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

тАШAnd thereтАЩs another thing,тАЩ Caer said. тАШMost people in the kingdom would label us witches. What if
they take it into their minds to hunt us down?тАЩ

Nesta shuddered. As an elderly woman, she was extremely vulnerable to such a charge.

тАШTrue enough,тАЩ Nevyn said. тАШAnd so we -тАЩ He stopped, struck by a thought so urgent that he knew it
came from beyond himself, and when he spoke again, his mind-voice rang with prophecy. тАШThe time has
come for the dweomer to show itself, only a little at first, but the time comes when all shall work openly.тАЩ

Those assembled heard the ring and knew that the Lords of Light had spoken through their servant.

тАШOh by the hells!тАЩ Caer whispered. тАШNever did I think to see this day come.тАЩ

They all agreed, especially Nevyn.

тАШThis calls for long hours of meditation,тАЩ he remarked.

тАШI promise you all that IтАЩll put them in, too. WeтАЩve got to move as cautiously as a cat in a bathhouse.тАЩ

For some time they discussed the prophecy, until they decided that Nevyn would work out this
strange idea while the rest of them lived as they always had. The council broke up, the body-images
winking out like blown candles, but Caer and Nevyn lingered in the peaceful stillness of the astral grove.
Around them the enormous trees nodded as if in a wind as the astral tides began to change, a gentle
stirring that they felt in their minds.

тАШItтАЩs a strange thing weтАЩve heard this day, oh Master of Earth,тАЩ Nevyn remarked. тАШBut I intend to
pursue the idea, no matter how long it takes me.тАЩ

тАШOh, IтАЩm not worried about that. YouтАЩve always been as stubborn as a pig on market day.тАЩ

They exchanged a smile of sincere affection. Once, some four hundred years earlier, Caer had been
NevynтАЩs master when he struggled through his apprenticeship in the dweomer. Although Rhegor, as his
name was then, had followed the normal pattern for dweomerfolk and died to be reborn, many times
over now, Nevyn himself had lived one single life, sustained by the elemental forces he commanded.
Although most people would have coveted such a long life, it was a harsh Wyrd for him to bear, because
during his apprenticeship heтАЩd made a grave mistake that had resulted in the deaths of three innocent
people, and a rash vow that never would he rest until heтАЩd redeemed his fault.

тАШTell me somewhat,тАЩ Caer said. тАШDo you think youтАЩre close to fulfilling your vow?тАЩ

тАШI donтАЩt know, I truly donтАЩt. So many times before I thought I was, only to have things slip away from
me. But I can tell you this: Gerraent and I have come to terms between us. Part of the chainтАЩs broken
once and for all.тАЩ

тАШThanks be to every god, then. I tried to warn you about swearing that -тАЩ
 тАШI know, I know, and youтАЩre exactly right: IтАЩm too stubborn for my own wretched good. Ah ye gods,
poor Brangwen! You know, I still think of her by that name, even though she only bore it for a few pitiful
years. I failed her so badly, and Blaen, too, but when I swore IтАЩd make it up to her, I never thought it
would take four hundred beastly years!тАЩ