"Duncan, Dave - A Man Of His Word 03 - Perilous Seas" - читать интересную книгу автора (Duncan Dave)

Especially me, 'cause jotnar rank imps just barely above gnomes. Then the part
jotunn, like you. Fauns are quite well thought of, actually-probably because
they're so pigheaded that they never know when they're beaten-and you're almost
jotunn size, so you rate just below pure jotunn." He waited, but got no comment.
He worked more on the fish. "And then they have their own levels. Tops are the
Nordland-born, like Brual-"
"And Kani's a third-generation southerner and hates himself for it. So? So what
are you getting at?"
"Well, I know a couple of guys decided to try you out. You did very well, too,
but Dirp is a third-generation exile, like Kani, and old Hagmad is a second, and
neither is much thought of as a fighter. Besides, they were just playing."
"It didn't feel like play," Rap growled. "It bloody hurt!" Ogi had scraped the
griddle clean. He had no option but to hand Rap his platter and meet his eye.
"Tell me the worst," Rap said sourly. "I've lost my appetite already. "
Ogi sighed. "You want them off your back? Well, then, you've got to have a punch
party with a full-blooded, Nordland-born jotunn. One of the good ones. "
"Oh, great! I used to think Gathmor was bad--"
"I'm not finished. You've got to pick the quarrel, not him. Your fight, see? And
you've got to make him mad. Really mad! We can't settle for just a playful
testing to see what's in the uppity faun mongrel. You bait him till he's one
man-eating, homicidal, kill-crazy jotunn, who really wants to smash you. Then-no
mercy! You beat him to a jelly. "
"You lost me right at the end there."
"I'm serious, Rap. Eat up. More important-drink up! You're new. They give new
boys time, but you've got your rower's arms now. You're looking sort of ready,
so you're going to be measured soon. Today? Tomorrow? Best to pick your own
match, right? The important thing is to try for the highest standing you can
possibly hope to hold on to. In the end that'll mean a lot less pain and blood
than if they're all using you for practice on the way up."
Rap laid the platter aside and crossed his arms. "What's your part in this?"
This was where Ogi could give the kid some good news. He spoke with his mouth
full. "Important! I found out who Verg and that crazy Kani had picked out for
you: Turbrok! Or even Radrik! Gods! They'd have gotten you maimed or killed."
Rap put his elbows on his knees and scowled sideways at his companion. "And you
won't?"
"Hope not. This fish is delicious. Try it-you need the strength. No, I took
over, and you can trust me. Sure, I've been setting you up, Rap, I admit, but I
know what I'm doing. " Well, he was three-fourths sure he did. "Setting me up?"
"Who suggested you take the charming Wulli to the dance?" Rap straightened, taut
and furious. "You told me she wasn't anyone's girl! So did she!"
"Yes, well, she would. They do, here. But what I said was right, so far as I
know. No engagements or understandings. How far have you got with her, by the
way?"
"Mind your own Evil-begotten business!"
"Awright! But the previous dance she went to with Grindrog. He's been at sea, so
he hasn't squired any ladies since."
Rap groaned. He had turned pale, understandably; in fact his face held a sort of
greenish tinge in the fire's dancing glow. "So he'll assume I'm muscling in?"
"Well, you are, in the way things are done here. Grindrog never dropped her, you
see. His choice, never hers. And of course, she's pure jotunn, and you're not.