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

тАШAll afternoon IтАЩve been praying to Her,тАЩ Gweniver went on. тАШIтАЩm going to leave you, my lady. IтАЩm
going to swear to the Moon and turn the clan over to Macla. Then IтАЩm going to take my men and go to
Cerrmor to lay the WolfтАЩs petition before the King. Once I have the tattoo, the Boar will have no reason
to harm me.тАЩ

тАШJust so, but itтАЩs still dangerous. I hate to think of you out on the roads with just three riders for an
escort. Who knows what men will do these days, even to a priestess?тАЩ

тАШNot just three, my lady. IтАЩm the fourth.тАЩ

Ardda went still, crouched in her chair as she began to pick up GweniverтАЩs meaning.

тАШDonтАЩt you remember telling me about the fourth face of the Goddess?тАЩ Gweniver went on. тАШHer dark
side, when the moon turns bloody and black, the mother who eats her own children.тАЩ

тАШGwen. Not that.тАЩ

тАШThat.тАЩ With a toss of her head, she rose to pace about the chamber. тАШIтАЩm going to take my men to
join the war. ItтАЩs been too long since a Moon-sworn warrior fought in Deverry.тАЩ

тАШYouтАЩll be killed.тАЩ Ardda got to her feet. тАШI shanтАЩt allow it.тАЩ

тАШIs it for either of us to allow or disallow if the Goddess calls me? I felt Her hands on me today.тАЩ

As their eyes met, as they locked stares in a battle of will, Gweniver realized that she was no longer a
child, but a woman, when Ardda looked away first.

тАШThere are ways to test such inspirations,тАЩ Ardda said at last. тАШCome into the temple tonight. If the
Goddess grants you a vision, itтАЩs not for me to say you nay. But if She doesnтАЩt. . .тАЩ

тАШIтАЩll be guided by your wisdom in the matter.тАЩ

тАШVery well, then. And what if She grants you a vision, but not the one you think you want?тАЩ

тАШThen IтАЩll swear to Her anyway. The time has come, my lady. I want to hear the secret name of the
Goddess and make my vow.тАЩ

In preparation for the ceremony, Gweniver fasted that evening. While the temple was at its dinner, she
fetched water from the well and heated herself a bath by the kitchen hearth. As she was dressing
afterward, she paused to look at her brotherтАЩs shirt, which sheтАЩd embroidered for him the year before.
On each yoke, worked in red, was the striding wolf of the clan, surrounded by a band of interlacement.
The pattern twined so cleverly around itself that it looked like a chain of knots made up of many strands,
but in fact there was only one line to it and each knot flowed inevitably into the next. My WyrdтАЩs just
such a tangle, she told herself.

And with the thought came a cold feeling, as if she had spoken better than she could know. As she
finished dressing, she was frightened. It was not that perhaps she might die in battle; she knew that she
would be slain, maybe soon, maybe many years hence. It was the way of the Dark Goddess, to call upon
her priestesses to make the last sacrifice when She decided the time had come. When Gweniver picked