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

тАШA man?тАЩ he said. тАШHere, Dannyn, whatтАЩs happened to your eyes?тАЩ

тАШThey can see the blue tattoo on her face. As far as anyone under my command is concerned, sheтАЩs a
man, or as much like one as matters.тАЩ

тАШTrue spoken, of course.тАЩ Oldac wiped his mead-soaked mustache on the back of his hand. тАШBut
here, Gwen, thereтАЩs no denying that youтАЩre a good-looking enough wench to make a man forget.тАЩ

As fast and straight as a grouse breaking cover, Dannyn rose and leaned over to grab Oldac by the
shirt. While goblets rolled and spilled and men shouted, he hauled the kicking, yelling lord across the
table. With a last heave, he dumped him at GweniverтАЩs feet.
 тАШApologize,тАЩ Dannyn snarled. тАШNo one calls a lady and a priestess a wench.тАЩ

Dead silent, every man in the hall was watching. Oldac gasped for breath and hauled himself up in a
kneel.

тАШGo on.тАЩ Dannyn prodded him with one foot.

тАШMost humbly I apologize,тАЩ Oldac panted. тАШNever will I call you that again, Your Holiness. I beg your
Goddess to forgive me.тАЩ

тАШYouтАЩre a fool,тАЩ Gweniver said. тАШBut your apology is accepted.тАЩ

Oldac got up, smoothed down his mead-soaked shirt, and turned on Dannyn.

тАШMay the Goddess forgive my slight,тАЩ he said. тАШBut as for you, bastard . . .тАЩ

When Dannyn laid his hand on his sword hilt, men rose from their seats.

тАШDoes his lordship wish to offer me a formal challenge?тАЩ DannynтАЩs voice was as mild as a ladyтАЩs maid.

Trapped, Oldac looked this way and that, his mouth working as he debated the choice between
broken honor and certain death. Dannyn waited, smiling. At the table of honor, the King rose.

тАШEnough!тАЩ Glyn yelled. тАШA pox on both of you for fighting in my hall! Danno, get back here and sit
down. Oldac, I wish to speak with you later in my apartments.тАЩ

Blushing in shame, Oldac spun on his heel and ran out of the hall. His head down like a whipped
hound, Dannyn slunk back to his brotherтАЩs side. As Nevyn left, he was wondering about Gerraent, as he
tended to think of him in weak moments. It seemed that he was determined to treat Gweniver honorably
and to ignore that long-buried passion which had to be working its way to the surface. More power to
the lad, Nevyn thought, maybe heтАЩll get free of it in this life. And yet with the thought came a clammy
touch of dweomer-cold down his back. There was danger working here, danger of which he was
unaware.

At the head of a small army, Gweniver returned to the Temple of the Moon late on a spring day when
the setting sun washed the high walls with golden light. Leaving the men at the foot of the hill, she and
Gwetmar walked up to the gates, which opened a crack to reveal LypillaтАЩs face.

тАШIt is you, Gwen!тАЩ she sang out. тАШWhen we saw the army, we thought it might be those wretched