"Dave Duncan - A Handful Of Men 2 - Upland Outlaws" - читать интересную книгу автора (Duncan Dave)

understand?" The mundanes were radiating horror and fright as they realized the possibilities.


Raspnex thumped a massive hand on Grimrix's shoulder. "Go and scout. See if anything's happening outside."


The boy nodded and transported himself down to the front door. He opened it, peered out cautiously, then vanished from Rap's ken.


It was all so confoundedly obvious now! Zinixo had collected at least a dozen votaries in his brief tenure in the Red Palace. Because he saw danger
everywhere, he had also made it his business to identify as many of the other wardens' votaries as he could. With a sorceress eager to do his
bidding, all he had needed to do was set Kraza on the weakest. Then the two of them would have sought out another and jointly imprinted that one.
Not just votaries-they must have hunted down every sorcerer they could. And so on ... Rap explained to the audience.


"He's been at it for almost twenty years," Raspnex added. "He's got an army of them now, all loyal to the death. We call it the Covin."


Shandie sank down again on the arm of his wife's chair. His face was taut. "Why did nobody stop him?"


"Because nobody knew!" the dwarf rumbled in his sepulchral voice. "Except maybe Bright Water, and she was too crazy to care. I think he was
extra careful with her brood, anywayhe made his compulsion secondary to hers, to take effect after she died. So she didn't mind. Now he's cornered
all of the sorcery in Pandemia!"


The crowded room fell silent as the mundanes struggled to comprehend the disaster. Sagorn sat down again, also, muttering and shaking his head.


"So although he has no real sorcery of his own," Shandie said, "he controls an army of sorcerers? How many?"



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 Upland Outlaws


"Scores, maybe hundreds. All eager to help. And the little snit may have his own sorcery back too now, if the Covin's been able to break Rap's spell.
"


"Surely it was the wardens' duty to prevent such an abomination? "


"It was, but they didn't know it was happening until Bright Water died. " Raspnex's eyes were hard as flint. "They brought me in as the new North
in the hope I could stop him, because I knew him and how he thinks. But it was too late. "


The imperor looked around the group, but no one had any comments. "What does he want?"