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

spite her. But she has another country, she told me, where there be no Time
and no Death, and those that worship her shall travel there with her, to live
forever in joy.'
Her eyes seemed to glow from within, all silver. She spoke so warmly, so
sincerely, that Verrarc found himself wondering if she could possibly be
speaking the truth.
'It would be a grand thing,' he said, 'never to die,'
'And with her there shall be no death, Verro. I have seen her country, and I
have seen her miracles. I do more than know these things, I ken them, I tell
you. They be the deepest truth that ever a woman could see.'
'Here, think you that she'd show them to me?'
'Ah, that's the bitter thing. She has withdrawn to her own true country, and
she shows herself not to men or -' She hesitated, stumbling on some word, 'or
to women either.'
The doubt rose up strong. Daft! he told himself. What if she's gone daft?
'My love, ponder this.' Raena leaned forward, suddenly urgent. 'In the past,
when we did study witchlore together, could I call down the silver light and
invoke mighty spirits?'
'Truly, you couldn't. And I do wonder, Rae, just where you might have learned
it.'
'No doubt! It was Alshandra. She did teach me, she did lay her hands upon me,
and she did give me freely of her power, that I might work magicks in the
world. And those that will see them, well, then, they will believe what I say,
that Alshandra is a goddess who blesses her worshippers. Where else might I
have learned these things, Vcrro? Do you know a teacher somewhere in the
Rhiddaer where I might have studied?'
'I don't.'
'And would I lie to you, the man I love second only to her?'
Verrarc was tempted to say that after all, she'd lied to him often enough
before. But this time she was looking him straight in the face, her eyes
focused on his, as if she were wishing she could show him her goddess by
forcing the image into his mind. What if, just what if this were true, that
her goddess would give him magical power beyond any he'd hoped to have? And if
there would be no death -
'If only I could take you to her,' Raena said, and her voice stumbled in sheer
urgency, 'if only you could see her!'
'Truly, I do wish I could. Why has she -'
'I know not.' Raena's voice shook, and she looked away.
There she was indeed lying; he recognized all the signs from past experience.
Paradoxically, however, this lie brought home the truth of what she'd said
before, just by the contrast in her telling.
'It be the reason that forces me to summon Lord Havoc,' Raena went on, staring
at the far wall. There be a need on me to find out. Never have I felt such a
desperation, Verro! It be like - well, it be like I were an orphan child,
starving on the streets, and she were the wife of a rich guildmaster. And she
did take me up and bring me to her home. She did feed me, and she did teach me
a craft so that never again would I be poor and starving. But then, somewhat
did anger her, and she cast me out again.' Tears sprang up in her eyes. 'And
here I be, wailing and alone.' The tears ran, but silently, and she made no
move to wipe them away.