"Robin Hobb - The Inheritance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hobb Robin)

тАШNo worse than what other women of your line have faced,тАЩ
whispered a voice. It came from my shirtfront. In an instant, I had
snatched off chain and pendant and flung it from me. It caught on a
bush and hung there, silver chain glinting in the last of the sunset. The
dangling pendant came to rest facing me. Even in the fading light, I
could see that it had taken on lifelike colours. It raised tiny eyebrows at
me in disdain. тАШItтАЩs a foolish choice youтАЩre making, girl,тАЩ it warned me.


6
тАШThrow me away, and you throw away your inheritance. Just as
your grandmother did.тАЩ Frightened as I was, the small voice was so like
my grandmotherтАЩs that I could not ignore it. тАШWhat are you?тАЩ I
demanded.
тАШOh, come,тАЩ the pendant exclaimed in disdain. тАШI am exactly what
you see and know me to be. Let us not waste time on foolishness.тАЩ
тАШYou were grey and still when I took you from GrandmotherтАЩs
jewellery box.тАЩ
тАШShe had not worn me for many a year. She put me aside, just as
she put aside the rest of her life. But you have revived me. You are
young and your anma rushes strong as your blood through your veins.тАЩ
The pendant had a tiny voice, and despite my fear, I drew closer
to hear its words. The eyes that met mine held kindly amusement. A
smile bent the mouth. тАШWhat are you afraid of?тАЩ she demanded. тАШFor
generations I have been in your family, passed down from mother to
daughter. With me comes all the wisdom of your line. You were wise
enough to steal me. Are you so foolish that you will fear your fortune
now that it is in your hands?тАЩ
тАШYouтАЩre magic,тАЩ I said. тАШYouтАЩre alive.тАЩ
тАШI am. And so are you, if you would bother to find it in yourself.
ItтАЩs part of your inheritance, and if you are wise, it will be the first part
you reclaim.тАЩ
тАШMy inheritance?тАЩ I asked quietly.
The little eyes narrowed. тАШWhat goes with the empty ring that you
wear: that is your inheritance. As you have donned both it and me, I
suggest that you reclaim all that went with it. All that your
grandmother Aubretia possessed before she chose to set us aside and
live quietly.тАЩ
It was growing darker. Strange as may be, the little carved face
seemed like a companion in the night. I took up the pendant and held
the carved face closer to my own so I could see it. тАШTell me,тАЩ I begged.
тАШFor all the years that I lived with my grandmother and cared for her, I
know little of her past.тАЩ


7
тАШWell.тАЩ The small dark eyes, so like my own, flitted about
consideringly. тАШWhere shall I begin? Tell me what you do know of her.тАЩ
I cast my mind back. тАШShe told me little. Mostly I have guessed. I
think that when she was very small, her family was wealthy. She often