Days of Air and Darkness (The Westlands) by Kerr Katharine

Author:Kerr, Katharine [Kerr, Katharine]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9780307573339
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2009-12-17T16:00:00+00:00

Up on the rooftop of Cadmar’s dun, Jill heard the shouting, but only as a distant sound, a sigh on the wind and little more. She was distracted enough to ignore it, because by daylight, she could see that the Horsekin had placed their reinforcements into the northern camp, formerly their weakest point. Cengarn was ringed good and proper, now. As she so often did in difficult times, she found herself thinking of Nevyn, her teacher in the dweomer and indeed, one of the greatest dweomermasters that the world had even known. Thanks to powerful magicks, he had lived over four hundred years, and during that unnaturally long life, he’d gathered together a vast amount of lore which his own researches and experiences had enriched. What would he have done, here in this siege?

Jill thought for a long time, pacing back and forth on the rooftop. Would he have used his alliances with the High Kings and Lords of the Elements to bring rain and plague, or perhaps fire and havoc, to the besiegers? She doubted it, since the enemy army included innocent slaves and servants—since, indeed, the army itself was deluded by Alshandra’s madness rather than being evil. Would he have risked facing the enemy sorcerer in astral combat? Not if a loss would have meant depriving the city of his protection. What about challenging Alshandra herself? Nevyn might indeed have won such a battle. She could not. She was forced to realize that he would have done exactly what she was doing—wait—wait and watch for that one moment when all the hints and omens would come together in her mind and show her the one true thing that must be done.

Shaking her head, she left the roof and went downstairs. She was just leaving the main broch when she met Jahdo, who’d apparently been looking for her, judging from the way he brightened at her approach.

“There you be, my lady,” Jahdo said. “I did come to ask you a question for my master’s sake.”

“Ask away, then, if it’s somewhat that needn’t be kept secret.”

Jahdo glanced round at the busy ward, considered, then shrugged.

“I do see no reason for it to be, my lady. Meer did wonder if you could give me a written thing, a note, he called it, to introduce us to the dwarven gentlemen what be staying down in town. They do have a way of casting omens, or so he heard, that he would like to know of.”

“That’s more like our Meer, truly. It gladdens my heart to hear he’s got his appetite for lore back. Let’s go up to my chamber, and I’ll write it out.”

“My thanks, my lady. It do be a marvel, that you can read and write. Now, that be somewhat that I’d like to learn, someday, but no one’s going to be teaching the ratter’s lad letters.”

“Indeed? Well, if I had time, I’d teach you. I didn’t learn how to read until I was way older than you are now, you see.

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