"Pierce, Tamora - Circle Of Magic 03 - Daja's Book E-Txt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pierce Tamora)

cleansing to be considered.Ф
Three hundred silver crescents! Sandry told Daja through their magical tie. ItТs a
dowry, or new tools, or even gold to work with. Maybe you ought to take it?
Think it over, Briar advised. You have something they want. Make Сem pay through
the nose. ThatТs a fine revenge, after how Traders dealt with you.
УItТs not for sale,Ф Frostpine told Polyam and her companions. УWe need to study it
before any decision is reached.Ф
УA gold maja and two gold astrels,Ф the older woman said. УNot a copper more. The
trangshi may have the night to consider it.Ф She walked away, head high. The
mimander hesitated: he might have been looking at Daja, but it was hard for her to
tell, through the fine yellow veil on his face. Then he too followed the older woman.
Polyam shifted position to let him go by.
УYou neednТt think gilav Chandrisa will go up from that price,Ф she said to Frostpine.
УHers is the last word in any bargaining.Ф
WhatТs a gilav? Tris enquired silently.
Caravan boss, answered Briar. Like the captain of a ship.
Daja looked at her vine. One tendril had wrapped around her finger, cat-like. She felt
a bubbling emotion in her chest, one that threatened to cut off her breath. They canТt
have it two ways, she told herself. Either I donТt exist, or I do. They must want this
very badly, to make an offer to a trangshi.

УWe Blue Traders have a saying,Ф she remarked, staring off to PolyamТs side. УWhen
three parties bargain, no one wins. Tenth Caravan Idaram must bargain with me
directly. Me. Talk to Daja Kisubo the trangshi, or there will be no talk at all.Ф
Frostpine grinned and put an arm around her shoulders. Sandry clapped; Briar
whistled his approval. Even Rosethorn and Tris smiled.
Polyam shrugged. УSince I heard nothing, I can transmit no offers which are
impossible to meet,Ф she remarked. Turning, she hobbled off after the other Traders.
Daja tightened her grip on the iron, wishing she could go with them, could return to
the kind of life where she had always known the rules.
WeТre your people now, Sandry told her in mind-speech.
They threw you out, added Briar. Or were you forgetting?
УFrostpine!Ф A short man with grey-bristled cheeks stood in the doorway, glaring at
them through dark eyes buried in wrinkles. He dressed like a craftsman in a knee-
length green tunic, loose brown breeches and leather slippers; a round white cap
covered his hair. УI never bargained for your apprentice doing magic here, all
unsupervized.Ф
УNeither did we,Ф Frostpine said, walking towards the owner of the forge with Daja in
tow. УDaja Kisubo, this is Kahlib ul Hanoh, the village smith.Ф
Daja hoisted the iron vine into a better grip. Bowing, she nearly fell over, unbalanced
by her creation. УSorry about the magic,Ф she said, red with embarrassment.
УI hope you didnТt leave any loose - it acts oddly, if it isnТt used up in the working,Ф
chided the smith. УIТm not a mage, but IТve dealt with them enough to know.Ф
УI think itТs all in the vine,Ф muttered Daja, looking around. They had learned to see
magic over the summer, a useful side effect of their magic coming together. She used
that vision now, but the only silver gleam of power she could find was on the mages.
Frostpine clapped her on the shoulder. УWhy donТt you go back up to the castle, and
have a bath?Ф he suggested. УYou look wrung out.Ф
She was also filthy, Daja realized. Soot from the iron vine streaked her skin and
clothes from her neck to her knees. Even for a smith, that was a lot of dirt. УAll right,Ф