"Andre Norton - Witch World - Warlock of the Witch World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

having served with them in the scouts. They rubbed their eyes a little dazedly, as men
will when awakening from deep sleep, as they reached us. Then they shouted greetings
and came eagerly to us, hands outstretched, not with the anger outlaws might expect.

Once more the past caught up with us—a past which seemed so far removed. We
heard the news out of Estcarp that the Council, so weakened by the effort of churning the
mountains against Karsten, held now only part power. For many had died in that battle,
and Koris of Gorm, my father’s long comrade, was now virtually the ruler. He was in the
process of tightening control over what might otherwise have fallen into complete chaos.
These Borderers were of a patrol sent out to track us, for Koris stood to us as a
father, and his wife, the Lady Loyse, was more mother than she who had had too many
duties to claim that role with us. Thus, if we wished, we might return—our outlawry done.
But Kyllan and I knew that we had left that road and there was no turning back.

The patrol had met with a household kin to Hervon’s and the planted desire to ride
east had spread to them. Now they listened in wonder to the tale Kyllan told, but for them
there was no return either. Chance had served us very well in sending these war-tried
men to join our ragged standards.




IV
WE CAME DOWN into the lower lands with all the speed we could muster. There the
Renthan and those from the Valley awaited us. It had been bright sunlight when we had
begun that descent. But when we reached the meeting place clouds were gathering.
Dahaun gave slight greeting to those from Estcarp—rather she turned her head from
right to left, surveying the country. About her flew, constantly coming and going, her
winged messengers.
In part Kyllan and I felt, too, a lowering of spirit and a chill which was not born of the
cloud sky nor the rising winds. It was a foreboding which was folly to dismiss.

But those who had come overmountain were wearied, and among them were women
and children for whom the climb and descent had been a trial of strength. We should
camp soon.
“We must ride!” Dahaun’s gesture brought up the Renthan. “This is no place in which
to face the dark and that which may prowl there this night.”
“And what may prowl?” demanded Kyllan.

“I do not know, for such lies now unseen to the eyes of my feathered ones. Yet that it
comes, I have no doubt.”

Nor did we. Even those from Estcarp, who had none of the gift, glanced now and then
over their shoulders, and made a wall about their women folk. And I saw that the
Borderers went helmed, their mail scarves fastened high.
“These cannot make the Valley without a rest,” I warned Dahaun.
 She nodded. “There is a place, not as far as I would like, but better than here.”

She led us. Under the clouds she was all sable and silver, no longer red and gold. We
shared our mounts, taking up women and children with us for that riding. A little maid,