"Daley,.Brian.-.Coramonde.1.-.Doomfarers.Of.Coramonde" - читать интересную книгу автора (Daley Brian)

given and taken. The assault of Archog was something elseЧa
deliberate, merciless executioner about to do his work. The
Prince's impulse was to go to the Duke's side and stand with him.
Yet that impulse was drained, and the heir of the Ku-Mor-Mai
immobilized at the ogre's terrifying aspect. His mouth had gone
dune dry and he realized that to oppose Archog or, in his killing
rage, even to impede him, would mean death. What would it profit
to die?

But for a scant second, Hightower tore his gaze from the creature
tramping to confront him and fixed the Prince with his eye. That
look said nothing of expectation or resentment; there was no
bitterness because Hightower had come to help him only to lose
his own life. It was, Springbuck saw in that one instant, the Duke's
way of ensuring that the Prince would see and understand. It
simply said, "I am Hightower. This is how I live, and how I can die,
if it comes to that."

And that stark message came through so well that the Prince
lurched forward to join the Duke, and hi the impact of the moment,
none noticed the sob that escaped him. But he was seized from
either side by the guardsmen and held fast in armored hands; in a
moment the eight archers had leveled unswerving arrowheads at
his breast. He stopped struggling to watch as the ogre closed with
Hightower.

The Duke waited, perhaps bitter with himself for leaving his own
liege men outside Earthfast; he exhibited none of the confidence
he had shown with Synfors.

12

THE DOOMFARERS OF CORAMONDE

He shifted his grip on his sword and, uttering a piercing war cry,
threw himself forward at his new enemy, swinging a savage blow.

But Archog met the Duke's weapon with his own with such terrific
energy that the man's sword broke hi two. Stunned, Hightower fell
back on one knee, holding the useless quillons and stump of his
blade before him as if his sword were still whole.

With a scream that had no message but animal anguish and loss,
the Prince, beyond any care or caution for his own life, shook his
captors loose and fumbled at the ranker's belt for his sword. The
captain should have jumped back and let the archers do their work,
which would have pleased his Queen well; but in the heat of the
moment he instead brought down an iron-girt fist and dashed
Springbuck into semiconsciousness.