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

Marka could find nothing to say to her.

тАЬShut up,тАЭ Keeta snapped. тАЬHer fatherтАЩs got something to say about this.тАЭ

тАЬFather will listen to her.тАЭ Marka heard her own voice whispering like a strangerтАЩs. тАЬIf they do the
smoke together, heтАЩll listen to her. He lost my mother over it, didnтАЩt he?тАЭ

She began to cry again, a helpless flutter that she hated for its weakness. Through her tears she saw Rimi
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leering and gloating, her face swimming like some dark moon. Marka raised her hands and stepped
forward; then someone caught her firmly and pulled her back: the barbarian juggler.

тАЬSatisfying though it would be, my turtledove, to rake your nails down her beauty, it would be both
unprofitable and a waste of time. The opium itself will claw her for you.тАЭ

Rimi swore like a sailor, then turned on her heel and marched off. Marka wriggled free of his lax grasp
and wiped her face on her sleeve. When she looked round, there was no sign of Hamil, but from the
purposeful way that Rimi was marching toward the palm grove at the edge of the caravanserai, Marka
could assume that heтАЩd taken refuge there. Vinto, his acrobats, Keeta and Delya, Salamander as
wellтАФMarka was suddenly aware of the way they all were looking at her, as if she were an invalid who
just might die.

тАЬYou canтАЩt stay with them,тАЭ Keeta said at last. тАЬYou just canтАЩt. I donтАЩt know what would happen to
you, butтАФтАЭ

тАЬI can guess,тАЭ Vinto snarled. тАЬSheтАЩs not a child anymore, Keeta! She can hear the truth. How long will it
be before her pig-dog of a father has her and Rimi selling themselves to keep him in smoke?тАЭ

Marka felt the earth lurch again, but she knew what she had to do. Salamander laid a gentle hand on her
shoulder to steady her. She shook it off.

тАЬWeтАЩd better pack our stuff up,тАЭ Marka snapped. тАЬVinto, at least one horse and wagon should be
yours, anyway, for the wages we owe you.тАЭ Her voice threatened to break, but she forced it steady.
тАЬMaybe if we all pool our coin, we can get a ship back toMainIslandtoday.тАЭ

Keeta let out her breath in an explosive puff and muttered a thanks to the Star Goddesses.

тАЬIf you wouldnтАЩt mind me joining you with my act,тАЭ Salamander said. тАЬWe could all travel together,
indeed. Shall we repair to the inn where IтАЩve been staying and have some wine? There shall we foment
plans.тАЭ

тАЬGlad to,тАЭ Vinto said. тАЬWe can discuss shares later. First letтАЩs get out of this stinking camp.тАЭ

During the slow walk to town, Marka suddenly remembered the fortune-teller. Good luck mixed with
disaster, was it? Well, she could see the disaster, all right, but where was the good luck?