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

"I do no' believe it," Meghan said flatly. "More arrogant, aye, that I'll believe. But Maya is cunning
as a snake; if she seems careless, it'll be because she hopes someone will make a move against her."

"Rebellion be in the air, Meghan, I smell it."

"Maybe so, maybe no'," Meghan responded.

"It's true our attempt at rebellion in Rurach was no' at all successful. I had gathered together many
with Talent, and we made contact with the rebels there, as you directed. It was from them that I first
heard o' the CrippleтАФthe stories they tell! Did ye ken he rescued a whole cartload o' witches from
under the Banr├мgh's very nose? The rebels all worship him, though no one kens who he is.
Sometimes I think he's only a myth and all the stories fabrications ... though some o' the orders that
came through for the rebels were nothing short o' brilliant, and they had to come from somewhere.
With our help, the rebels rescued many a skeelie and cunning man from persecution by the Red
Guards, and we even managed to save some Tower witches from the fire, no' that it did us much
good in the end. I do no' ken how she found out about usтАФI'm sure the local crofters did no' betray
us, for the people o' Rurach have never forgiven the R├мgh for the banishment o' Tabithas, and they
helped us hide Skeelies many a time. I hope it were no' the MacRuraich who lead the Awl to us,
though he certainly hunted us all down afterward. I find it so hard to believe Tabithas' own brother
would betray us. The Banr├мgh must have laid a spell on him."

"There are other compulsions." Meghan's voice was sad.

"Ten years I spent building up the resistance in Rurach, and a couple of hours was all it took for
the Red Guards to destroy it all. The MacRuraich hunted each and every one o' us down ..."

"Ye were no' hunted down," Meghan observed.

"I am the only one who escaped. The only one!"

"Still, ye ken the MacRuraich would have found ye if he had so wished. The MacRuraich clan find
anything they search for. That is their Talent."

"Aye, we had no hope once the Banr├мgh set Anghus MacRuraich on our trail. I do no' ken what
sort o' spell she could have laid on him, to turn him against us like that. The MacRuraichs have
always been loyal to the Coven."

"I'm no' sure I understand," Isabeau said, unable to keep silent any longer. "Ye speak o' the
Banr├мgh as if she is a witch herself, yet how can she be? I thought she was supposed to hate witches
and magic."

"All magic but her own," Seychella growled.

Meghan turned to her charge. "Isabeau, how many times have I tried to teach ye about the Day o'
Betrayal, only to have ye sneak out to go swimming or playing in the meadows as soon as I turned
my back?" Isabeau had the grace to blush. In fact the only lessons she had really concentrated on
were those in magic or woodcraft. "It's important ye understand this, Isabeau. I want ye to listen and
remember what I tell ye now, for the shadow o' the Day o' Betrayal still falls upon us and we're all
fighting to be free o' it. If witchcraft is ever to be a power in the land again, all witches must
understand what it is Maya has done." Isabeau nodded, awed by the tone in her guardian's voice.