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

СGood sir,Т Marka said. УYou seem to know a lot about all these strange things. Is Jill really working a curse against my husband?Т
СHardly.Т Evandar paused for a short bark of a laugh. СSheТs dead.Т
Marka felt hot blood rush into her face. She could think of no apology that would matter.
СIТm very very sorry to see your husband in this state,Т Evandar said after a moment. СIТll have to do something about this.Т
СCan you help him? Oh, if you only could, IТd - well, I donТt know how weТd repay you, but we do have coin.Т
СHush! No payment needed. I made his father a promise, and I intend to keep it. I canТt cure your husband, no. But I might know someone who can.Т
Marka wept in sheer relief.
СBut itТs not going to be such an easy thing,Т Evandar went on. УThis person is far away in your husbandТs homeland. The kingdom of Deverry. Do you know about it?Т
СWell, a little. ItТs supposed to be a horrible place where everyoneТs a barbarian, and all the men carry swords and get drunk and chop each other to pieces.Т
СA slight exaggeration.Т Evandar grinned at her. СBe that as it may, DeverryТs also a wretchedly long way away, across a mighty ocean and all that, and IТm not truly sure of how weТll get there, or if she Ч the person IТm thinking of Ч can truly heal him once we do.Т
Hope sank and left her exhausted. She rubbed her face with both hands and tried to think.
СMy apologies,Т Evandar said. СI wish I could offer you a certainty. Although, donТt lose heart! If the person IТm thinking of canТt help, there may be others.Т
СIf anyone could do something Ч IТm just so frightened.Т
СNo doubt. Well, IТll be off then to see what I can find.Т
Evandar bowed to her, then turned and began to walk toward the cliffs edge. He stopped and glanced back.
Take care of my horse, will you?Т he called out. СI wonТt be needing him.Т
He walked two paces more, then set one foot on the air as if it were as solid as a step, hauled himself up, and disappeared.


PART ONE
Winter, 1117 Deverry

Kings in their arrogance say, СWe were born to rule any land we can conquer.Т I say to you, СThe universe holds lands beyond our imagining and peoples beyond our conquering.Т Be ye always mindful that your sight is short and the universe, long.
The Secret Book of Cadwallon the Druid

In Dun Cengarn, up in the far northlands of Deverry, snow lay thick on field and thatch. The lazy sun stayed above the horizon a little longer each day, but still it seemed that the servants had barely cleared away the midday meal before the darkness closed in again. On these frozen days the life of the dun moved into the great hall. Servants, the nobleborn, the men of the warband, the dogs Ч they all clustered at one or the other of the two enormous hearths. On the coldest days, when the wind howled around the towers of the dun and banged at the doors and gates, everyone stayed in bed as long as possible and crawled back into their blankets again as soon as they could.
At night, up in her tower room, Dallandra and Rhodry huddled together under all the blankets they owned between them. They slept in their clothes for the warmth, then stayed late a-bed as well.
УYouТre much nicer than a pair of dogs,Т she remarked one morning. СWarmer, too.Т
СIТm glad I please my lady,Т Rhodry said, yawning. СI was thinking much the same about you, actually. And no fleas.Т
She laughed and kissed him, then rested her head on his cbest with the blanket drawn up around her ears.
СIs it snowing out?Т Rhodry said. СWith the leather over the shutters, I canТt tell.Т
СHow would I know? Dweomer doesnТt let you see through stone walls.Т
СThatТs a cursed pity. I donТt care enough to get up and see. I -Т He paused, listening. СSomeoneТs at the door?Т
Dalla poked her head out of the blankets. Sure enough, she could hear someone shuffling on the landing outside, with the occasional deep sigh, as if whoever it was feared to knock.
СWhoТs there?Т she called out.
СJahdo, my lady.ТThe boyТs voice sounded of tears. СI were wondering if you or my lord should be needing somewhat.Т
СCome in, lad. I think me youТre the one who needs a bit of company.Т
Bundled up in a cloak, Jahdo opened the door and slipped in, ducking his head and rubbing his eyes with the back of one hand.
СSit down at the end of the bed,Т Dallandra said. ThereТs enough room to get most of you under the blankets.Т
Jahdo did as he was told, sitting crosswise with the cloak around his back and the blankets over his legs. Dalla could see the streaks of tears down his dirty face.
СWhatТs so wrong?Т she said.
СI be bereft, my lady, a-missing my Mam and Da and my sister and my brother and all our weasels.Т Jahdo paused for a moist gulp. СThere be a longing on my heart for home.Т
СWell, I understand. I miss my homeland, too, and Evandar,Т Dallandra said. СMy heart aches for you, but soon with the spring, weТll be riding west.Т
СSo I do hope.Т
СOh come now, lad,Т Rhodry said. I made you a promise, didnТt I?Т
СYou did, but so did Jill, and then she ЧТ His voice cracked. СAnd then she died.Т
СTrue spoken, but IТm too daft and mean and ugly to die.Т Rhodry sat up, grinning. СAt least when thereТs no war to ride, and truly, my lady Death seems to be spurning my suit even then. When Arzosah flies back to Cerr Cawnen, weТll be on our way. She knows the weather and the seasons better than any sage or bard.Т
Jahdo nodded, considering this. Privately Dallandra wondered if theyТd ever see the dragon again. Wyrmkind was not known for its faithfulness.
СIt wonТt be so long till spring,Т she said to the boy. СWeТre well past the shortest day.Т
СI know, my lady. And truly do I think I could wait with good heart but for my worrying about my kin. My Mam, she be frail in the winter, and then my sister, she were to be married, and here I donТt even know which man they picked for her.Т Jahdo paused and took a deep breath. СUh, my lady, I did wonder somewhat, you see.Т