"The Paths of Darkness 3 - Servant of the Shard" - читать интересную книгу автора (Paths of Darkness)

R.A.Salvatore
Servant of the Shard

(Forgotten Realms novell. Path of Darkness. Book III)


Prologue

He glided through the noonday sunshine's oppressive
heat, moving as if always cloaked in shadows, though the
place had few, and as if even the ever-present dust could
not touch him. The open market was crowded-it was always
crowded-with yelling merchants and customers bargaining for
every copper piece. Thieves were positioning themselves in
all the best and busiest places, where they might cut a
purse string without ever being noticed, or if they were
discovered, where they could melt away into a swirling crowd
of bright colors and flowing robes.
Artemis Entreri noted the thieves clearly. He could tell
with a glance who was there to shop and who was there to
steal, and he didn't avoid the latter group. He purposely
set his course to bring him right by every thief he could
find, and he'd pushed back one side of his dark cloak,
revealing his ample purse-revealing, too, the jewel-
decorated dagger that kept his purse and his person
perfectly safe. The dagger was his trademark weapon, one of
the most feared blades on all of Calimport's dangerous
streets.
Entreri enjoyed the respect the young thieves offered
him, and more than that, he demanded it. He had spent years
earning his reputation as the finest assassin in
Calimport, but he was getting older. He was losing,
perhaps, that fine edge of brilliance. Thus, he came out
brazenly-more so than he ever would have in his younger
days-daring them, any of them, to make a try for him.
He crossed the busy avenue, heading for a small outdoor
tavern that had many round tables set under a great awning.
The place was bustling, but Entreri immediately spotted his
contact, the flamboyant Sha'lazzi Ozoule with his trademark
bright yellow turban. Entreri moved straight for the table.
Sha'lazzi wasn't sitting alone, though it was obvious to
Entreri that the three men seated with him were not friends
of his, were not known to him at all. The others held a
private conversation, chattering and chuckling, while
Sha'lazzi leaned back, glancing all around.
Entreri walked up to the table. Sha'lazzi gave a nervous
and embarrassed shrug as the assassin looked questioningly
at the three uninvited guests.
"You did not tell them that this table was reserved for
our luncheon?" Entreri calmly asked.