"Doranna Durgin - Seer's Blood" - читать интересную книгу автора (Durgin Doranna)

"Somethin' long dead," Cadell said, plenty of meaning in his voice, and in the look he pinned on Blaine.

"Smelly dead?"

Cadell snapped, "Past smelly. And I've said it ain't table talk."

"He's going to hear it sooner or later," Lottie said. Solidly built on a small frame, her blue eyes the exact
same shade as Blaine's, tonight she looked less tired than usual, engaged by their company. "Tell him
some, Dacey. Save me from havin' to tell it before he'll put down for the night."

Dacey's silence held while Cadell's gaze went from Blaine's studied innocence to Willum's pleading face
and Lenie's disinterest. Rand shrugged without taking time out from his eating to consider the matter, and
Cadell finally gave a short nod. "Give 'em some on it," he said. "Keep in mind the age of their ears."

As if the children were the ones who really cared. Blaine perched on the edge of the bench seat and
stuck her elbows on the table, absently toying with the end of a braid and the loosening tie there.

Dacey obliged. "Some say the Takers ain't tidy with their powers, and it clouds up the sky. They come
from the north plains . . . they control things there. They call themselves Annekteh. We've always thought
Takers fit them better."

"Why?" Willum said, and his eyes narrowed. "They ain't gonna takemy things!"

"They're dead," Lottie murmured. "This is tales, Willum, not for real. Not no more."

Dacey gave a wry smile, one he didn't explain. "They call 'em Takers because they take people over.
Slide inside 'em, control 'em, like."

Willum scowled. "No one can c'ntrol me!"

"Ain't that the truth," Lenie muttered.

"Well, maybe not you," Dacey allowed, grinning. "But other people. It's like ole Prince with a bit in his
mouth, and me with the reins, if I was a Taker."
"Are you?" Sarie asked, not looking particularly alarmed.

Blaine slid her plate and its leftovers in front of Rand, who winked a thanks. "No, 'course he ain't.
Takers don't have no form, Sarie. No bodies. No fat little tummies." She reached over to poke Sarie's
belly.

Willum looked at her, already well-infected with his daddy's dismissiveness of Blaine's thoughts and
dreams. "How doyou know?"

"We all know some, son," Lottie said. "We're lettin' Dacey tell it, tonight, is all; he knows more of it, I
reckon, from bein' around seer folk."

"She's right enough," Dacey said. "When they need a body, they up and borrow one. I heard it's like
seein' things in a dream. If they want something done, you just watch yourself doin' it, and don't have no
say. Or sometimes they Take you just to learn somethin'тАФsay you had a secret, and they wanted to
know it. One of 'em might Take you just long enough to learn itтАФthere ain't no keepin' anything from 'em