"Terry Goodkind - Debt of Bones" - читать интересную книгу автора (Goodkind Terry)

Abby was distracted by a tingling sensation from the bracelet. Blindly, her
'Sorceress,’ the old woman whispered to Abby. ringers glided over the wrist of the hand holding the sack. The wire
Abby hardly needed the old woman's counsel to know it was a sorceress. bracelet felt warm. It hadn't done that since her mother had died. In the
Abby recognized the simple flaxen robes, decorated at the neck with presence of so much magic as was at a place such as this, it didn't really
yellow and red beads sewn in the ancient symbols of the profession. surprise her. The crowd moved out to follow the sorceress.
Some of her earliest memories were of being held in her mother's arms 'Mean, they are,' the woman whispered over her shoulder. 'Mean as a
and touching beads like those she saw now. winter night, and just as cold.'
The sorceress bowed her head to the people and then offered a smile. Those men?' Abby whispered back.
'Please forgive us for keeping you waiting out here the whole of the day. It 'No.’ The woman tilted her head. 'Sorceresses. Wizards, too. That's
is not from lack of respect nor something we customarily do, but with the who. All those born with the gift of magic. You better have something
war on our hands such precautions are regrettably unavoidable. We hope important in that sack, or the wizards might turn you to dust for no other
none took offence at the delay.' reason than that they'd enjoy it.'
The crowd mumbled that they didn't. Abby doubted there was one Abby pulled her sack tight in her arms. The meanest thing her mother
among them bold enough to claim otherwise. had done in the whole of her life was to die before she could see her
'How goes the war?' a man behind asked. granddaughter.
The sorceress's even gaze turned to him. 'With the blessings of the good Abby swallowed back the urge to cry and prayed to the dear spirits that
spirits, it will end soon.’ the old woman was wrong about wizards, and that they were as
'May the spirits will that D'Hara is crushed,' beseeched the man. understanding as sorceresses. She prayed fervently that this wizard would
Without response, the sorceress appraised the faces watching her, waiting help her. She prayed for forgiveness, too - that the good spirits would
to see if anyone else would speak or ask a question. None did. understand.
'Please, come with me, then. The council meeting has ended, and a Abby worked at holding a calm countenance even though her insides
couple of the wizards will take the time to see you all.' were in turmoil. She pressed a fist to her stomach. She prayed for strength.
As the sorceress turned back to the Keep and started out, three men Even in this, she prayed for strength.
strode up among the supplicants and put themselves at the head of the The sorceress, the three men, the old woman, Abby, and then the rest of the
line, right in front of the old woman. The woman snatched a velvet sleeve. supplicants, passed under the huge iron portcullis and on to the Keep
'Who do you think you are,' she snapped, 'taking a place before me, grounds. Inside the massive outer wall Abby was surprised to discover the air
when I've been here the whole of the day?' warm. Outside it had been a chill autumn day, but inside the air was spring-
The oldest of the three, dressed in rich robes of dark purple with fresh and warm.
contrasting red sewn inside the length of the slits up the sleeves, looked to The road up the mountain, the stone bridge over the chasm, and then the
be a noble with his two advisors, or perhaps guards. He turned a glare on opening under the portcullis appeared to be the only way into the Keep,
the woman. 'You don't mind, do you?' unless you were a bird. Soaring walls of dark stone with high windows
It didn't sound at all to Abby like a question. surrounded the gravel courtyard inside. There were a number of doors
The old woman took her hand back and fell mute. around the courtyard, and ahead, a roadway tunnelled deeper into the
Keep.
Despite the warm air, Abby was chilled to the bone by the place. She
 out beyond. The square represented the boundary separating the spirit
wasn't sure that the old woman wasn't right about wizards. Life in Coney
world - the underworld, the world of the dead - from the inner circle,
Crossing was far removed from matters of wizards.
which represented the limits of the world of life. In the centre of it all
Abby had never seen a wizard before, nor did she know anyone who
was the star, representing the Light - the Creator.
had, except for her mother, and her mother never spoke of them except to
It was a depiction of the continuum of the gift: from the Creator,
caution that where wizards were concerned, you couldn't trust even what
through life, and at death crossing the boundary to eternity with the
you saw with your own eyes.
spirits in the Keeper's realm of the underworld. But it represented a hope,
The sorceress led them up four granite steps worn smooth over the ages
too - a hope to remain in the Creator's Light from birth, through life, and