"Clayton Emery - Netheril 03 - Mortal Consequences" - читать интересную книгу автора (Emery Clayton)

sideways, kicked and flopped like a fish ashore, and rolled over his shoulder backward to get away. By
the time he was upright and shaking dust from his face, Delmar had risen and charged.
The wrangler's shoulder slammed Sunbright across the hips, cannoning him backward. Hoisted in
the air, Sunbright rammed a horse's ribs with his spine. The frightened beast whinnied and hopped,
almost stamped Sunbright's toes with iron-shod hooves. Delmar dug his toes in the road to slam his
shoulder tighter into Sunbright's breastbone, crowding and mashing his foe while he pounded hammy
fists into the shaman's guts again and again. Sunbright could barely keep his feet as the horse danced
sideways, unpropping him. If he fell, Delmar would land on top and pound his face to jelly.
Tightening his gut, Sunbright felt berserker rage flooding his mind, and, for once, let it come. He
was glad to be clobbering someone after weeks of ragging and teasing from Delmar and his friends,
was thrilled to get in some abuse of his own. Aiming with savage glee, he bashed Delmar's ears, jaw,
and temples, almost popping his own knuckles on both hands.
Then someone grabbed the horse's reins and tugged the beast to safety. Sunbright reeled backward
with Delmar still punishing his breadbasket. Both men tripped and tumbled. Sunbright managed to
shove Delmar to one side while he fell to the other. He landed hard on one cheek, rattling his teeth and
jolting his spine, but curled and spun and whirled to face his attacker immediately.
Just in time. Sunbright almost snapped his own neck ducking his head, and felt a thunderous fist
scrape his cheek. Since Delmar was leaning right, Sunbright threw out his right arm to bowl the man
further. Yet Delmar hooked his hand around Sunbright's neck, latched onto his long horsetail, and
yanked viciously. Neck creaking, Sunbright's nose was mashed against Delmar's hairy forearm. Not
wasting the chance, Sunbright bit on ropy muscle with keen, white teeth.
Delmar howled, tried to yank the horsetail again, but had to let go for pain. Losing his temper
further, the wrangler drove the heel of his free hand at Sunbright's face to break his nose.
But the barbarian ducked, relying on nimbleness to save himself against the heavier man. Lashing
out with both hands pointed, he struck Delmar's throat with fingertips like blunt spears. The big man's
howl was cut off as he gagged. Yet he resisted doubling over into more blows; instead he snapped his
head back. That suited Sunbright, who rammed the heel of his own hand upward from near the ground.
Catching Delmar's chin, he banged the man's mouth shut with a frightful clack of bruised teeth.
Stunned, the wrangler took three awkward steps backward, and crashed on his back.
Still raging, Sunbright hopped after him, and landed with both moosehide-booted feet on Delmar's
belly. Shouting a war whoop, he jumped viciously on his fallen foe's belly, and nearly ruptured the
wrangler's guts. Despite being stunned, Delmar folded in half around Sunbright's big foot, but the
barbarian kicked free, hopped back, and aimed to kick the man's head off. Dimly he heard his lover
cry, "Sunbright, no!", but he never paused.
Nor did he complete the kick. A noose sailed from overhead, dropped around his shoulders,
snuggled around his elbows, and snapped tight. Someone strong tugged hard, and he crashed on his
rump for the third time, and found it sore. He was dragged backward as if hitched to a horse, then
someone grabbed his horsetail and slammed his head to the ground. A painful jolt shot through his
skull as gravel bit his scalp.
Struggling to get loose, Sunbright found a large boot pinning his chest. Aselli, caravan mistress,
was silhouetted against the gray sky. In her hand bobbed an axe handle, inches from Sunbright's
forehead.
"Lie still and settle down, northman," Aselli growled, "or I'll crease your skull, and leave you for
the wolves."
Helpless, Sunbright laid still. Knucklebones crouched beside his head, searched for permanent
damage, but she wouldn't look him in the eye for shame.
Actually, now that battle-rage had left him, he was ashamed of himself. He shouldn't have been
prodded into a brawl. Fighting for pride was stupid, and for the moment, so was he.
Aselli stamped off, ordering Jun to plant his boot on Sunbright's chest. A moment later, the caravan
mistress returned, lugging Sunbright's satchels, sword, and tackle. She dropped them in the dust,