"Elenium 02 - The Ruby Knight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eddings David)

saddle. The young novice, Sparhawk decided almost
idly, was going to need some instruction in swordsmanship
soon, before he grew too attached to that axe.
"Sir Sparhawk,' he said, reining in, 'there's a column of
church soldiers coming up behind us.' His hard-run
horse was steaming in the chil fog.
'How many?' Sparhawk asked him.
"fifty or so, and they're galloping hard. There was a
break in the fog, and I saw them coming.'
'How far back?'
'A mile or so. They're in that valley we just came
through.'
Sparhawk considered it. "I think a little change of plans
might be in order,' he said. He looked around and saw a
dark blur back in the swirling fog off to the left. 'Tynian,'
he said, "I think that's a grove of trees over there. Why
don't you take the others and ride across this field and get
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Eddings, David - Elenium 2 - The Ruby Knight.txt
into the grove before the soldiers catch up? I'll be right
along.' He shook Faran's reins. "I want to talk with Sir
Olven,' he told the big roan.
Faran flicked his ears irritably, then moved alongside
the column at a gallop.
'We'll be leaving you here, Olven,' Sparhawk told the
scarfaced knight. There's a half-hundred church soldiers
coming up from the rear. I want to be out of sight before
they come by.'
'Good idea,' Olven approved. Olven was not one to
waste words.
'Why don't you give them a bit of a run?' Sparhawk
suggested. They won't be able to tell that we're not still
in the column until they catch up with you.'
Olven grinned crookedly. 'Even so far as Demos?' he
asked.
'That would be helpful. Cut across country before you
reach Lenda and pick up the road again south of town
I'm sure Annias has spies in Lenda too.'
'Good luck, Sparhawk,' Olven said.
'Thanks,' Sparhawk said, shaking the scarfaced
knight's hand, 'we might need it.' He backed Faran off
the road, and the column thundered past him at a gallop.
'Let's see how fast you can get to that grove of trees
over there,' Sparhawk said to his bad-tempered mount.
Faran snorted derisively, then leapt forward at a dead
run.
Kalten waited at the edge of the trees, his grey cloak
blending into the shadows and fog. 'The others are back
in the woods a ways,' he reported. 'Why's Olven
galloping like that?'