"Michelle West - Winter Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (West Michelle)

the left one.
"That's true," she said at last. "At least, that she's the last of her daughters. You'll
have to judge for yourself how much alike they actually are." She straightened her
shoulders, shifting her burden again with an ease that spoke of practice. "Because
I'm guessing you knew my mother."
The Herald's expression shifted; it didn't matter. Kayla already knew what the
woman was feeling. Surprise. Concern. Hope. "So you're Kayla."
"And you?"
"Anne," the woman replied. She reached out with a hand, and after only a slight
hesitation, Kayla shifted the boy to one hip, freeing one of hers. She shook the
Herald's hand and then turned to face the quieter young man. "If you want to join
us, there's food, but I'll warn you, it's spare; we can offer you news, or trade, or
waterтАФbut we barter for most of our food, and only Widow Davis has stores
enough to entertain important guests."
The Heralds exchanged a look, and then the young man smiled. "We're well
provisioned. We'd be happy to offer food for our discussion or news."
"He meansтАФand is too polite to say itтАФgossip."
 But Kayla felt the twinge of guilt that hid beneath the surface of those cheerful
words, and her eyes fell to the saddlebags that his Companion bore without
complaint. It occurred to her that the Companions and their Heralds seldom carried
much food with them, for the villages who fed and housed them were reimbursed
for their troubles, and at a rate that made it especially appealing for the poorer
towns.
But when the man dismounted and unstrapped the bags from the side of his
Companion, she knew, she just knew that they had been brought solely to be
offered to Riverend. And she didn't like it, although she couldn't say why.
"Your pardon," he said, dipping his head slightly, "for my manners. My name is
Carris."
"And her name?" She asked, staring at his Companion.
The Herald smiled. "Her name is Arana. She is a queen among Companions. And
knows it," he added ruefully.
Kayla nodded quietly and turned away. "The hold is dark, even at this time of
day; there is only one room with good windows. Shall I send for the mayor?"
"No. No, that isn't necessary. It's really an informal visit." Anne frowned. "And
yes, I did know your mother. She was a very, very stubborn woman."
"You know that she died."
Anne nodded, and there was a very real weariness in the movement. "Aye, I
know it." But she added no more. Instead, she turned to her Companion and began
to unstrap her saddlebags as well. They were equally heavy.

"I won't lie to you, Kayla," Anne said, as she took a seat while Kayla set to
boiling water for the tea and herbal infusions that the Southerners often found too
thin or too bitter. "I did not know your mother well. This has been my circuit for a
number of years, and although we're often sent out on different routes, we become
familiar with the villages along the King's roads.
"Your mother wasn't the mayor, but she was the center of Riverend. I never met a
woman with a cannier sense of the dangers of living in such an isolated placeтАФand
I grew up a few towns off the Holderkin, so I'm aware of just how dangerous those
fringes can be.тАЭ
"But your mother had a great love for your father, and for the lands that produced