Frederick Kirchhoff The Emperor's Library 3 The Game

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.And you know that, don t you? We ve been friends for a long time. Yes, a real long time, Sem agreed. And we ve done stuff together crazy stuff like neither of us would ever do withanyone else.What exactly was the prince was referring to? Yeah, we ve done a lot of different stuff. Sem. Yes. There s something I want to ask you.It s something I need to know, and you re the onlyperson I d ever ask.I d feel like a fool asking anybody else. I won t think you re a fool, Sem assured him. That s good, but in a way you ve already answered my question.What I wanted to askwas Do you think I m stupid? Stupid? Yeah.Do you think I m stupid?He d lied to Crljena when she d asked him if Axor had a strong mind.He might as welllie to Axor himself. No, you re not stupid.Why would you think a thing like that? It s because I can t make people do things.You can make people do things, Sem, but Ican t.And I think it s because they believe I m stupid.Sem sensed that Axor was on the verge of tears.He pulled himself up and crawled overto where Axor was lying and sat down next to him, reaching down into the darkness to find hishand. You re not stupid, Axor.I ve always looked up to you.Even when we were little boys. Even then? Of course.I was always proud that you were my friend.Axor squeezed his hand and leaned against Sem s shoulder. Then you re the only one, Sem.The only one.Sem felt as if he d been called upon to comfort a frightened child. No, that s not true.There are a lot of people who look up to you.My sisters, forexample.Remember when you came to dinner? They were very excited about having you therewith us.And they ve known you all their lives, too.You may be a prince, but they know the realAxor, and they don t think he s stupid.With his other hand, Sem brushed Axor s hair.He was a gorgeous man there was nodenying that.But he was a big baby, wasn t he? Nothing more than an overgrown baby.And thiswasn t the first time he d had that thought.Axor was right: Sem could probably make him doanything he wanted him to do.If he d gone about it in the right way, surely he d have been ableto convince Axor not to go to the Forest House and then none of this absurd business would havehappened.But all he wanted him to do now was go to sleep. You need to rest, Axor.This hot weather takes something out of you.And, you know,everybody feels the way you re feeling once in a while.I don t know anyone who doesn t havedoubts about himself sometimes.It s part of human nature. What about Jon?Sem heard anger in Axor s voice as he asked that question. Jon? Why would you think he s any different from anybody else? My mother thinks he s different. They re old friends, just like you and me, Axor.They must share things together thesame way you and I do things other people can never hope to understand.We re only childrenonce in our lives, and that means the experiences we had with other children back then arealways special.That s all it is.Sem knew enough about the Empress history to know that she and Jon had never beenchildren together, but he doubted the prince would have paid attention to the precise details oftheir relationship.Axor squeezed his hand again. And you say your sisters respect me? Of course they do. Thank you, Sem.Thank you for being here.Looking back, Sem recalled a time not that long ago when he could have imaginednothing more wonderful than kissing Axor.Now he had only to turn his head and press hismouth against the Princes mouth and Axor would have accepted that as an act of kindness.Instead, Sem pulled himself away gently and returned to his side of the tent. You ll feel better in the morning, Axor.We ll both feel better.***The next morning, Krator, Talor and Crljena sat together for a long time, reviewing theoptions for their next move.For the first time since they d begun the game, Jon felt left out.Butthat didn t matter.The important fact was that Krator was no longer acting alone.An hour before noon, they announced the move.Usually Sally or Linnea carried out theplan unless it involved adding a new piece to the board but on this occasion Jon did ithimself.He wanted to show Krator that he d done the right thing, and this seemed the best wayto go about conveying that message.To everyone s delight, he was able to move the marker intothe third circle not only that, but when he slid the marker into its new square, two of the Randmarkers, including the one they d just put into the third circle, moved back to the first ring.At that, Naxa and Sally let out a shout that echoed against the walls of the crater.Andsomething else happened as well Jon felt a drop of water touch the end of his nose, and thenanother on the wrist of his right hand.The sky didn t look ripe for heavy rain, but at least it wasmanaging a sprinkle. We ve got them running, Axor announced. But once Fila s father returns, things maychange. Is he expected? Jon asked. That s what Fila says.And she also says it s her father who really knows how to playthe game.2Jon wasn t the only one interested in knowing why the Rand had given Krator a tritargon.It annoyed Dan to think that Krator had been lucky enough to receive such a gift.Why not Jon?he wondered.Or the Empress herself? The Rand had to be up to something, but when hementioned his fears, Jon dismissed them. It s nothing to worry about, he said.Wasn t that typical? He went to the trouble to warn Jon about an obvious danger, and Jonwould hear nothing of it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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