"David Gemmel - The Damned 01 - White Wolf" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

тАШPress the ruby stud on the hilt,тАЩ said Skilgannon. тАШIt will release the
blade.тАЩ The moment Damalon pressed the stud a sword slid clear.
Moonlight shone upon the silver steel and the runes engraved there.
Caphas stared at the sword with undisguised avarice. The Swords of Night
and Day were legendary. He idly wondered what they would fetch if
offered to a king. Three thousand raq? Five thousand?
тАШMost beautiful,тАЩ said Damalon. тАШIt stirs the blood.тАЩ
тАШMy advice to you - and your followers - would be to remount and leave,тАЩ
said Skilgannon. тАШAs you say, your mission is concluded.тАЩ
тАШAh, not quite,тАЩ said Damalon. тАШThe Queen was very angry when you left.тАЩ
тАШShe will be angrier still if you do not return,тАЩ said Skilgannon. тАШAnd I
am tiring of your company. Understand me, Damalon, I do not wish to kill
you and your creatures. I merely wish to ride away and leave this land.тАЩ
тАШYour arrogance is overwhelming,тАЩ snarled Damalon. тАШI have your
swords, and four men skilled with the blade, and you threaten me? Have
you lost your wits?тАЩ He glanced at Caphas. тАШSuch a shame you were here,
merchant. Fate, I suppose. No man can avoid it.тАЩ Damalon pressed an
emerald stud on the second hilt. The black scabbard fell to the ground as a
second blade slid clear. It shone like gold, bright and precious. For a
moment the blond courtier stood very still, drinking in the beauty of the
swords. Then he shook his head, as if coming out of a trance. тАШKill the old
man and the child,тАЩ he said. тАШThe girl will prove an amusing distraction
before we return to the capital.тАЩ
In that moment Caphas saw Skilgannon move towards Damalon. His
hand flicked forward. Something bright and glittering flashed through the
air. It struck Damalon lightly in the throat.
Blood sprayed from the severed jugular. What followed Caphas would
never forget, not in the tiniest detail.
Skilgannon moved in on Damalon. As the dying courtier dropped the
swords Skilgannon swept them up. The four black-garbed killers ran in.
Skilgannon leapt to meet them, the sword blades shimmering in the
firelight. There was no fight, no clash of steel upon steel. Within a matter
of heartbeats five men were dead upon the ground - one virtually
beheaded, another cut through from shoulder to belly. Caphas watched as
Skilgannon cleaned the gold and silver blades before sliding them back
into the single black scabbard, which he swung onto his back.
тАШBest you find new markets, Caphas,тАЩ he said. тАШI fear Naashan will now
be dangerous for you.тАЩ
The man was not even out of breath and there was no trace of sweat
upon his brow. Turning from Caphas, he walked back and searched the
ground around DamalonтАЩs body. Stooping, he picked up a small, circular
piece of blood-smeared metal no more than two inches in diameter, and
wiped it clean on DamalonтАЩs shirt. Caphas saw then that the metal had a
serrated edge. He shivered. Skilgannon tucked the weapon into a sheath
hidden behind his belt. Then he moved to his horse and saddled it.
Caphas approached him. тАШThey were going to kill us too,тАЩ he said. тАШI
thank you for saving my daughters and myself.тАЩ
тАШThe child is frightened, Caphas. Best you go to her,тАЩ said Skilgannon,
stepping up smoothly into the saddle.
Lucresis ran to his horse. тАШI too am grateful,тАЩ she said, staring up at him