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

she said quietly.
УTake that with you,Ф ordered Kahlib. УI donТt have time to keep an eye on it.Ф
Daja settled the branching iron in her arms, bowed again to the smith, and trudged out
of the forge.
Rosethorn turned to Briar. УNow all the excitementТs over, student of mine, how
would you like to see the gold of Gold Ridge?Ф
Five months ago Briar had been a street rat and thief: the mention of riches still had
power over him. УYou want to show me gold?Ф he asked. УYou donТt have any use for
it.Ф
УThis kind I do. Come on.Ф With a polite farewell to Kahlib, Rosethorn drew Briar
outside and led the way in the walk up the road to the castle. The dog, Little Bear, sat
in front of the gates, plainly waiting for one of his people to return. When Rosethorn
and Briar turned aside short of the dogТs post, following a lesser road that headed up
into the rough ground south of the castle, Little Bear followed them.
Their new road narrowed, until it was more of a track, broad enough for two people to
ride abreast. Steep and twisty, it led deep into huge rock formations. УWhat kind of
gold would they keep outside the walls?Ф Briar demanded,

toiling along. He hadnТt thought anything else would be up here - what kept bandits
from attacking the castle from behind?
УYouТll see.Ф
Rosethorn said nothing more, and Briar saved his breath for climbing. At least the
view through the breaks in the rocks was pretty, or it would have been if so much of
the valley below had not been hidden in smoke. When the trail levelled off, Rosethorn
stopped for a rest, coughing. Even Little Bear sat, his tongue hanging from the side of
his mouth.
УAre you all right?Ф Briar asked his teacher gruffly. He didnТt want to seem mushy or
anything, but sometimes at night he woke up cold and sweating from dreams that
something had happened to Rosethorn.
She took a water bottle from her belt and drank, then rubbed the mouthpiece on her
sleeve and passed the bottle to him. УBlasted smoke,СТ she explained after a few
breaths. ФAnd the airТs thin this high up. Take a look.У She waved an arm to her right,
where the ground dipped. Briar walked over, and blinked to make sure he wasnТt
seeing things.
Here on the mountainТs edge someone had carved out a pocket valley, and terraced it.
To the northeast, where the far rim should be, he saw a stone wall, manned by
soldiers. So much for anyone sneaking up on the castle from behind, he thought,
squinting at the small valley. They would have to come over that wall, which looked
difficult.
In the pocket valley rows and rows of plants stood between irrigation ditches that
were almost dry. To BriarТs sorrow, the plants were all sere and brown, dead or dying.
УThe gold of Gold Ridge,Ф Rosethorn commented, sounding better. УOr whatТs left of
it.Ф

УHow can plants be gold?Ф he asked.
УThese are saffron crocuses. The flowersТ stigmas are worth more than their weight in
gold. It takes twenty thousand of them to make up an ounce of saffron.Ф
Briar whistled soundlessly. Saffron was the most expensive spice in the world, and
made fortunes for those who dealt in it. The cost of a pound of it would probably feed
all of Gold Ridge for a year, or even two years. УGold is right. What happened - not