"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 07 - A Time Of War" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

‘Never, never,’ Jahdo stammered. ‘I be truly sorry. I were just so surprised.’

‘No doubt. But you’re an ill-mannered little cub nonetheless.’

‘I am, sir, truly, and I’ll try to learn better.’

‘Ili-mannered and cowardly to boot.’ The Gel da’Thae paused, sniffing the air. ‘Huh. I sense a man
carrying you. Are you the lad’s father?’

‘I am,’ Lael said, and his voice was steady and cold. ‘And I’ll speak for him. He be no coward, sir. He
be shamed that he might have wounded your feelings.’

‘I"he Gel da’Thae grunted, tucked his staff under one arm, and reached out an enormous hand to pat the
side of Lael’s face. He reached higher, found jahdo’s arm and patted that, then took his hand away and
smelt his own palm.

‘Huh, sure enough, I sense no fear on the lad, but by all the gods and demons, as well, the pair of you
stink of ferrets!’

‘So we do, no doubt. You’ve got a keen nose.’

‘Hah! I may be blind, but a man would have to be dead to miss that scent.’ He seemed to be smiling,
pulling thin lips back from his fangs. ‘Well, a good day to you both and your weasel friends as well.’

With a whistle to the huge horse, the Gel da’Thae walked off, tapping his way with the staff as he
followed the jingling of the caravan along the curve of the lake, where a grassy stretch of shore was set
aside for travelling merchants. Lael swung Jahdo down with a grunt.

‘You’d best mind your mouth after this, lad. You always did have a cursed big one.’

‘I know, Da, and I truly truly be sorry.’

‘No doubt. But the last thing we do want is to give insult to one of the Horsekin. That’s all they need,
one word for a thin excuse, and they cry war. I hate to see one of them here for just that reason. If that
bard goes taking offence, we’ll have his clan riding at the head of an army to siege us.’

‘How do you know he’s a bard?’

‘Because his eyes are gone. That’s what they do, when they decide one of their boy-children has the
voice to make a bard. They do scoop his eyes right out with the point of a knife, because they do think it
make his singing sweeter.’

Jahdo nearly gagged. He turned sharply away, found himself staring up at Councilman Verrarc, and felt
the blood drain from his face in a wave of cold fear.

‘Somewhat wrong, lad?’ Verrarc’s voice was mild, but his stare was sharp and cold. ‘You look
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