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

ease. Aethan would be proud, he thought, if he knew IтАЩve gained the queenтАЩs favor. In a solemn crowd
many-colored gnomes materialized around him, and his blue sprite appeared to hunker down near his
harp and stare up at him.

тАЬOh, IтАЩll heal, little one,тАЭ he said to her. тАЬBut you ease my heart, you truly do, with your concern.тАЭ

When she smiled, an honest soft smile instead of her usual malicious grin, for the briefest of moments he
thought he saw true feeling in her empty eyes. Then she yawned, showing her needle-sharp teeth, and lay
down on her stomach in the grass to listen while he finished tuning the harp and started practicing a few
runs and trills. Since he was quiet and alone, Maddyn lost all track of time that morning; he stopped
playing only when his stomach protested loudly enough to make itself heard over the music. By then he
could see the sun over the high walls around him.

тАЬYe gods, it must be nearlynoon!тАЭ

At the alarm in his voice the Wildfolk vanished. He gathered up the harp and went back inside,
wondering if he could find his way to the great hall, but as he stood uncertainly at the foot of a staircase,
Branoic came pounding down.

тАЬThere you are, you slimy little bastard! Where have you been? The whole cursed troopтАЩs hunting for
you, and part of Tieryn ElycтАЩs guard as well.тАЭ

тАЬWhat? What do they want me for? What have I done?тАЭ

тАЬNaught, you stupid dolt! We were afraid youтАЩd drowned yourself or suchlike out of grief.тАЭ
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тАЬOh, by the Lord of HellтАЩs black balls! Have I been that bad off?тАЭ

тАЬYou have, at that.тАЭ

Branoic was studying his face with a fierce intensity, as if he were trying to read every clue that might be
there, no matter how small, to MaddynтАЩs heart.

тАЬAh well,тАЭ Maddyn said. тАЬI wouldnтАЩt do anything that foolish, not when the king needs every man he can
get. IтАЩll swear it to you if you like.тАЭ

тАЬYour wordтАЩll be enough for me.тАЭ

тАЬDone then. You have it.тАЭ

As they were walking out to the ward, Maddyn was wondering how much more grief lay ahead of him in
the long wars. Branoic, Caradoc, even sullen Owaen in his own arrogant wayтАФthey all meant far too
much to him for comfortтАЩs sake. A prudent man would have hardened his heart and sworn that heтАЩd
never let himself feel this kind of grief again, but then, Maddyn decided, heтАЩd never been a prudent man,
and he was too old to change his ways. Better to lose a friend than never find one, he told himself, truly,
much better all round.