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

 Deverry, 773



All menhave seen the two smiling faces of the Goddess, She who gives good harvests and She who brings love
to menтАЩs hearts. Some have seen Her stern face, the Mother who at times must chastise her erring children. But
how many have ever seen the fourth face of the Goddess, which is hidden even to most women who walk the
earth?

TheDiscoursesofthePriestessCamylla




The rider was dying. He slid off his horse to the cobbles, staggered once and fell to his knees.
Gweniver flung herself down and grabbed him by the shoulders before he fell on his face. Warm blood
oozed through his shirt onto her hands as Claedd peered cloudy-eyed at her.

тАШLost, my lady. Your brotherтАЩs dead.тАЩ

Blood welled into his mouth and broke into a bubble of death. When she laid him down, his
foundered horse tossed its head once, then merely trembled, dripping gray sweat. She got to her feet just
as a stable lad came running.

тАШDo what you can for that horse,тАЩ she said. тАШThen tell all the servants to pack up and flee. YouтАЩve got
to get out of here or you wonтАЩt live the night.тАЩ

Wiping her hands on her dress, Gweniver ran across the ward to the tall broch of the Wolf clan,
which would burn that night beyond her power to save it. Inside the great hall, huddled by the honor
hearth, were her mother, Dolyan, her younger sister, Macla, and Mab, their aged serving woman.

тАШThe BoarтАЩs men must have caught the warband on the road,тАЩ Gweniver said. тАШAvoicтАЩs dead, and
thereтАЩs an end to the feud.тАЩ

Dolyan threw back her head and keened out a wail for her husband and three sons. Macla burst into
moist sobs and clung to Mab.

тАШOh, hold your tongues!тАЩ Gweniver snapped. тАШThe BoarтАЩs warband is doubtless riding here right now
to claim us. Do you want to end up as trophies?тАЩ

тАШGwen!тАЩ Macla wailed. тАШHow can you be so cold-hearted?тАЩ

тАШBetter cold-hearted than raped. Now hurry, all of you. Get the things you can carry on one horse.
WeтАЩre riding to the Temple of the Moon. If we live to reach it, the priestesses will give us refuge. Do you
hear me, Mara, or do you want to see me and Maccy handed over to the warband?тАЩ

The deliberate brutality forced Dolyan silent. . тАШGood,тАЩ Gweniver said. тАШNow hurry, all of you!тАЩ

She followed the others as they puffed up the spiral staircase, but she went to her brotherтАЩs chamber,
not her own. From the carved chest beside his bed she got a pair of his old brigga and one of his shirts.