"Kate Forsyth - Eileanan 01 - The Witches Of Eileanan" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forsyth Kate)

The two witches kept up a light conversation all through the meal, talking of people Isabeau had
never heard of and places she had only seen on the map upstairs. Git├в came down out of the rafters
and curled up in Meghan's lap, his eyes bright. Isabeau listened in interest, her curiosity about her
guardian's former life growing with every story. For many years she had taken the house in the giant
tree and her life here with Meghan for granted. It was only recently that she had begun to wonder
how they came to live here, and why Meghan took so many pains to keep their life secret. Meghan
rarely answered her questions, only occasionally letting drop a tantalizing scrap of information that
only made Isabeau more curious. Listening now to the women's conversation, she realized with
greater force than ever that Meghan had not always lived in the Sithiche Mountains, collecting herbs
and knitting by the fire. They spoke of journeys on the sea, flirtations in great castles, spells cast and
foundered, and news of other witches, in exile or in hiding.

"I have news o' Arkening," Seychella said in a low voice. Meghan lifted her eyes from her knitting.
"She has been hiding in the Sgailean Mountains, near the Rurach border. I saw her as I came
through the mountains from Siantan."

"I have no' heard from Arkening since the Day o' Betrayal," Meghan said quietly. "I have only
been able to find a few o' the sisters, and then only those who are no' too frightened to answer my
messages."

"I'll no' tell ye a lie, I barely recognized her, she were so auld and ragged. She was begging in a
village square. She would no' talk to me, she be that terrified o' being called a witch; the witch-hunts
in Rurach have been savage the past five years, ye ken."

"Aye, I heard."

"Ye would." Seychella's voice was ironic. "What else have ye heard? It amazes me how ye can
live so deep in these misbegotten mountains and still hear more news than I!"

"Aye, but ye never really mastered the Skill of scrying through water and fire, did ye? Your
abilities lie elsewhere."

Seychella shrugged her shoulders irritably.

Meghan continued knitting placidly, saying, "I have news from Rhyssmadill, at any rate. Our auld
friend Latifa sends me regular dispatches, though I worry for her safety. She says things are getting
worse every day. The R├мgh does no' go out anymore, he does no' even seem interested in eating, let
alone the affairs o' the country. The forests are infested with bandits, and the merchants are bitter
about the standstill o' trade with the other islandsтАФwithout the songs o' the sea witches, they say the
sea serpents are getting very bold and no ships dare go out, even though the winter tides are
receding. Then there is great dissatisfaction amongst the lairds, especially the MacSeinn clan, who
were driven out o' Carraig by the Fairgean four or five years ago, with the R├мgh doing nothing to
help them regain their land."

"There be dissatisfaction out in the countryside as well," Seychella said. "The peasants in Siantan
have been hiding weapons in the thatch, and there be much talk o' a man they call the Cripple. They
say he rescues witches from the fire and champions the poor. For the first time in many years I have
heard talk against the crown ... and I hear yon Banr├мgh grows more careless each day. One day
soon she'll take a stumble, and then who kens what could happen."