"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 04 - Dragonspell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

Easier said than done, I’ll admit.’

With a sigh Nevyn took a scoopful of charcoal out of the bucket and scattered it into the brazier,
where the Wildfolk of Fire were dancing and sporting on the pinkish-red coals. Although he wasn’t sure
who had hired them, Nevyn knew that Rhodry had been kidnapped by one of the Bardekian blood
guilds, who permanently removed little problems like rivals for an inheritance for those that had the coin
to hire them. He could only hope that the lad was still alive, and that if he were, he hadn’t been put to the
- resolutely he turned his mind away. The blood guilds were known to amuse themselves with their
prisoners in ways that did not bear thinking about. When he heard distant thunder crack, he jumped like
a startled cat.

‘I’ve never seen you this worried,’ Elaeno remarked.

‘Naught’s come along to worry me this badly in close to a hundred years.’

‘I keep forgetting just how long you’ve lived.’

‘It’s a hard thing to remember, no doubt. I tend to forget it myself. Along with a great many other
things about the past, let me tell you. It all blurs together after a while.’

‘I see.’ Elaeno hesitated for a long while on the edge of a question. ‘You know, I’ve often wondered
what’s given you your - well, I suppose it’s none of my affair.’

‘Hum? Haven’t you heard that tale? You see what I mean about my ancient mind? I’d been thinking
I’d told you already, and here I’d forgotten I hadn’t. All those long years ago when I was young, and,
truly, I was indeed young once no matter what I look like now, I loved a woman named Brangwen, and I
got myself betrothed to her. But I thought I loved my dweomer studies more.’ Nevyn heaved himself out
of his chair and began to pace by the brazier. There are a great many ins and outs to this story, most of
which I’ve forgotten, but in the end, I betrayed her. Because of me, Brangwen died, and her brother, and
an innocent man who loved her, too. That part I’ll never forget. And it fell to me to dig her grave and
bury her. I was beside myself with guilt and grief that day, well and truly shrieking mad with shame. So I
swore a vow, that never would I rest until I’d put things right. And from that day to this, I’ve done my
best to put them right, over and over as Brangwen and the others were reborn and crossed my path, but
I’ve failed every time, and so I’ve never gone to my rest.’

‘Are you telling me that the Great Ones accepted a vow like that?’

They did. Well, I’d broken one vow, hadn’t I? I suppose they wanted to see if I could keep the new
one.’ He laughed, but there was no mirth in it. ‘Does it seem wonderful to you, living over four hundred
years?’

‘It doesn’t, and especially not when I hear the weariness in your voice.’

‘Good. You’ll go far in the dweomer, Elaeno.’ Nevyn sat down again and sighed with a heavy
exhaustion. ‘But keep that vow I will. Brangwen belongs to the dweomer, and by every god in the sky,
I’ll make her see it this time or die trying - Oh by the hells, what a stupid excuse for a jest!’

This time? She’s been reborn, then, has she?’

‘She has. Jill, Cullyn of Cerrmor’s daughter.’