"Andre Norton - WW - Secrets 03 - The Warding of Witch World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

no peril.

For some six days more the ingathering continued. Supply-filled boats came from west and east
along the river. There was such a demand for foodstuffs that farmers as far away as Gottem sent their
surplus and made good bargains.

But there was no going forth into the town by the strangers. Squads of the Borders were seen
from time to time. One such returned with a group of Falconers who looked very trail-weary. All who
came were housed in the citadel and that seemed to be the end of them. -

Almost as startling as the coming of the Keplian riders was the arrival of a body of witches
escorted by troops wearing the badge of Marshal Koris. Witches had not been seen too much of late
years. The strain of the Turning had depleted their ranks. Many of the oldest and most authoritative had
either died or been left empty of brain after that effort. The small core left had withdrawn to their own
place of training, the Place of Wisdom.

There were six of the gray-robed women and the eldest was certainly no age-worn hag. On the
other hand, she had in her company two, robed and even wearing stones of Power, who were scarcely
more than children. Those who knew a little guessed that these must be counted high in Power.

The arrival of the witches put an end to the flood of travelers -- those gathered in the citadel
might well have been waiting for them.

If the city was agog over these visitors, the citadel fairly shimmered with new life. It was as if the
stones from which it had been formed drew energy to develop a silvery sheen which was clearly visible at
night.

How could it be otherwise, Keris thought as he stood on one of the small balconies near the
dome of the building, when within its walls was such a gathering of Power which had certainly not been
known since its building -- if even then.

That he was here himself rested on the fact that he had been one of that party accompanying his
grandfather to the Alizon Border. They had all been questioned extensively, even under the glow of a
truth jewel specially sent from Lormt, and surely there was nothing more than they could tell.

Lormt -- that seemed to be the kernel of this gathering and yet only its marshal and two of his
men were under this roof. There was much talk of a Lady Mereth and -- he frowned -- of a link with
Alizon. All his life long Keris had known that Alizon was the enemy.

But at least that terrible attack of raw magic which had laid them all low had been explained.
That, too, Lady Mereth had had a hand in. The Magestone -- the Great Key which had controlled the
master gate of the ancient adepts -- had come to her, and equally to an Alizondern, by right.

There had been a battle of Powers. A black mage who would have seized that control was safely
gone -- but so was the Key. And the Key had been fashioned to control all the gates. No one knew
how many of those there were -- or where they all might be. If the Magestone lay now in limbo for all
time, then would the gates themselves -- those still able to work -- go wild and let in upon them such
perils as the Kolders? Or would they reach out here in his own world to snatch the innocent and take
them ever beyond the reach of home and kin?