"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 02 - Darkspell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

‘Not in the least, and that’s part of the trouble. No doubt our enemies know more about it than I do.
They’re the ones who are always troubling their hearts about the future. The likes of us trust in the Light.’

They nodded in agreement. The Great Ones who stand behind the dweomer, the Lords of Wyrd and
the Lords of Light, never communicate clearly and directly with their servants, for the simple reason that
those disincarnate spirits exist on a plane unimaginably removed from the physical world. It’s impossible
for them to reach down far enough to do more than send vague hints, feelings, dream images and
warnings to the minds of those trained to receive these brief messages. For those who walk in the Light
such hints are enough, but the dark dweomer is always picking at the future like a scab.

‘I hope you’re guarding the lad well,’ Caer said. They’ll doubtless make another try on him.’

‘Well, that’s somewhat of a puzzle.’ Nevyn spoke slowly as he thought things out. ‘I’ve spent many
an hour meditating, but I’ve received no warnings that he’s still in danger. It’s doubly odd, because after
the war was over, Rhodry was sent into exile by his elder brother.’

‘What?’ Nesta said. ‘Who’s the elder brother? I don’t know Eldidd politics at all well.’

‘My apologies. This is all of such great moment to me that I forget others aren’t so interested.
Rhodry’s mother is Lovyan, and she rules the tierynrhyn of Dun Gwerbyn in her own right through the
Clw Coc clan. His father was Tingyr, a Maelwaedd of Aberwyn, and now Rhodry’s eldest brother,
Rhys, is gwerbret of Aberwyn.’

They all nodded, as if saying that the information was enough to get on with. Understanding the
complicated web of bloodlines and landholds among the noble-born took all the long training of a bard or
priest.

‘Now, Rhys and Rhodry have hated each other for years. It has naught to do with dweomer or Wyrd;
it’s just one of those nasty things that happen between blood kin. So, one night in Aberwyn, Rhys
insulted his brother so badly that Rhodry started to draw his sword on him - and remember that Rhys is a
gwerbret.’

‘Rhodry’s lucky his brother didn’t hang him,’ Caer said.

‘Just so. Rhys saw his chance to get rid of his hated kinsman and took it. Now Rhodry’s riding the
roads as a silver dagger.’

‘Indeed?’ Nesta broke in. ‘I’m surprised you let him go for a mercenary soldier.’

‘I had naught to say about it, I assure you, or I wouldn’t have. But Rhodry’s only the least part of our
troubles. Now, Nesta here tracked the dark master when he came through Cerrmor, and neither she, I,
nor any of our elemental spirits recognized the man. Here we’d been thinking we knew every fool who
practiced this wretched craft. Well, we’ve all been too smug.’

‘And he made his escape easily, too,’ Nesta picked it up. ‘Just as if he had refuges ready all along his
way. He must have been laying this scheme for a long time, right under our noses.’

Several of the men muttered quite unenlightened oaths under their breaths. Aderyn stepped forward to
Speak.