"Naomi Kritzer - Eliena 1 - Fires Of The Faithful" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kritzer Naomi)

Mira arrived at the Verdiano Rural Conservatory for the Study of Music
the same week that the song did. In retrospect, if either Mira or the song
had appeared alone, I might have understood things sooner. But I was
distracted from the song by my new roommate, and distracted from Mira
by the puzzle of the song, and I didnтАЩt learn the truth about either one until
it was too late to do anything but try to contain the damage.

When I heard that the conservatory had taken on a new studentтАФa sixteen-
year-old girlтАФI knew sheтАЩd be placed with me. My old roommate, Lia, had
left Verdia with her family months ago, tired of famine and war. IтАЩd gotten
rather accustomed to the extra space, and the Dean would be pleased to
remind me that it wasnтАЩt really mine. Sure enough, I returned after
ensemble practice to find the stranger in my room, her meager possessions
strewn over the bed IтАЩd reluctantly cleared for her. She had her back to me,
and as I paused in the doorway before saying hello, I realized that she was

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FIRES OF THE FAITHFUL - NAOMI KRITZER



trying to light a candle with flint and steel by striking them over the wick.

тАЬYouтАЩre never going to get it lit that way,тАЭ I said. I startled her more than I
meant to; the flint and steel skittered across the stone floor and she
whirled around to face me. I held out my hands, one empty, the other
holding my violin case. тАЬI assume youтАЩre my new roommate,тАЭ I said. тАЬMy
name is Eliana.тАЭ

Her eyes flicked past my shoulder, just for an instant, looking to see if
there was anyone behind me. Then she looked me overтАФher gray eyes
taking in my short hair, square jaw, shapeless gray robe. IтАЩm very tall for a
womanтАФ almost as tall as most men. IтАЩd heard that the boys called me
stuck-up; I knew that many people at the conservatory found me a little
intimidating. As my new roommate sized me up, I had the eerie sense that
she . . . approved.

тАЬMy name is Mira,тАЭ she said, and gave me brief flash of a smile. тАЬIтАЩm
pleased to meet you.тАЭ She ducked to pick up the flint and steel.

I hung up my cloak and put away my violin. There was a violin case on
MiraтАЩs bed as well, tightly buckled and dusty from the road. тАЬYou play
violin?тАЭ I asked.

тАЬYes,тАЭ she said.

I hoped she was decent with her instrument; sharing a room at a