"Huff, Tanya - Kigh 01 - Sing The Four Quarters V2.0" - читать интересную книгу автора (Huff Tanya)

"Oh." Stasya reached out and laced her fingers through the other woman's. "Why didn't you say so?" She still believed Annice was making a deliberate attempt to attract King Theron's attention, but she was willing to allow for the rise of stronger feelings. "It might be kind of nice to have a baby around."
"So you don't want to move out? Find a new set of rooms?"
"Not unless you start going all esoteric Mother-goddess on me."
Annice snorted. "Hard to be an esoteric Mother-goddess and puke your guts out at the same time."
"Good point. What did Slane say about it when he took your recall?"
"It didn't come up. Unlike certain other bards, I don't kiss and tell, even under trance. Besides, I found out this morning and the Walk ended last night."
"Another good point. Nees, I can't feel my butt any more. Can we go in now?"
"Sure." Annice stood and had to make a sudden grab for Stasya's shoulder as a kigh whipped around the chimney and almost sent her off the roof. Heart in her throat, she watched it disappear into the clouds, eyes so wide they hurt. "Did you see that?"
"Yeah. I saw. Let's get inside. Now."
"I'm sorry, Annice. I should have warned you. Your pregnancy is affecting your orientation to the kigh."
"What do you mean? Air kigh don't like babies?"
"No, but they're jealous. You always Sang strongest in air and they can feel that changing."
"To what?"
"Earth."
"Oh, great."
"It shouldn't be too much of a difference for you, you've Sung earth before."
"Not often. There isn't anything you can do with earth. Except maybe grow things."
"I warned you about that Mother-goddess shit," Stasya snickered.
"Shut up, Stas! Captain, there's got to be something I can do."
"Bit late in the cycle for gardening."
"Shut up, Stas!"
Liene bit down on a smile. "Well, to begin with, I suggest that you stay off the roof. And then, you should ask Terezka some questions. Her Bernardas is just two; she should still remember what she went through. Don't ask anything of Edite, she hasn't forgiven Dasa for choosing to live with her father."
"But that happened five years ago."
"I know."
Annice shook her head. At least she wouldn't have to worry about that.
"Sarlote just left to spend Fourth Quarter with her family—Hard to believe that Ondro's almost ten, isn't it?—but she'll be back before you're Duke and you can talk to her then. Speak with Taska and Ales if you want, but they're grandmothers now and I'm pretty sure their memories of the experience have been gentled by time."
Stasya made a face. "Oh, I can't see why. Puking and pains are memories I'd want to hang on to."
Smiling sweetly, Annice kicked her in the shin. "Good," she said. "Remember that."
"They know, don't they?"
"What are you talking about?" Stasya asked, mopping up gravy with a thick slice of bread. "Who knows what?"
"The fledglings, at the end of the other table. They're looking at me."
Stasya swiveled around on the bench and the three youngsters immediately became interested only in their dinners. Sighing theatrically, she turned back and shook her head at Annice. "Of course they're watching you. They got here while you were Walking and now you're back they're checking to see if you match the songs. Every new kid for the last ten years has done the same thing. I thought you were used to it by now."
"You're sure that's all it is?"
"Yes, I'm sure." She shot another glance over her shoulder. "And with any luck that blonde'll grow into her nose."
"Stas…"
"She looks like she should be wearing a hood and jesses."
"Stasya!"
"What?"
"You are being really cruel."
Stasya grinned. "And you are really being an idiot."
Annice pushed a boiled bit of something around on her plate. "I know. I'm sorry." She put down her knife, picked it up again, and stabbed at a piece of meat. "It's just that when I walked into the dining room, I felt…"
"Sick?"
"Exposed. Like I had a purple 'p' painted on my forehead or something."
("No one knows but me and the captain, Nees, but you've got to get used to the fact that they're all going to find out."
"All of them? Why all of them?"
She looked so startled that Stasya reached for her hand. "Nees, sweetie, you're going to get—how can I put this delicately?—bigger. Bards are trained to observe. They'll notice."
"I hadn't thought of that."
You haven't thought of much, Stasya realized, but she kept it to herself. "I can't believe I haven't asked you this yet, but who's the father?"
"This isn't to go into any songs."
"I swear. I'll have it witnessed if you like." She pitched the word "witness" to carry.