"Bennett, Marcia J - Ni-Lach 03 - Beyond the Draak's Teeth UC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bennett Marcia J)

Dedicated to Monte, Eileen, and John
With special thanks to Dawn for Gringers
And to Scon for Barl-et-Bara
A Del Rey Book
Published by Ballantine Books
Copyright й 1986 by Marcia J. Bennett
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States of America by Ballantine Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 85-91205 ISBN 0-345-33086-2
X
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Edition: March 1986 *
Cover Art by Darrell K. Sweet
Prologue
I~TIHEON SAT ON THE EDGE OF THE DOCK REPAIRING A
1 tear in his net and muttering to himself, cursing the hot day, baby draak who liked to chew on fishing nets, and Hansa, his boatmate, who had promised to help him with the net, but who had found more important things to do elsewhere.
He straightened, easing tired neck muscles by rolling his head from side to side, then he glanced out over the docks. The morning catches were all taken care of and almost everyone had left for town. There were a few, like himself, who had stayed behind to repair boats, nets, and sails, but the majority of fishermen who plied the river waters in and around Natrob had long since called it a day.
He bent back over his net and started to weave a new piece of line into place. Suddenly he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to look at the shore just a few meters away. There was a man standing deep in the shadow of the trees that overhung the water.
2 BEYOND THE DRAAK'S TEETH
Theon shaded his eyes with his hand. "Hello. Who's there?"
"A friend, Theon."
Theon dropped the net and jumped to his feet. "Grin-gers! What are you doing here?"
"Come talk with me and I'll explain."
"Sure! Just a minute. Let me put this net away."
Theon gathered up the netting and threw it into the bottom of the nearby boat, then hurried to the shore, excitement stirring. Gringers. Here. And looking for him. Gods, he had never thought to see the man again, not after their last argument.
He stopped before Gringers and took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "It's been a while," he said, his glance darting over the handsome, dark-haired man whom he had once dared call friend.
"Two years," Gringers said.
Theon licked at dry lips, suddenly conscious of his appearance: hair uncombed, sweat-stained tunic, a gaping hole in the knee of his pants.
"What brings you to Natrob?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
"Last year's crop of spidermoss."
"Oh." Theon hesitated. "You're not alone then?"
"Hardly."
"Seevan's with you?"
Gringers nodded.
Theon grimaced. "My luck,"
"Just stay out of my uncle's way, and everything will be all right."
"How long will you be here?"
"One week at least. Seevan's gone downriver to Port Cestar to meet with a new dealer for spidermoss."
"Why didn't you go with him?"
"I have other business to attend to."
"What kind of business?" *
MARCIA J. BENNETT 3
"Something that concerns you, friendЧif you are interested."
Theon frowned. "I thought that after what happened, you wouldn't want to..."
"What happened two years ago is not important now."
Theon shook his head in confusion. "Does that mean I'm forgiven for stealing from your uncle?"
"It means that I want us to start over again. As friends."
Theon tried to read Gringers's expression, but the man gave nothing away. Theon nodded, accepting. "Friends it is."
"Good! I'm glad," Gringers said, clasping Theon's hand. "Now I have a favor to ask."
Suddenly wary, Theon withdrew his hand, but gently so as not to offend. "What kind of favor?"
"Do you remember Diak?"