"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 06 - A Time Of Omens" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

she had seen it narrow and churning with white water or come upon it to find a swamp and nothing more,
but at the moment the broad water sparkled in the sun, and green rushes stood at the bank like sword
blades stuck into a treaty ground. Out among them on one leg stood a white heron.

тАЬElessario!тАЭ

The heron turned its head to consider her with one yellow eye, then rippled like the water and became a
young woman with impossibly yellow hair, wading naked to the bank. Dallandra offered a hand and
helped her clamber out. Elessario picked up a tunic from the grassy bank and pulled it over her head.
Although at first glance she seemed beautiful, with human ears but elven eyes, at second glance one
noticed that the eyes were as yellow as her hair, cat-slit with emerald-green, and that her smile revealed
sharp-pointed teeth.

тАЬDid you need me for something, Dalla?тАЭ

тАЬI did. Come see something with me.тАЭ

Hand in hand like mother and child they wandered downriver, looking for Bardek. Here in the world of
the Guardians, as the elves named EvandarтАЩs people, images could become real rather easily, that is, for
those with minds trained to build them. First Dallandra created an image of Jill in her mind, as clear and
as detailed as possible; then she moved this image out through her eyes onto the landscapeтАФa mental
trick, that, and not true dweomer, strange though it sounds to those who donтАЩt know how to do it. These
mental images were lifeless things, even in this world, and broke up fast like a picture imagined in a cloud
or a fire. Every now and then, though, one image would linger for a while longer or seem brighter and
more solid. With a fascinated Elessario trailing after, Dallandra would walk to that spot and cast another
round of images. Every time, one of the new crop would become solid and endure long enough to point
out the next step of their journey.

As they followed these clues, the landscape changed round them. The river narrowed, ran shallow; the
lush grass withered till brown and dry. They passed big boulders, pushing up through thin earth, and
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eventually found a graveled road, leading forward into mist. All at once, twilight turned the world an
opalescent gray, shot with lavender.

тАЬHere we are,тАЭ Dallandra said. тАЬCome look at a city of men.тАЭ

In the mist they seemed to float, like birds hovering on the wind, then spiraled down and down in
ever-twisting arcs till at last the mist vanished in a starry sky. Below lay a white city, shimmering in the
heat of a Bardek evening. Here and there in the dark streets a gold point of light bobbed along, a lantern
carried in someoneтАЩs hand. Down in the center of town a vast sea of lamps flickered among the brightly
colored banners and booths of the public market. Around this small geometry of streets and light
stretched the dark and arid plain out to a horizon glowing faint green with the last of sunset. With a little
gasp of delight Elessario began gliding down, following the drift of music that came to them, but Dallandra
caught her arm.

тАЬNot now, IтАЩm afraid. It is lovely, isnтАЩt it?тАЭ