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

wide-eyed. He smiled at her, then leaned down, took her hand and kissed
it.
тАШBe lucky, Lucresis,тАЩ he said. тАШIt would have been most pleasant to spend
a little more time in your company.тАЩ Releasing her hand he looked back at
Caphas, who was holding his younger daughter close. тАШDo not stay here
tonight. Prepare your wagon and head north at speed.тАЩ
With that he rode away.
Caphas watched him until he was lost among the trees. Lucresis sighed
and turned to her father. тАШI wish he had stayed.тАЩ
The merchant shook his head in disbelief. тАШYou just saw him kill five
men. He is ruthless and deadly, Lucresis.тАЩ
тАШPerhaps, but he has beautiful eyes,тАЩ she replied.



CHAPTER ONE


SMOKE FROM THE BURNING BUILDINGS STILL HUNG IN THE
AIR, BUT THE rioting mobs of yesterday had dispersed now, as the two
priests walked slowly down the hill towards the town. Heavy clouds were
gathering over the eastern mountains, promising rain for the afternoon,
and a cool wind was blowing. The walk from the old monastery buildings
to the little town was one that Brother Braygan usually enjoyed, especially
with the sunshine glinting from the white buildings, and glittering on the
rushing river. The chubby young priest loved to see the colourful meadow
plants, so small and ephemeral against the backdrop of the eternal,
snow-capped mountains. Not so today. Everything seemed different. The
beauty was still there, but now an underlying sense of menace and real
peril hung in the air.
тАШIs it a sin to be frightened, Brother Lantern?тАЩ he asked his companion, a
tall young man with eyes of cold and brilliant blue, upon whom the pale
robes of the acolyte seemed out of place.
тАШHave you ever killed a man, Braygan?тАЩ LanternтАЩs reply was cold and
disinterested.
тАШOf course not.тАЩ
тАШOr robbed, or raped or stolen?тАЩ
Braygan was shocked and stared up at his companion, his fears
momentarily forgotten. тАШNo.тАЩ
тАШThen why do you spend so much time worrying about sin?тАЩ
Braygan fell silent. He never enjoyed working alongside Brother
Lantern. The man said very little, but there was something about him that
was wholly disturbing. His deep-set sapphire eyes were fierce, his lean face
hard, his expressions unyielding. And he had sword scars upon his arms
and legs. Braygan had seen them when they worked in the fields in the
summer. He had asked about them, but Lantern had ignored him, as he
ignored questions concerning the harsh and warlike tattoos upon his back,
chest and arms: an eagle with outstretched wings and open talons
between his shoulder blades, a large spider on his left forearm, and the
snarling head of a panther upon his chest. When questioned about them