"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 01 - Daggerspell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

The gnome idly scratched his armpit while he considered.

тАЬI mean, you could show me how to find things to eat,тАЭ Jill went on. тАЬAnd how to keep warm when it
snows.тАЭ

The gnome nodded in a way that seemed to mean yes, but it was always hard to tell what the
Wildfolk meant. Jill was not even exactly sure what they were. Although they suddenly appeared and
vanished at will, they felt real enough when you touched them, and they could pick up things and drink
the milk that Jill set out for them at night. Thinking of living with them in the woods was as much
frightening as it was comforting.

тАЬWell, I hope nothing happens to Macco,тАЭ Jill said. тАЬBut I worry.тАЭ

The gnome nodded sympathetically and patted her arm with a skinny twisted hand. Since the other
children in the village made fun of Jill for being a bastard, the Wildfolk were the only real friends she had.

тАЬJill?тАЭ Macyn was calling her from the tavern yard. тАЬTime to come in and help cook dinner.тАЭ
 тАЬIтАЩve got to go,тАЭ Jill said to the Wildfolk. тАЬIтАЩll give you milk tonight.тАЭ

They all laughed, dancing in a little circle around her feet, then vanishing without a trace. As Jill walked
back, Macyn came to meet her.

тАЬWho were you talking to out here?тАЭ he said.

тАЬNo one. Just talking.тАЭ

тАЬTo the Wildfolk, I suppose?тАЭ Macyn was grinning, teasing her.

Jill merely shrugged. SheтАЩd learned very early that nobody believed her when she told them that she
could see the Wildfolk.

тАЬIтАЩve got a nice bit of pork for our dinner,тАЭ Macyn said. тАЬWeтАЩd best eat quickly, because on a hot
night like this one, everyoneтАЩs going to come for a bit of ale.тАЭ

Macyn was exactly right. As soon as the sun went down, the room filled up with local people, men
and women both, come to have a good gossip. No one in Bobyr had much real money; Macyn kept
track of what everyone owed him on a wooden plank. When there were enough marks under someoneтАЩs
name, Macyn would get food or cloth or shoes from that person and start keeping track all over again.
They did earn a few coppers that night from a wandering peddler, who had a big pack of fancy thread
for embroidery, needles, and even some ribands from a big town to the west. When Jill served him, she
asked, as usual, if heтАЩd ever heard of Cullyn of Cerrmor.

тАЬHeard of him?тАЭ the peddler said. тАЬI just saw him, lass, about a fortnight ago.тАЭ

JillтАЩs heart started pounding.

тАЬWhere?тАЭ she said.

тАЬUp in Gwingedd. ThereтАЩs something of a war up there, two lords and one of their cursed blood
feuds, which is why, I donтАЩt mind telling you, I came down this southern way. But I was drinking in a