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

He disappeared again. Rhodry ran the rest of the way back to the camp.

The wake was long over. Most of the People, in fact, were asleep after the long night of mourning. Only
a pack of dogs, a few of the older boys, and Calonderiel were sitting round the newly rekindled fire in
front of the banadarтАЩs tent.

тАЬWhere were you?тАЭ Calonderiel said.

тАЬI hardly know.тАЭ Rhodry sat down next to him on the ground.

Calonderiel considered for a moment, then waved at the boys and dogs impartially.

тАЬGo. I donтАЩt care whereтАФto bed, probably. But go.тАЭ

Once theyтАЩd gone, the banadar laid a few chips and twigs onto the fire.

тАЬI hate to let it go out,тАЭ he remarked. тАЬWhat do you mean, you hardly know?тАЭ

тАЬJust that. I thought I was but a mile from here, down by the lake, but the whole night passed like a bare
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moment, and I saw a woman who came and went like one of the Wildfolk.тАЭ

While Rhodry told the story, and he finally admitted the earlier incidents as well, Calonderiel listened
without a word, but the banadar grew more and more troubled.

тАЬGuardians,тАЭ he said at last. тАЬWhat you saw were two of the Guardians. I donтАЩt exactly know what they
may be, but theyтАЩre somehow linked to the People. TheyтАЩre not gods, certainly, nor are they elves like
you and me, nor men like your other tribe, either. No more are they Wildfolk, though they seem more
like the Wildfolk than like us at times. IтАЩve heard a wagonload of old tales about them. Sometimes they
harm those that see them, but more often they help, which is why we call them Guardians. The bards say
that at the fall of Rinbaladelan, a man of the Guardians fought side by side with the royal archers, but not
even his magic could hold the Hordes off in the end.тАЭ

тАЬDo you think I should take the fellowтАЩs advice, then?тАЭ

тАЬMost likely. Ye gods, I wish Aderyn were here! We need a dweomermanтАЩs counsel, we do.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm still surprised he never came to the alardan. ItтАЩs not like the old man to miss one.тАЭ

тАЬJust so.тАЭ Calonderiel suddenly yawned with a convulsive little shudder. тАЬWell, letтАЩs get some sleep. ItтАЩs
been a miserable night, all told. Maybe your dreams will tell you something useful.тАЭ

That afternoon, though, Rhodry dreamt of the long road, that is, the time when heтАЩd ridden as a silver
dagger into political exile. When he woke, he could remember nothing particular about the dream, and it
faded fast as dreams will, but the feeling of it lingered round him, a sour sort of omen. He found himself
alone in the banadarтАЩs huge tent, with the rest of the warband gone, though he did hear whispering voices