"Tom Deitz - David Sullivan 02 - Fireshaper's Doom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Deitz Tom)

The pack bayed then: one cry. And there are no words in the tongues of the Sidhe, or the Tylwyth-Teg,
or of men, either, to give image to that howling. But two centuries later it still echoed sometimes in
AirgetlamтАЩs dreams, so that the Warlord of Tir-Nan-Og awoke into darkness with a sweat upon his
body, his single hand reaching for his sword.

And then they ran, those dogs that the horn commanded. They ran upon the earth, yet no dust rose at
their passing, and the sand where they had stood displayed no padded prints. And then they ran into the
sky, describing a tight-coiled spiral that twisted upward with more speed and purpose than the fastest
hawk might summon.

The eagle circled once in abstract interest, for never had it been challenged in its own realm by any less
than ArawnтАЩs folk themselves, when they put on other forms to frolic there. But these were not the
Tylwyth-Teg, whatever shape enwrapped them, and the eagle felt uneasy. It straightened its glide,
flapped its mighty wings, then folded them to dive. But by the time it had dropped twice its own length,
hot breath fanned its feathers, and in one length more fangs sank into its body. Not even a drop of its
blood escaped those dogs to spatter the ground before ArawnтАЩs staring company.

тАЬIt is a hunting horn,тАЭ Arawn told them grimly, тАЬof a sort. But the hounds it masters are no beasts born of
Annwyn. Even the Powersmiths do not know whence they come, or else they do not tell us. The hounds
always catch what they pursue, though it flee through all the Worlds. But one must take care when he
sets them on a quarry, for once they are loosed, they must have a life. AndтАЭтАФhis voice darkenedтАФтАЬthey
can devour both the bodyand the soul.тАЭ

LughтАЩs face was as grim as the Lord of AnnwynтАЩs, but he took the horn from ArawnтАЩs fingers. тАЬA gift
like this shows trust beyond all measure, for with it one could master whatever land might please him.тАЭ
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тАЬHe would have to be careful, though,тАЭ observed Nuada. тАЬFor it could also make him many
enemiesтАФand many false friends besides. And,тАЭ he continued, with the first shudder any there had ever
seen upon him, тАЬhas one of you considered whatтАФif the Powersmiths cast off such things of
PowerтАФthey hoard in secret for themselves?тАЭ

The Dark King did not answer, and the Bright King was alsop. 6silent as he tucked the Horn within his
surcoat, though his eyes held great misgiving.

Arawn faced his squire then, and his face was hard as stone. тАЬNone of this has happened, young
Windmaster.None of this at all .тАЭ

But Ailill had thought already of a lady who might listen.


PART I тАУ TINDER
Prelude: A Sending
p. 9(Tir-Nan-OgтАФautumn)

On a beach of black sand in the south of Tir-Nan-Og, Nuada Airgetlam sat astride a white horse and
gazed eastward across the ocean.