"Kerr, Katharine - Westlands 02 - A Time Of War v1.1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dragon Stories)

СJust so, and a botched job he did of it. Looking here, looking there, at the beasts as much as at the elves and men, taking a piece here, a piece there. Ych! Well, itТs his concern now and none of my own.Т
СBut you made him his lands. Why?Т
СI donТt want to talk about him any more, nor about the Lands, either.Т
СBut I need to know more.Т
СI shanТt tell you.Т
Evandar turned and began striding back uphill. Cursing his stubbornness under her breath, Dallandra followed, catching up with him at the top.
СWill you listen to me, please?Т she snapped. СWeТve got to talk. IТve learned some rather ghastly things.Т
СElesbario!Т A flicker of real alarm crossed his face. СIs she safe?Т
СShe is, but for how long I canТt say. You know that AlshandraТs sworn to bring her back to this world, by murdering the childТs new mother if all else fails. IТve heard that sheТs raising an army to help her.Т
СIndeed? Then weТll deal with her once the armyТs raised.Т He hesitated, but only briefly. СDonТt trouble me with all this now, not when thereТs been a spy skulking round my lands.Т
СHe didnТt look like a spy to me. He looked terrified.Т
Evandar turned away without bothering to answer. He snapped his fingers, and out of nowhere a silver horn appeared. When he blew three deep notes, like flames leaping out of the ground soldiers of the Host came charging up the hill. They gathered round him - how many, she couldnТt tell - in a glitter of copper-coloured mail and helmets, each man armed with a long bronze-tipped spear. His page hurried forward, leading two golden horses with silvery manes and tails.
СEvandar!Т Dallandra snapped. СThis news IТve got -Т
СWill have to wait. Ride with me, my love. ItТs not safe for you to linger here alone.Т
As Dallandra mounted, she saw that the foot soldiers had turned into cavalry, as suddenly as changes always came about in this country. In the clatter and jingle of silver-studded tack they followed Evandar as he led the way out with a whoop and a wave of his arm. Dallandra urged her horse up next to his as the road beneath flattened out along the river.
СWe ride to the battle plain,Т Evandar called out.
Behind him the Host roared their approval, and silver horns blew.
As they trotted across the billowing plains, the ground steadied beneath them, and the grass turned green, swishing high around their horsesТ legs until they were forced to slow to a walk. On the horizon the distant cities settled down and turned solid, too, and gleamed here and there with lights in their windows or glints a-top their walls as the day faded into a greenish twilight. A moon hung pink and bloated just above the horizon, never rising, never setting.
In that ghastly light they entered the forest, half dead, half living, and picked a slow way down a trail so narrow that they were forced to ride single-file. Deep among ancient trees things moved and scurried, just at the limits of DallaТs vision, until she felt like screaming. Intellectually she knew that they were merely Wildfolk, but the intellect had little place in EvandarТs country. Every twig that caught her hair or brushed her shoulder made her heart race. When she saw the beacon lighting the sky ahead she sighed in such relief that she sobbed aloud.
Evandar turned in his saddle to look back at her.
СHow do you fare, my love?Т
СWell enough.Т Since she hated to show him weakness, she forced out a smile. СItТs a long ride for a dark night.Т
СTrue. But weТll be there soon.Т
He turned back again to guide his horse round the beacon, half the tree blazing, half as green as spring. In an uncertain dawn the army rode out of the forest. By then the river had sunk and dwindled to a white-water stream, cutting a canyon some twenty feet below and to the left of the road. Ahead lay plains, stretching on and on to a horizon where clouds - or was it smoke? - billowed like a frozen wave, all bloody-red from the bloated sun. Far out in the grasslands this hideous light winked and gleamed on spears and armour. Evandar laughed and held up his hand for the halt. When Dallandra rode up next to him, he grinned at her.
СI sensed him here, waiting. My brother, that is.Т
СI assumed thatТs who it was.Т
Out in the plain, the fox warrior broke ranks and trotted to meet them, but he tucked his helm under one arm and held his spear loosely couched and pointed at the ground. When Evandar called out orders, the Bright Court clattered to a stop behind him and reined their horses up into a rough semi-circle by the river. Clad in glittering black helms and mail, their opponents wheeled round to face them, but they kept their distance. The fox warrior pulled off his helm and smiled with the glint of strong white teeth.
СRiding your border, are you?Т
СI am.Т Evandar said, Сand with good cause, it seems, being as IТve found you here.Т
СIf youТl! not heal my lands, then someday I just might have to come take yours.Т
Evandar tossed his head back and howled with laughter.
СYou mean youТd fry to take mine. Do you truly think youТd win, young brother of mine?Т
The fox warrior snarled with a draw of black lips that showed fangs.
СYouТd have attacked me long ago,Т Evandar went on, Сif youТd thought you had a hope of winning.Т
СThe matterТs not been put to any kind of test, elder brother.Т In his mouth the word brother was an insult. СDid I not weave bodies for my folk when you mocked me and said I never could?Т
Evandar merely looked him over with a small smile.
СSo donТt go puffing yourself up with pride,Т the warrior went on, rather too hurriedly for dignityТs sake. СBesides, I came here on another errand, not on a matter of war at all, so you were twice wrong.Т
СIndeed?Т
СYou have a whistle that was stolen from me.Т
СI have it, truly, but stolen it was not. I found it upon my lands, and long ago you told me that it belonged to a rebel from your court.Т
СI told you that?Т For a long moment he sat silently. СWell, he stole it from me.Т
СI donТt believe you.Т
The warrior growled with a long flash of fangs.
СWhy do you want it?Т Evandar said.
СBecause itТs mine.Т
СThatТs no answer at all, and how can I gift you with it if it were already yours?Т
СYouТd give it to me?Т
СTell me why you want it, and I might.Т
The fox warrior considered, turning in his saddle to look back at his court, then swinging round again to face Evandar. His horse stamped and tossed its head. Dallandra felt a cold dread. She didnТt want that evil whistle in enemy hands, and especially not after Rhodry had carried it for so long in the lands of men. Just as she was about to speak the fox warrior got in before her.
СI need it as a ransom,Т he said. СThe rebels have taken one of my women, and theyТll not give her back till I fetch them the whistle.Т