"Clayton Emery - Card Master" - читать интересную книгу автора (Emery Clayton)

CARDMASTER
Clayton Emery
Scanned/Proofed by Casaubon
v1.1 Proofed by billbo196


This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional,
and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.
Copyright ┬й 1997 by Bill Fawcett & Associates
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any
form.
A Baen Books Original
Baen Publishing Enterprises P.O. Box 1403 Riverdale.NY 10471
ISBN: 0-671-87772-0
Cover art by Stephen Hickman
First printing, March 1997
Distributed by Simon & Schuster 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020
Printed in the United States of America




Dedicated to Mister Marc, our most dashing friend



Chapter 1
Fiends howled for his blood.

Byron ran, pelting down black caves with lumpy slimy floors that
betrayed his feet. He slipped, cannoned into a stalagmite, pushed free,
dashed on. It was pitch black in this endless labyrinth, yet somehow he
could see. And smell. The demons stank of brimstone and smoke and ash,
and the smell grew ranker as they drew closer.

There were dozens of demons. Some were small and naked like black
chickens without feathers. Others were tall with two howling heads and
skin like flaking tree bark. Still others ran on four legs turned backwards
so claws ticked against scorpion-tough hides. Others had long drooping
necks so their heads bobbled on their stomachs as they ran. The demons
were hairy or naked, scaled or blister-skinned, horned or fanged.

And they could all run as fast as he.

Byron lurched around a boulder, skidded on shale oil, crashed on stone.
His hands blistered on hot rock. His legs blundered into hidden holes filled
with ashes and trash.

Ragged claws and hooks snagged his clothing. Paws, feet, curled tails
groped at him. Demons lighted like a flock of vultures on a dead cow. With