"Elrod, P N - I, Strahd 2 - War Against Azalin e-txt" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elrod P N)

the soft shadows of thick fir trees at its feet. I was on a clear patch of soft,
loamy ground surrounded by more trees.
Gone was all evidence of the storm above and the Mists below. Gone was the dying
moon. It had changed to a new one while I had beenЕ wherever I had been.
Certainly not lying in the open for a week so the morning sun could burn me to
nothing. The MistsЧDeath's toolЧmust have prevented that. It was the likely
explanation for how I could still be alive. There might be others that I was yet
unaware of; whatever had saved me from my folly would certainly be ever shy
about revealing itself. To do so might grant me the chance to actually fight
back.
Gone also was all trace of Tatyana.
I still livedЧif one could call it thatЧcould still grieve, and despite the
horrific fall, my body was quite well and whole. The dark forces to which I had
sold myself nearly a century past would not allow anything so simple as physical
pain to distract me from the unbearable ache within my heart. As for deathЕ
well, that was the First thing that had been taken away, trapping me here
forever.
I, Strahd von Zarovich, the great lord of Barovia, was also its prisoner.
***
After much procrastination, I finally got to my feet and began walking away from
the village toward Castle Ravenloft. The burdens of the present, of what had
gone wrong and how to avoid the same errors in the future, I would only consider
much later in the sanctuary of my study with the soothing company of my books
about me and Tatyana's portrait to look upon. She would come again, I was sure.
My studies in the Art were such that I understood there were always patterns to
events and this one would repeat itselfЕ must repeat itself.
A turn to the south and I was nearing the meager line that was the road. It was
overgrown with grass in some places for lack of regular use. People tended to
keep to their own villages and towns or places of shelter that could be reached
within a day's walking or riding. I was the sole exception to that rule.
From the position of the moon and stars I had many hours of travel ahead before
the dawn. True, I could have taken to the air and on swift wings flown straight
to my castle in a fraction of the time, but I wanted to hold to my man's form
and walk. I was in no particular hurry, and held the hope that the physical
effort might numb me from thinking too much on recent events.
I also hungered.
I had supped lightly during my time in the village, taking pains not to kill
anyone while Lord Vasili was a guest, keeping my normal hunting activities as
unobtrusive as possible lest it indirectly invite some fool to harm Tatyana, as
had happened before. But I had not fed deeply in a very long time and the
constant raw ache of it had to be easedЧand soon.
There was a shepherd's croft not too far away. If the spring lambing was still
going on he would not have moved his flock up into the foothills yet, and I
might find myself in luck.
A mile's trek over the rolling turf of this lowland area and I heard the sheep
in his care, their bleating constant and mournful. Half a mile on from the top
of a gentle rise I saw them, milling nervously about the low stone circle of
their fold. As the soft wind was against me, I knew they were not reacting
specifically to my presence and wondered what had them so agitated.
Inhaling, I picked up the unmistakable scent of blood.