"John DeChancie - Castle 01 - Castle Perilous" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dechancie John)

тАЬThat depends on our future landlords.тАЭ
тАЬYes. That is, if they succeed in overcoming Lord IncarnadineтАЩs formidable defenses.тАЭ
тАЬFormidable indeed. You missed some of the best battles. Those armored war birds тАж and the horrific dragon
things, spewing fire. Men burning тАжтАЭ Dalton gave an involuntary shudder. тАЬThe invaders took heavy losses. But
apparently theyтАЩve made them up. So, it just might be a good idea to contact them, apprise them of our neutral
position.тАЭ
тАЬOr perhaps offer our assistance.тАЭ
Dalton arched an eyebrow. тАЬAnd turn against Our Host, after all the hospitality heтАЩs shown us, all of us?тАЭ
тАЬI am not ungrateful.тАЭ Jacoby took a drink, then ran a sausagelike index finger around the lip of the glass. тАЬBut if
he can no longer guarantee my safety, I have no qualms about protecting my best interests by acting as the
situation demands.тАЭ

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тАЬI can sympathize with that.тАЭ Dalton placed his wineglass on the flat stone of the rail.
тАЬI wonder тАжтАЭ
тАЬAbout what?тАЭ
Jacoby gestured with his glass. тАЬAbout them, the invaders. Who they are. The hosts of some rival lord?тАЭ
тАЬA fair guess. Maybe an alliance of rivals.тАЭ
тАЬYes. And what are they after? The legendary jewel, perhaps. WhatтАЩs it called again?тАЭ
тАЬThe Brain of Ramthonodox.тАЭ
тАЬStrange.тАЭ
тАЬAppropriate to the place.тАЭ
тАЬVery.тАЭ
Both were silent for a moment. Inside, the ensemble struck up a waltz. Then Dalton said, тАЬThis idea of yours тАФ
helping the invaders. What could we possibly offer them?тАЭ
тАЬInformation?тАЭ
тАЬConcerning what?тАЭ
Jacoby turned a chubby palm upward. тАЬThe whereabouts of Our Host, for instance. Doubtless theyтАЩll want him as
a prisoner.тАЭ
тАЬBut no one knows where he is. HeтАЩs probably hiding, and he may have left altogether.тАЭ
тАЬPerhaps we could locate him. Mount an expedition тАж a search party.тАЭ
тАЬFew of the Guests would participate. And itтАЩs a safe bet the invaders will be looking for him themselves.тАЭ
тАЬNo doubt,тАЭ Jacoby conceded. тАЬStill, we should make some attempt to find him before the castle falls.тАЭ
тАЬYou could hide for years in here,тАЭ Dalton said, speaking through teeth clenched on the stem of the cigarette
holder. тАЬForever, maybe.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩre entirely right, of course. As you said, the immensity of this place is almost beyond imagining.тАЭ Jacoby
drank the last of the liqueur and placed the glass on the flat stone of the rail. тАЬEscape will be easy, but it will be a
pity to lose the castle.тАЭ He exhaled and shook his head. тАЬA tragedy.тАЭ
Dalton blew out a stream of smoke. тАЬYeah. As pleasant as some of the nicer aspects are, I donтАЩt relish the
prospect of having to pick one of them to live in permanently. And whoтАЩs to say the invaders wonтАЩt follow us
through the portals and hunt us all down?тАЭ
тАЬI doubt theyтАЩd bother with us,тАЭ Jacoby said.
тАЬWell, frankly, I agree. IтАЩm not exactly worried about it. But not being able to come back to the castle would be
damned inconvenient. IтАЩd hate to go back to working for a living again.тАЭ Dalton sighed. тАЬStill, if it has to be, it
has to be. There are a number of very pleasant worlds on the other side of the portals.тАЭ
Jacoby shook his head. тАЬI like it here.тАЭ
тАЬYes, this place does have its delights тАФ as well as its dangers. But this castle belongs to someone else. You
would be forever a Guest, never an owner.тАЭ