Asterin…2026 Okuma Raporları
Her gün biraz ölmek gibiydi. Canlı olmak gibiydi de. Öyle eksiksiz bir neşeydi ki acıydı. Beni mahvetti, beni ben olmaktan çıkarıp şekillendirdi. Ondan nefret ettim. Çünkü ondan kaçamayacağımı ve beni sonsuza dek değiştireceğini biliyordum.
From now until the Darkness claims us.
Asterin spoke first, cutting through the silence of the coven. “We
know their every move, every weapon. And now the Crochans do, too.
The Matrons are likely in a panic.”
She’d never seen her grandmother in a panic, but Manon huffed a
dark laugh. “We shall see tomorrow, I suppose.” She surveyed her
Thirteen. “You have come with me this far, but tomorrow it will be your
own kind that we face. You may be fighting friends or lovers or family
members.” She swallowed. “I will not blame you if you cannot do it.”
“We have come this far,” Sorrel said, “because we are all prepared for
what tomorrow will bring.”
Indeed, the Thirteen nodded. Asterin said, “We are not afraid.”
No, they were not. Looking at the clear eyes around her, Manon could
see that for herself.
“I’d expected at least some,” Vesta groused, “from the Ferian Gap to
join us.”
“They don’t understand,” Ghislaine said. “What we even offered
them.”
Freedom—freedom from the Matrons who had forged them into tools
of destruction.
“A waste,” Asterin grumbled. Even the green-eyed demon twins
nodded.
Silence fell again. Despite their clear eyes, her Thirteen were well
aware of the limitations of five thousand Crochans against the Ironteeth,
and the army beneath it.
So Manon said, looking them each in the eye, “I would rather fly with
you than with ten thousand Ironteeth at my side.” She smiled slightly.
“Tomorrow, we will show them why.”
Her coven grinned, wicked and defiant, and touched two fingers to
their brows in deference.
Manon returned the gesture, bowing her head as she did. “We are the
Thirteen,” she said. “From now until the Darkness claims us.”
Reklam
The Crochans
Darrow hissed, “Then why has your master sent you to speak with
us?”
Asterin laughed again.
“We have no master,” Manon Blackbeak said, and it was indeed a
queen’s voice that she spoke with, her golden eyes bright. “We come to
honor a friend.”
There was no sign of Dorian amongst the Thirteen, but Aedion was
reeling enough that he didn’t have the words to ask.
“We came,” Manon said, loud enough that all on the city walls could
hear, “to honor a promise made to Aelin Galathynius. To fight for what
she promised us.”
Darrow said quietly, “And what was that?”
Manon smiled then. “A better world.”
Darrow took a step back. As if disbelieving what stood before him, in
defiance of the legion that swept toward their city.
Manon only looked to Aedion, that smile lingering. “Long ago, the
Crochans fought beside Terrasen, to honor the great debt we owed the
Fae King Brannon for granting us a homeland. For centuries, we were
your closest allies and friends.” That crown of stars blazed bright upon
her head. “We heard your call for aid.” Lysandra began weeping. “And
we have come to answer it.”
“How many,” Aedion breathed, scanning the skies, the mountains.
“How many?”
Pride and awe filled the Witch-Queen’s face, and even her golden
eyes were lined with silver as she pointed toward the Staghorns. “See for
yourself.”
And then, breaking from between the peaks, they appeared.
Red cloaks flowing on the wind, they filled the northern skies. So
many he could not count them, nor the swords and bows and weapons
they bore upon their backs, their brooms flying straight and unwavering.
"Neden?" diye sordu Rowan. "Onu neden kurtardın?"
"Çünkü o altın saçlı cadı, Asterin..." dedi Aelin. "Manon'ın adını benim senin adını haykırdığım gibi haykırdı."
Rowan donakaldı. Kraliçesi o anı anımsıyormuş gibi yere bakıyordu.
"Bir başkası için dünyalara bedel olan birinin canını nasıl alabilirim?"
Asterin’in cesareti her sahnede daha çok şaşırtıyor..Alıntı
Asterin çenesini kaldırıp “Biz Siyahgagalarız,” dedi. “Kimsenin kölesi değiliz ve köle olarak kullanılmayacağız. Bunun bedeli Çorak Topraklar’a dönmekse varsın öyle olsun.”
Manon, Asterin'le yüz yıl geçirmişti. Hep, birlikte bir yüz yıl daha geçireceklerini düşünmüştü.
Reklam
Reklam