"[Forgotten Realms - The Year of Rogue Dragons, Book 1] - Byers, Richard Lee - The Rage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forgotten Realms)

"We're hunters," said Dorn, "not bodyguards."
The halfling snorted and said, "We've done all kinds of I work when times were tough."
"They aren't tough now. We have a job. The one the council of merchants hired us to do."
"Accompanying the lass on her journey strikes me as pleasanter work than slogging around in a frozen swamp looking to get our heads bitten off."
"I gave my word," said Dorn, "that we'd help Ylraphon."
Pavel handed him a goblet. The half-golem took a token sip then set the cup aside. He often pushed pleasure away, as if it might somehow weaken him.
"What about afterward?" Kara asked.
"We're not bodyguards," Dorn reiterated, "nor inclined to journey all the way to Impiltur under winter skies. We resolved to spend the season in Thentia."
"Yet you left there to come here," said the bard.
Dorn shrugged.
Had he so chosen, Pavel could have explained. They'd forsaken their winter quarters because the city fathers of Ylraphon wanted them to kill a dragon. And Dorn would have crawled ten thousand miles naked through incessant blizzards for that.
Raryn tossed back a mouthful of wine, then smacked his lips in appreciation and said, "It's all right, maid, you don't need us anyway. Even at this time of year, ships and caravans occasionally travel east. Find one with an honest reputation, book passage, and you'll be fine."
"I might do that," Kara said, "but I'd still prefer to make the journey with protectors who've already proved their courage and integrity."
"We're sorry," Pavel said, "we're simply not at liberty to say yes."
Will looked up at the faces of his comrades then sighed, shook his head, and grumbled, "You're a trio of idiots, stupid as stones in a ditch."
Pavel was certain he'd hear variations on the same theme for days to come.