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

she should keep it or smother it, cursed herself for not traveling armed, decided that one sword wouldnтАЩt
have been much good, anyway, against a beast as big as this one must be, then laughed aloud at herself.
She did, after all, have dweomer to fall back upon. No doubt a blaze of etheric fire would frighten away
any animal, gigantic or not, if indeed a beast was what she was hearing. The sound was definitely closer
now and definitely coming from the distant river. She walked away from the fire, peered into the dark
until her eyes adjusted, then saw pinpoints of light flickering far off in the estuary. The booms grew louder
still.

Drums. Drums and torches coming along the riverbank, and she was willing to wager that whoever came
marching was pounding those drums to scare the crocodiles off. All at once Wildfolk swarmed into
manifestation around her, a whole army of green and purple gnomes, a flock of sprites, jumping or
fluttering round in sheer excitement. Her own gray gnome appeared, jigging up and down on top of her
pack.

тАЬThe Elder Brothers, is it?тАЭ

He nodded a yes and grinned, gape-mouthed. In a few minutes she could see the dark shapes of ten
men break free of the shadows around the river and turn, torches held high, onto the beach. She could
even pick out the drummer, marching at the rear of the line and banging a large, flat drum with some kind
of stick. She went back to her fire, threw on more wood to make it blaze in greeting, and waited, arms
crossed over her chest, as they drew nearer, stumbling a little on the soft beach sand. With the crocodiles
far behind, the drummer fell silent. About ten feet away they stopped, just out of the pool of light, but she
could see them clearly enough: elves, all right, with their long, delicate ears and moonbeam-pale hair.
They were dressed in full tunics, belted at the waist with a glitter of gold, which came just above their
knees, and each man carried a quiver of arrows at his hip and a bow slung over his back. Jill hoped that
they spoke the same elven language that she knew.

тАЬI give you my heartfelt greetings,тАЭ she said, тАЬand hope I might be welcome here.тАЭ

She could just make out a rustle of surprised whispers. One man stepped from the crowd and walked a
few paces in her direction. A dragonтАЩs head, worked in gold and as big as the palm of his hand, clasped
his belt. When he spoke, she could indeed understand him, but with some difficulty. His dialect was far
more different from that of the Westfolk than, say, Eldidd speech is from that of Deverry proper.

тАЬStrangers are always less than welcome. Are you a victim of the seaтАЩs rage?тАЭ

It took her a moment to realize that he meant a castaway. тАЬNo, good sir. I came here quite deliberately,
looking for you and your people, in fact.тАЭ

Automatically he turned to glance at the cove, turned back to her with a slight frown.

тАЬI see no boat.тАЭ

тАЬWell, no.тАЭ There was nothing she could say but the truth. тАЬI traveled by dweomer, and I come to greet
you and ask your aid in the name of the Light that shines behind all the gods.тАЭ

Jill had never seen anyone look so surprised. He turned on one heel, staring at the beach, turned back to