"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 02 - Darkspell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

whatever appealed to them, while the music, talk, and laughter went on. Devaberiel was searching for
Manaverr, whose alar traditionally roasted a whole lamb in a pit.

Finally he found them near the edge of the camp. A couple of young men were just digging the lamb
up, while others brought over leaves to make a clean bed to receive it. Manaverr himself hurried over to
greet the bard. His hair was so pale that it was almost white, and his cat-slit eyes a deep purple. They
each put their left hand on the otherтАЩs right shoulder in greeting.

тАШItтАЩs a big gathering,тАЩ Manaverr said.
 тАШThey all knew youтАЩd be here to do the lamb.тАЩ

Manaverr laughed with a toss of his head. A small green sprite popped into manifestation and perched
on his shoulder. When he reached up to pat her, she grinned, revealing a mouthful of pointed teeth.

тАШHave you seen Calonderiel yet?тАЩ Manaverr said.

тАШThe warleader? No. Why?тАЩ

тАШHeтАЩs been asking every bard here about some obscure point of somebodyтАЩs genealogy. HeтАЩll
probably work his way around to you sooner or later.тАЩ

The sprite suddenly pulled his hair, then vanished before he could swat her. The alardan was filled
with Wildfolk, rushing around as excitedly as the children. Sprite, gnome, sylph, and salamander, they
were the spirits of the elements, who at times took on a solid appearance, even though their home lay
elsewhere in the many-layered universe. Devaberiel was not quite sure where; only dweomerfolk knew
such things.

With one last heave, the men got up the lamb, wrapped in charred coarse cloth, and flopped it onto
the leaves. The smell of the roast meat, heavily spiced and baked with fruit, was so inviting that
Devaberiel moved closer without even being aware that he was doing so, but he had to wait for his
portion. Calonderiel the warleader strode over and hailed him. He looked much like Man-averr, his
cousin.

тАШWhatтАЩs this mysterious question?тАЩ the bard asked him.

тАШJust a point of curiosity,тАЩ Calonderiel said. тАШYou know that I rode with Aderyn when he was off
chasing Loddlaen, donтАЩt you?тАЩ

тАШI heard something of the story.тАЩ

тАШAll right, then. I met a human warleader called Rhodry Maelwaedd, a lad of twenty. Strangely
enough, heтАЩs got a good bit of our blood in his veins. I was wondering if you knew how it had gotten into
his clan.тАЩ

тАШA woman of the People married Pertyc Maelwaedd in ... oh, when was that . . . well, say two
hundred years ago.тАЩ

тАШThat long? But I saw Rhodry handle a piece of dwarven silver, and it blazed in his hands.тАЩ

тАШReally? Then it canтАЩt just be that distant relationship. What was his fatherтАЩs name?тАЩ