realized that Bergil had told the truth, which, either out of respect or not wanting to upset me, neither my daughters, nor my mother, nor Hedda, nor Andrada had told me.

"What's wrong with me… What are these spots on my skin? What do I look like? It is the reflection of a dead man rising from the grave… My poor daughters… How frightened they are by this sight of me!" – I thought with horror, not believing my own eyes: the man looking at me from the mirror looked so sick and frightening that I involuntarily began to hope that I was still in the grip of a nightmare. Because if what I was seeing was really what I had become, what Hund's cursed poison had made me, the reality was scarier than any horrors my mind had ever seen.

"Why didn't you tell me?" – I mentally turned to Vit with reproach.

"I knew Bergil would not be silent about it. Why should you hear this unhappy news two whole times?" – The snow leopard answered me.

– Are you convinced? Name an heir. And you better do it today. Derek, you have no idea-" Bergil's voice trembled, "-you have no idea how hard these words are for me to say. But the fate of Kaldwind depends on who inherits your throne, and I serve it faithfully.

I didn't answer. I couldn't believe what was happening. I couldn't accept that I'd gone from being a healthy man, a warrior, to a strange, thin creature covered in dark spots. The hair on my head had thinned, and my beard was almost gone. It wasn't me. Someone else, but not me.

Suddenly it hit me: I'd put so much faith in Sylvia and her loyalty that I hadn't even thought about the fact that she might not be there in time to save me. Save me? Does she want to? She left the palace in the company of a handsome young healer, so why would she return to me, who took her by force as his wife and raped her on their wedding night? No. She won't. I was blind. I was stupid. I'll be dead soon.

Bergil is right.

I need to name an heir.

But who can I name? Who should I choose from?

The first and rightful heir was Hedda. But, God, what can this frivolous girl do but spend money on dresses and jewelry and have fun? She doesn't know the basics of diplomacy… Does she? What am I talking about? She's never taken an interest in her own kingdom's affairs, so what diplomacy is there to talk about? Besides, Hedda made it clear to me a long time ago that she has no claim to the throne because she doesn't want to take on the responsibility. "Also, my lord, I want to enjoy life, not live it in the throne room or on the battlefield. You are much better suited to that role than I am," Hedda told me on the day of my coronation.

Alva? My eldest daughter? No. I never married her mother, which meant neither she nor her sister could claim the throne. They were illegitimate, bastards. If I named Alva as my heir, the people and the nobles would revolt, and I couldn't put my daughters in danger of being killed by an angry mob.

Bergil? My trusted friend, my noble knight and the one I've consulted more than once on this or that matter of diplomacy or Kaldwind's needs?

– Bergil," I said quietly.

– What?" he said.

– Bergil will be my heir," I said firmly.

– Over my cold corpse! – Bergil coughed, choking on his wine.

– That peasant? The king? Oh, that's funny! – Vit laughed.

– I've made my choice. When I die, you will be king and protector of Kaldwind," I said in an unapologetic tone and turned to my friend. – You will be a great king, my friend.

– No way! I am not ready to take on such a responsibility! You're crazy, Derek!

– When King Juris gave me the crown, I wasn't willing or ready to take on the responsibility of an entire kingdom, either," I grinned. – But you yourself told me more than once that I was a worthy and wise king.

– I have, I have not… I refuse! You will not make me…

Suddenly the door of the chambers opened wide, and a panting warrior dressed in heavy ceremonial armor stood before us.

– Your Majesty… Your daughter! Your eldest daughter! Alva, my King… Your daughter…" he breathed out, leaning against the wall.

The blood in my veins froze with horror.

My daughter! My Alva!

– What? What's wrong with her? – I jumped at the messenger.

– She… My lord… You must go! – I heard in reply.

Realizing the poor man was not himself, I asked only one question:

– Where is she?

– In the nursery, my lord. With your mother and–

But I didn't listen and ran out of the chambers in silence. But before I reached the stairs, I was so out of breath and tired that I collapsed on my knees. My body had betrayed me once again, and now I couldn't even get to the nursery to save my daughter. I knew: something terrible had happened! Perhaps she had hurt herself badly, or a burning spark from the fireplace had gotten on her dress and it had caught fire and left Alva with terrible burns… Anything! "You must go!" the messenger said, and they were terrible words, prophesying tragedy.

– Come, Derek! Come on! – I heard Bergil's voice beside me.

He lifted me up, put my arm around his neck, and dragged me down the stairs to the floor where the nursery was.

– God, what's the matter with me-I feel like a cripple! – Bergil, my faithful friend… What would I do without you! Alva… My Alva!

– I'm sure it's not so bad. Don't worry, Your Majesty! Children are like that… They climb everywhere, pick up all sorts of dangerous objects… Maybe she fell and broke her head? – He answered cheerfully, dragging me as easily as if I were a blind kitten.

– I hope nothing terrible happened! – I moaned softly.

– Hey, what are you looking at! Go away, you lazybones! You're useless! – Bergil bellowed irritably, and only then did I realize that as we descended the stairs, the courtiers on our way down were staring at me in amazement, and some of them were even crossing themselves. And I understood why.

– Is His Majesty ill? – One of the young ladies of the court, who, I confess, had once been in my bed, asked puzzled.

– Go about your business, woman! – Bergil snapped back at her.

– Rude! – The lady shouted after us, but my friend did not think it necessary to answer her, though I could see from his face that he could hardly restrain himself from hurling a sharp swear at the insolent maiden.

Usually I laughed at Bergil's misogyny and never missed an opportunity to poke him with jokes, but this time my head was filled with thoughts of my daughter and speculation about the harm that had been done to her. Andrada must heal her. She possesses inhuman wisdom and has a unique talent for concocting potions that not only cure and heal wounds, but also bring the dying back to life. Yes, those potions didn't work for me, but that was due to the poison that was killing me and which can only be defeated by an extremely complex antidote.

– Andrada will help her… She knows everything, she can do everything…" I said to myself.

– Yes, yes. You know how I feel about women and their foolishness, but I respect Andrada," Bergil said. – But you'd better be quiet, Your Majesty, save your strength!

When we got to the right floor and walked down the corridor towards the nursery, we were met by loud screams and sobs. Something terrible had happened in the nursery, and I wished I could be there as soon as possible to hug my daughters and protect them from everything.

Could it have been Hund? Had she returned to the palace and tried to kill my family? Taken advantage of my weakness?

"No, it's not her. I don't sense any dark magic here. There's something else here! There's weeping!" – Vit answered my thoughts.

– Alva! My girl! No, no! It can't be! – suddenly a loud cry from my mother pierced the corridor, followed by a loud shriek from Willa.

– Oh, my God! Alva! Save and keep her! – followed by Hedda's nervous, terrified cry.

– Quickly, Bergil! Hurry! – I moaned, filled with the horror of ignorance.

– Run as fast as I can! We're almost there! – Bergil answered me.

When we finally burst through the open door of the nursery, we saw my mother, Willa, Hedda, and Alva.

My mother was sitting on the floor, cradling Alva in her arms. My daughter's head rested on my grandmother's shoulder, and her face, turned toward the door, was whiter than snow. A white liquid mixed with blood was streaming from Alva's mouth. My girl's hands lay lifelessly along her body.

– No… No!" I screamed in pain and despair.

– My king… I don't know what's happening! But something terrible! – Hedda said to me, stammering. She held Vilja in her arms and cradled her head against her chest, preventing her from looking at her sister.

– Run after Andrada! Now! – I shouted to Bergil, freeing myself from his tight grip and running up to Alva. – Only she can heal her! Run, Bergil! Run as fast as you have never run before!

– Right away! – threw my friend and ran out the door.