"Kay, Guy Gavriel - Last Light Of The Sun" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kay Guy Gavriel)

"It is deep in the bowl of night," said the woman, who unlocked and
closed the outer gate behind her, entering the yard. She was
hooded; in the darkness it was impossible to see her face. Her
voice was low. "Our visitors come by daylight . . . bearing gifts."

Bern looked down at his empty hands. Of course. Seithr had a
price. Everything in the world did, it seemed. He shrugged, tried to
appear indifferent. After a moment, he took off his vest. Held it out.
The woman stood motionless, then came forward and took it,
wordlessly. He saw that she limped, favouring her right leg. When
she came near, he realized that she was young, no older than he
was.

She walked to the door of the cabin, knocked. It opened, just a
little. Bern couldn't see who stood within. The young woman
entered; the door closed. He was alone again, in a clearing under
stars and the one moon. It was colder now without the vest.

His older sister had made it for him. Siv was in Vinmark, on he
mainland, married, two children, maybe another by now .. . they'd
had no reply after sending word of Thorkell's exile a year ago. He
hoped her husband was kind, had not changed with the news of
her father's banishment. He might have: shame could come from a
wife's kin, bad blood for his own sons, a check to his ambitions.
That could alter a man.

There would be more shame when tidings of his own deeds
crossed the water. Both his sisters might pay for what he'd done
tonight. He hadn't thought about that. He hadn't thought very much
at all. He'd only gotten up from bed and taken a horse before the
ghost moon rose, as in a dream.

The cabin door opened.

The woman with the limp came out, standing in the spill of light.
She motioned to him and so he walked forward. He felt afraid,
didn't want to show it. He came up to her and saw her make a slight
gesture and realized she hadn't seen him clearly before, in the
darkness. She still had her hood up, hiding her face; he registered
yellow hair, quick eyes. She opened her mouth as if to say
something but didn't speak. Just motioned for him to enter. Bern
went within and she pulled the door shut behind him, from outside.
He didn't know where she was going. He didn't know what she'd
been doing outside, so late.

He really didn't know much at all. Why else come to ask of
women's magic what a man ought to do for himself?

Taking a deep breath he looked around by firelight, and the lamps