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

"The old man with the dream of finding Barl-gan?"
"Yes."
Theon nodded. "I remember him. He was always going on about a diary he'd found. Said it proved that the stories about the Ral-jennob were true, that men did come from another world. Everyone thought he was crazy."
"He's not crazy. The diary told the truth about the First Men, the Ral-jennob. The box proves it."
"Box?"
"The box. Remember, I showed it to you. Diak found it with the diary. Well, now he's found a way to make it work."
Theon was curious in spite of himself. "What's it do?"
"It's like magic, Theon. It makes pictures in your mind. I've seen for myself the man called Barl, leader of the First Men, and I've seen the great ship that brought men to Ver-draakЧwell, part of the ship; it was awash in a large body of water. And I've seen men and women working with strange-looking tools, building a city they called Barl's Holding. It has to be Barl-gan!"
4 BEYOND THE DRAAK'S TEETH
Theon looked skeptical. "Who else has seen this box work besides you and Diak?"
The excitement faded from Gringers's face. "A few. We were careful to whom we showed it."
"Seevan?"
Gringers hesitated, then nodded. "Yes, he's seen it."
"What did he think of it?"
"He called it evil and wanted it destroyed, and he named me a fool for meddling with things I didn't understand."
"What happened to the box?"
"Nothing yet. Diak left and took it with him. When the time is right, I'll go after him and together we are going to look for Barl-gan."
A clammy chill skittered down Theon's back. He pulled his sweat-soaked tunic away from his body and realized that more than tree shade was making him cold. He had a sudden premonition that Gringers was headed into great danger.
He looked his friend straight in the eyes and tried to make his voice steady. "What has Diak's box to do with the favor you want from me?"
Gringers laid a hand on Theon's shoulder. "Two years ago you told me that your brother owned one of the Green Ones, a Ni who had come to him as a child. Does he still have him?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"If Diak and I are to reach Barl-gan, we'll need a draak singer."
Theon frowned. "Why not borrow one of Seevan's?"
Gringers shook his head. "You weren't with us long enough, Theon. If you had stayed and rafted with us a year or two instead of just a few months, you would know better than to even suggest such a thing. Draak singers are too few now to waste on the kind of expedition Diak wants to make. Seevan would never hear of it."
"Even if you offered him part of whatever it is you and Diak hope to find?" *
MAJRCIA J. BENNETT 5
"Even then."
"Too bad, because I don't think my brother's Ni is going to do you much good. He's a halfwit. He makes noises but no way could they be interpreted as singing."
"Perhaps he could be trained," Gringers suggested.
"I doubt it."
"I want to see him, Theon. It's important to me. Can you arrange it?"
Theon turned to look out over the water. "What's in this for me?" he asked finally.
Gringers chuckled. "You haven't changed, I see."
"Did you expect me to?" Theon responded, turning around.
"No," Gringers said, smiling. "You are as I remember you: keen-witted, sharp-tongued, and as sly a customer as ever I've run intoЧand a man who would make a good addition to our expedition."
Theon sputtered a moment, then the full meaning of Gringers's statement came through and he stood there in open-mouthed surprise. "Are you asking me to come along with you?"
"Why not? You once told me that you wanted to travel, to see other places, to become rich and famous."
"Rich?"
Gringers nodded. "Diak believes that finding Barl-gan will be worth a lord's ransom. You can be a part of it if you want to be. Interested?"
Theon answered without hesitating. "Yes. I'm interested."
"Good! Then now all we need is a draak singer!"
Chapter i
BHALDAVIN'S HEAD SNAPPED BACKWARD, PAIN EXPLOD-ing in his face. He slammed hard against the ground and for a moment or two he was too stunned to react to the danger approaching.
Warm wetness flowed down from his nose to his lips. The taste of blood stirred him to his senses and he opened his eyes. A blurred figure stood over him. An inarticulate cry escaped his lips as he rolled away from the reaching hands.
Panic filled him as he scrambled to his feet. He blinked and tried to focus on the figure shambling toward him. It was a man. Enemy to the Ni-lach. To be captured was to be killed.
Move! his mind roared at him. He turned, saw the body of water just a few steps away, and made a desperate dive for safety. No man could outswim one of the Ni-lach.
There was a splash as the warm lake water closed over him. He started swimming underwater, but something was
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MARCIA J. BENNETT 7
wrong; he felt uncoordinated. Something dragged at his right ankle, and his left arm...