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

"Do something!" The swordswoman panted as she yanked at something
at her belt. "Hold them off a second!"

"All right! I've got one trick!"

"One?" she bleated.

Trussed and half-hanging, Byron strained to suck the fingers of his
right hand. The fake spiderweb tasted stale and peppery as moldy bread.
Puffing on his fingers to dry them, he snapped them hard.

Flames danced on his fingertips. By their meager light, he glimpsed the
swordswoman's round flat face and dark eyes. Twisting his wrist, Byron lit
the spiderwebbing around his arm. Dry and musty, it sparkled like
fireworks. Tiny blue flames crackled as he reached to free his companion.
Better she got loose than he: she was dangerous and they needed help.
Swiping with fire, he whisked the webbing off her shoulders. At the same
time, he clenched his back against an anticipated knife thrust.

With a grunt, the fighter tore her head and chest free of the web.
Leaving her sword dangling in the foul threads, she wrenched the long
curve from her hip, cranked the object with a racheting sound.

Ned yowled as he charged, slashing the air with two knives.

Shouting back in a foreign tongue, the swordswoman pulled a trigger.
A pinwheel of sparks blossomed in the dark.

Her heavy pistol barked with a ka-plam! Ned was blown off his feet as
if by an invisible wind.

Wondering, head ringing from the close explosion, Byron swiped with
his burning hand to free himself, then waved near the dog, hoping he
didn't ignite its fur. Huffing with pain, he snuffed his burning fingers
against his breeches.

Cursing the fallen Ned, skinny Horacio shrilled and kicked the crawling
sailor in his pierced hip. The man collapsed and Horacio shrilled louder.

By then, Byron and the swordswoman and monster dog were far down
the alley.

"Where to?" she panted.

"I knowтАФa place," the apprentice puffed. He saved his breath for
running.

Warily they wound through moonlit Waterholm. They stuck to
shadows, following Byron and the big dog's sniffing nose. Byron looked for