JК
Faith of the Fallen :: Goodkind Terry
Страница: 570 из 617Heclimbed into the back of Ishaq's wagon and bid the man a good night. As Ishaq left, Richard curled up under a tarp to shut out the light and was asleep before Jori returned. He was dead to the world as the wagon rolled away.
Nicci watched as Richard departed with Ishaq. She wanted to do this on her own. She wanted it to be her part. She wanted to contribute something of value.
Only then could she face him.
She knew precisely how the Order would react to the statue. They would view it as a threat. They would not allow other people to see it. The Order would destroy it. It would be gone. No one would ever know about it.
Twining her fingers together, she wondered how to proceed-what should be first. Then it came to her. She had gone to him before. He had helped Richard. He was Richard's friend. Nicci rushed across the sprawling site of the palace and up the hill.
She was winded by the time she reached the blacksmith's shop. The grim blacksmith was putting away tools. He had already banked the fire in his forge. The smells, the sights, even the layer of iron dust and soot gave Nicci a joyful flash of her father's shop. She understood, now, the look that had been in her father's eyes. She doubted he had fully understood it himself, but she did, now. The blacksmith looked up without smiling as she rushed into his shop.
"Mr. Cascella! I need you."
His frown grew. "What's that matter? Why are you crying? Is it Richard?
Have they-"
"No. Nothing like that." She grabbed his meaty hand and tugged at him.
It was like tugging on a boulder. "Please. Come with me. It's important."
He gestured with his other hand around at his shop. "But I have to clean up for the night."
She yanked again on his hand. She felt tears stinging her eyes.
"Please! This is important!"
He wiped his free hand down his face. "Lead the way, then."
Nicci felt a little foolish pulling the burly blacksmith along by the hand as she raced down the hill. He asked where they were going, but she didn't answer. She wanted to get down there before the light was gone.
When they reached the plaza, guards were patrolling up at the top of the steps, keeping everyone off the plaza. Nicci saw Ishaq nearby, loading long planks in a wagon. She called to him, and, seeing the blacksmith with her, he ran over.
"Nicci! What is it? You look a frightful-"
"I have to show you both the statue. Now."
Victor's scowl grew. "It will be unveiled tomorrow when Richard-"
"No! You must see it now.
Nicci watched as Richard departed with Ishaq. She wanted to do this on her own. She wanted it to be her part. She wanted to contribute something of value.
Only then could she face him.
She knew precisely how the Order would react to the statue. They would view it as a threat. They would not allow other people to see it. The Order would destroy it. It would be gone. No one would ever know about it.
Twining her fingers together, she wondered how to proceed-what should be first. Then it came to her. She had gone to him before. He had helped Richard. He was Richard's friend. Nicci rushed across the sprawling site of the palace and up the hill.
She was winded by the time she reached the blacksmith's shop. The grim blacksmith was putting away tools. He had already banked the fire in his forge. The smells, the sights, even the layer of iron dust and soot gave Nicci a joyful flash of her father's shop. She understood, now, the look that had been in her father's eyes. She doubted he had fully understood it himself, but she did, now. The blacksmith looked up without smiling as she rushed into his shop.
"Mr. Cascella! I need you."
His frown grew. "What's that matter? Why are you crying? Is it Richard?
Have they-"
"No. Nothing like that." She grabbed his meaty hand and tugged at him.
It was like tugging on a boulder. "Please. Come with me. It's important."
He gestured with his other hand around at his shop. "But I have to clean up for the night."
She yanked again on his hand. She felt tears stinging her eyes.
"Please! This is important!"
He wiped his free hand down his face. "Lead the way, then."
Nicci felt a little foolish pulling the burly blacksmith along by the hand as she raced down the hill. He asked where they were going, but she didn't answer. She wanted to get down there before the light was gone.
When they reached the plaza, guards were patrolling up at the top of the steps, keeping everyone off the plaza. Nicci saw Ishaq nearby, loading long planks in a wagon. She called to him, and, seeing the blacksmith with her, he ran over.
"Nicci! What is it? You look a frightful-"
"I have to show you both the statue. Now."
Victor's scowl grew. "It will be unveiled tomorrow when Richard-"
"No! You must see it now.