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

Something slithered across the floor and beneath the far table. It
disappeared behind a chest against that wall.

The seer followed his gaze, smiled. "Ah. You see my new friend?
They brought me a serpent today, the ship from the south. They
said his poison was gone. I had him bite one of the girls, to be
sure. I need a serpent. They change worlds when they change
skin, did you know that?"

He hadn't known that. Of course he hadn't known that. He kept his
gaze on the wooden chest. Nothing moved, but it was there, coiled,
behind. He felt much too warm now, smelled his own sweat.

He finally looked back at her. Her eyes were waiting, held his.
"Drink," she said.

No one had made him come here. He took the flask from her hand.
She had rings on three fingers. He drank. The herbs were thick in
the drink, hard to swallow.

"Half only," she said quickly. He stopped. She took the flask and
drained it herself. Put it down on the table. Said something in a low
voice he couldn't hear. Turned back to him.

"Undress," she said. He stared at her. "A vest will not buy your
future or the spirit world's guidance, but a young man always has
another offering to give."

He didn't understand at first, and then he did.

A glitter in her coldness. She had to be older than his mother, lined
and seamed, her breasts sunken on her chest beneath the dark
red robe. Bern closed his eyes.

"I must have your seed, Bern Thorkellson, if you wish seithr's
power. You require more than a seer's vision, and before
daybreak, or they will find you and cut you apart before they allow
you to die." Her gaze was pitiless. "You know it to be so."

He knew it. His mouth was dry. He looked at her.

"You hated him too?"

"Undress," she said again.

He pulled his tunic over his head.

It ought to have been a dream, all of this. It wasn't. He removed his
boots, leaning against the table. She watched, her eyes never
leaving him, very bright, very blue. His hand on the table touched