"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 04 - Dragonspell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

тАШI see the meadow, and the deer. The hunters are coming. IтАЩve got to help them, warn them.тАЩ

The hunters?тАЩ

The stag. HeтАЩs my friend.тАЩ
In his trance Perryn twitched, his mouth working, as he went running into that meadow of memory and
chased the deer away before the hunters came. Nevyn supposed that his childish mercy had cost the little
lad a good beating, too. He took him back further, to the winter before, and back again until Perryn saw
the face of his wet nurse as she held him to her breast for the first time. And back further, to the pain of
his birth, and back yet more, as his soul was swept into the unborn body that grew into the one he now
wore, and back and back, until all at once he cried out, twisting in pain, speaking, half-choked, in some
language that Nevyn had never heard before.

тАШBy every god!тАЩ Elaeno hissed. тАШWhat is that tongue?тАЩ

Nevyn held up his hand for silence. Perryn talked on, his voice gasping as he relived his last death.
Even though his facial features had changed not a jot, he no longer looked like the weaselly lad he had
moments before - stronger, somehow, his eyes blazing in an ancient hatred as he spat out angry words.
At the end his body jerked, half-rising from the chair, then falling back as his voice broke off. Nevyn
caught him by the shoulders and shook him, but gently, calling out his name until he awakened.

тАШMy apologies,тАЩ Perryn stammered. тАШI must have fallen asleep or suchlike, looking at the fire. Ye
gods, that was a miserable dream.тАЩ

тАШIndeed? Tell me about it.тАЩ

тАШI was skewered. A spear, you see, right through me, pinning me to the ground, and there were
enemies, mocking me. Horrible, horrible enemies, like goblins or suchlike.тАЩ He let his voice fade to a
whisper. тАШThey had these big noses and bushy eyebrows, all black and bristly.тАЩ Suddenly he shook
himself. тАШI must have been remembering one of those tales my Mam used to tell me.тАЩ

тАШMost like, most like. Here, lad, I must have pushed you too hard. You go back to bed now and rest.
WeтАЩll try sitting up again tomorrow.тАЩ

Once they had Perryn settled and the guard back at the door, Nevyn and Elaeno returned to the old
manтАЩs chamber in the main broch. They sat down with a tankard of mulled ale each to discuss what
theyтАЩd witnessed.

тАШI suppose his killers look ugly to him now because heтАЩs grown used to human beings,тАЩ Elaeno said.

тАШOho! YouтАЩre assuming that those beings were his own kind of people.тАЩ

тАШArenтАЩt you?тАЩ

тАШIтАЩm tempted, truly, but 1 also think that itтАЩs very unwise to make any assumptions about Perryn at
all.тАЩ

тАШNow there IтАЩd most certainly agree with you. Huh. Big noses and bristling black eyebrows. I
suppose they could be the goblins or ogres of many an old tale, either from the islands or your kingdom.