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

but with the heart of a wolf I cannot travel alone.’ He reached up to touch the rim of an empty
eye-socket. ‘My own mother wept when they blinded me, but in the end my calling pleased her well. For
all I know, some great destiny lies in wait for your lad. Would you stand in his way?’

‘Well now ‘ Dera let out her breath in a puff ‘Well now. If you were going anywhere but east -’

‘Truly, the name of the Slavers is not one to speak in jest. Among my own people we call them Lijik
Ganda, the Red Reivers An aeon ago they swept down upon us, and the slaughter drove us from our
homeland and into sin and degradation. Woe, woe to the people of the horse that our desperation drove
us to such sins! Do you think we’ve forgotten such terrible things? I will not he to you. I take your son
into danger, but I would take my own nephew, had I a nephew, into the same ‘

‘This thing be as important as that?’ Lael broke in

Meer turned slightly in the direction of Councilman Verrarc, just a brief involuntary gesture Fortunately
Verrarc was whispering to one of the militiamen and, at least, seemed to notice nothing.

‘It is to me. To no one else, mayhap. My mother laid a geas upon me concerning my brother, and I have
 Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html




reason to believe he’s gone east ‘

To Jahdo the bard’s voice sounded entirely too smooth, too glib, making him wonder if Meer were
lying, but he supposed that he might have felt that way because he too had something to hide from the
councilman. As he thought of Verrarc, he felt words bursting from his mouth.

‘Mam, I want to go.’

The moment he spoke he was horrified, but there was no taking the words back. Dera threw her hands
into the air and keened aloud, just one brief sob of sound, quickly stifled. Lael turned to him, his mouth
working.

‘If we do owe this thing under treaty,’ Lael said at last ‘And if you want to go, well, then, there be
naught much your mother and I can say about it. But be you sure, lad? At your age and all, how can you
know your own mind?’

Jahdo felt his entire body trembling, trying to squeeze out the words his traitor mouth refused to speak:
no, no, I didn’t mean it, I don’t want to go, I don’t. His heart pounded the words like a drum, but he
could not speak

‘He smells great things on the move, my good man,’ Meer said ‘Even a child may sense destiny.’

‘Destiny?’ Dera spat out the word. ‘Hogwash and turnip wine!’

‘My good woman, please. With luck we’ll never even cross the Slavers’ border.’

‘Hah! That sort of luck does have a way of running short. I’m not letting my lad -’