"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 10 - The Black Raven" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

stopped, and Dera came knocking on the door.
'Niffa! You come out of there!'
Niffa did. Her mother was standing with her arms crossed over her chest.
'Never did I raise my children to be as nasty as wild weasels,' Dera said.
'What meant you by -'
'She were there when my Demet died, and I wager she did kill him herself. I be
as sure as I can be of that, and here she was, the filthy murderess, as bold
as brass in our own house.'
Dera stared, open-mouthed.
'I did see it in vision,' Niffa went on. The night he were slain, that was,
and I did see her, gloating and laughing as he did lie there dead. Think, Mam!
Why else does Verrarc drag his feet and refuse to look into the murder? Kiel
does agree with me. Ask him if you believe me not!'
With a long sigh Dera sat down on the bench by the fire.
'Well, now,' Dera said. Your visions, they be true things, by and large, hut
-'
'But what?'
'This be too grave a charge to trust to vision, lass. I do believe you saw
what you say you saw, mind. Never would I call you a liar. But I do wonder if
you did see the truth or only some part of it. Here, you've not told anyone
else this but Kiel, have you?'
'I've not. There be fear in my heart, Mam. What if the townsfolk, they do
think me the sort of witch who dabbles in evil things? Would they not drive me
out of town into the snows?'
'That be my worst fear too.' Dera sat for a long while, staring silently into
the fire. 'Ah ye gods! Well, if Kiel does come home before your father, I'll
be asking him about all of this. Say naught to your father, lass, till I've
had a chance to speak with him.'
'I shan't. But you saw that Raena. She went as pale as milk, didn't she? It
were her guilt taking the blood from her face.'
'If that be true, then it's a dangerous thing you've done.'
Niffa felt herself turn cold. She sat down next to her mother and held
trembling hands out to the fire.
'So it was,' Niffa said. 'I do wish I'd thought of that before I spoke, but
truly, the words wouldn't stay in my mouth.'
'Well, there be little Raena could do to us, whether your charge be true or
false.' Dera turned, looking at the bowl of honeyed apples. I did think she
meant us well.'
'That be safe enough to eat, coming from our Verro,' Niffa said. But I'd not
eat of any dish the bitch sends us from now on.'
Hush! Don't you be calling anyone names such as that! We ken it not if Raena
be guilty, and until we do, well then, let's not speak ill of her or anyone.'
Niffa merely nodded a hypocritical agreement. She had learned young that it
was futile to argue with her mother's relentless desire to think the best of
everyone.
Verrarc was puzzling over a strange passage in his dweomer scroll when Raena
ran in, slamming the door behind her. She threw off her cloak and sank into
her chair by the fire, then covered her face with trembling hands. For what
seemed a long while she merely sat and shook.
'What be so wrong?' Verrarc said at last. 'My love -'