"Recluce - 07 - The Chaos Balance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

had, but no one else had, either, except for Ydrall, but she came from
coins."
аа "What did Ydrall know?"
аа "Not much more than Daryn, except that they don't let traders in and
that they keep their women locked up. They have trading stations at the
borders-or they used to. Lornth had problems with Cyador years ago, and
there hasn't been much trading since. Ydrall didn't know what kind of
problems, though."
аа A culture even harder on women than Lornth and those of the lands
bordering Westwind? He shook his head, then rubbed his chin. He really
needed a shave. He didn't care for the local bearded look at all, but
shaving with a blade, a real dagger-edge blade, had taken some learning,
and not a few cuts along the way. Of course, some of the local recruits
had wondered if he was actually a. man, since he didn't have a beard-as
if hair made the man. He snorted.
аа As they reached the outer end of the causeway to the tower, Blynnal
appeared and used the wooden mallet to hammer out a rough melody on the
chimes that had replaced the old triangle. She wore a burlaplike apron
over her gray trousers and tunic, and a jacket thrown over everything.
The brunette smiled shyly at Nylan. "I do not have the touch of the
healer, not with the songs, but I try."
аа "You have the touch with the food," the smith-engineer responded. "And
we're all very thankful for that."
аа "It is good to have so many people who like what I cook. Dyemeni-he
never liked anything." Her eyes went to Nylan. "Would that all men were
like you." Then she smiled again. "Today, we have the noodles with the
hot sauce, and the flat bread."
аа "Good." Nylan inadvertently licked his lips. When Blynnal said food
was hot-it was spiced hot and then some.
аа "The tea is cold-for you." Blynnal laughed, then struck the chimes
again.
аа Huldran grinned and glanced at the smith.
аа "You'll need that tea, too," Nylan predicted.
аа "Probably, but it's a lot better than the slop poor Kadran fixed."
аа As Nylan walked into the entryway, Siret stood by the nursery with
Kyalynn, waiting. Smiling at the tall silver-haired guard and mother of
his other daughter, the smith wondered if the two silver-haired guards
had an informal arrangement as to which child he would see before the
noon meal. Still, he had to admit he looked forward to seeing the
children, more than a little.
аа "How is she?" he asked.
аа "Sleepy. She was restless last night. Teeth, I think. Ayrlyn touched
her, but there is no chaos, just a trace of white around her teeth. I
felt it, but I wasn't sure."
аа Nylan cradled Kyalynn in his left arm, and she looked up with a yawn,
the dark green eyes mirrors of her mother's, her hands slowly reaching
toward Nylan's face. "Waaaa... dan!"
аа "Somehow, I don't think she's asking for water," Nylan observed. "I'll
probably wake her up, and she'll be cranky all night."
аа "That won't be any change from last night."