"Kerr, Katharine - Dragon Mage 02 - Black Raven" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dragon Stories)

THE BLACK RAVEN

BOOK TWO OF THE DRAGON MAGE



KATHARINE KERR



A NOTE ON THE DEVERRY SEQUENCE

It occurs to me that readers might find it helpful to know something about the overall structure of the Deverry series. From the beginning of this rather large enterprise, I have had an actual ending in mind, a set of events that should wrap up all the books in dramatic conclusion. ItТs merely taken me much longer to get there than I ever thought it would.
If you think of Deverry as a stage play, the sets of books make up its acts. Act One consists of the Deverry books proper, that is, Daggerspell, Darkspell, Dawnspell, and Dragonspell. The СWestlandsТ books, A Time of Exile, A Time of Omens, A Time of War, and A Time of Justice, make up Act Two, while Act Three will unfold in the current quintet, СThe Dragon Mage,Т that is, The Red Wyvern, The Black Raven, the volume you now have in hand, and its СsisterТ, The Fire Dragon. The Gold Falcon and The Silver Wyrm will bring the sequence to its end at last.
As for the way that the series alternates between past and present lives, think of the structure of a line of Celtic interlace, some examples of which have decorated the various books in this set. Although each knot appears to be a separate figure, when you look closely you can see that they are actually formed from one continuous line. Similarly, this line weaves over and under itself to form the figures. A small section of line seems to run over or under another line to form a knot.
The past incarnations of the characters in this book and their present tense story really are one continuous line, but this line interweaves to form the individual volumes. Eventually - soon, I hope - the pattern will complete itself, and you will be able to see that the set of books forms a circle of knots.
Katharine Kerr


PROLOGUE
Winter, 1117 Bardek

Always the sorcerer must prepare for hindrances and set-backs. Before any working of great length and import, he must spend long nights in study of the omens, for if the Macrocosm can find a way to defeat him, it will, preferring in its laziness the natural order over any change wrought by our arts, no matter how greatly that change will be to its benefit.
The Pseudo-Iamblichus Scroll

СMarka, dearest?Т Keeta said. СIТm sorry. ThereТs something wrong with him.Т
Marka tried to answer, but her throat filled with tears. Her youngest son, not yet two years old, sat on a red and blue carpet in a patch of sunlight that spilled through the tent door. He was frowning at the edge of the brightness; over and over again he would reach out a pale brown hand and touch the shadow next to it, then draw his hand back and frown the harder. Tight brown curls hung over his forehead; now and then he would bat at them as if they bothered him, only to forget them again in an instant.
СHe does know his name,Т Marka said. СHe may not have any other words, but he does know his name.Т
Keeta sighed and sat down next to the boy, who ignored her. They made an odd pair, Keeta so massive and dark, Zandro so slender and pale. Even though she had taken over the business end of managing their travelling show, Keeta still juggled, and her long arms sported muscles many a man had envied over the years. In her curly black hair, which she wore cropped close to her skull, grey sprouted at the temples.
СIТve been afraid for months,Т Marka said at last. СHe still canТt use a spoon.Т
СIs it that he canТt use one?Т Keeta held out her hand to Zandro. СOr that he simply wonТt?Т
Zandro whipped his head around and bit her on the thumb. Calmly, without speaking, Keeta put her other hand under his chin, spread her fingers and thumb, and pressed on both points of his jaw. With a squeal he opened his mouth and let her go.
СThatТs better,Т Keeta said to him. СNo biting.Т
His head tilted to one side, he considered her. She pointed to the teeth marks on her thumb.
СNo! No biting!Т
All at once he smiled and nodded.
СVery good,Т Keeta said. УYou understood me.Т
This he ignored; with a yawn he returned to his study of the edge between light and shadow.
СAh ye gods!Т Marka said. СJust when I think itТs hopeless, heТll do something like that. Understand a word, I mean, or even do something kind. When Kiwa fell and cut herself yesterday? He came running and kissed her and tried to help.Т
СI saw that, yes. At times heТs really very sweet.Т
Marka nodded. In the twenty years since her marriage, sheТd borne nine pregnancies, not counting the miscarriages. Six of the children had lived past infancy - Kwinto, their first-born son; Tillya, the eldest daughter; Terrenz, born so soon after Tillya that they loved each other like twins; their sisters Kiwa and Delya, named after KeetaТs long-time companion, who had died in the same fever that had killed another infant son. Zandro would, she hoped, be the last. She wondered how she was going to find the love and strength to deal with him, who would demand more of both than all the rest of them put together. Keeta must have been thinking along the same lines.
СItТs not like you donТt have enough troubles on your mind already. What with EbanyТsТ Ч a long pause - Сillness.Т
СOh, come right out and say it!Т Marka snapped. СHeТs gone mad. We all know it. And now his youngest son is obviously mad, too. Why are we all being so coy? How would Ebany put it? HeТs demented, lunatic, deranged, insane -Т Tears overwhelmed her.
Marka was aware of Keeta getting up, then kneeling again next to her. She turned into her friendТs embrace and sobbed. Keeta stroked her hair with a huge hand.
УThere, there, little one. WeТll find a way to heal your husband yet. WeТll be playing in Myleton next. They have physicians and priests and the gods only know who else, and one of them will know what to do.Т
СDo you think so?Т Marka raised a tear-stained face. СDo you really think so?Т
СI have to. And so do you.Т
СIТ I - tears stopped. Marka sat back on her heels and wiped her face on the sleeve of her tunic. A sudden thought turned her cold.