"David Gemmel - Troy 02 - Shield of Thunder" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

the grove, chased by five crewmen. Already weak from the ugly events of the day, she stumbled,
falling to the ground close to where Kalliades was sitting. Her white tunic was ripped and filthy and
stained with blood. A crewman named Baros ran in, a wickedly curved knife in his hand. He was lean
and tall with close-set dark eyes. He liked to be called Baros the Killer. тАЬIтАЩm going to gut you like a
fish,тАЭ he snarled.
She looked up at Kalliades then, her face pale in the moonlight, her expression one of exhausted
desperation and fear. It was an expression he had seen before, one that had haunted him since
childhood. The memory speared through him, and he saw again the flames and heard the pitiful
screams.
Surging to his feet, he stood between the man and his victim. тАЬPut the knife away,тАЭ he ordered.
The move surprised the crewman. тАЬSheтАЩs for death,тАЭ he said. тАЬArelos ordered it.тАЭ He stepped toward
Kalliades. тАЬDo not seek to come between me and my prey. I have slain men from every land around
the Great Green. You want your blood spilled here, your guts laid out on the grass?тАЭ
KalliadesтАЩ short sword hissed from its scabbard. тАЬThere is no need for anyone to die,тАЭ he said softly.
тАЬBut IтАЩll not allow the woman to be hurt further.тАЭ
Baros shook his head. тАЬI told Arelos he should have cut your throats and taken your armor. You just
canтАЩt trust a Mykene.тАЭ He sheathed his knife and stepped back, drawing his sword. тАЬNow you are in for
a lesson. I have fought more duels than any man of the crew.тАЭ
тАЬIt is not a large crew,тАЭ Kalliades pointed out.
Baros leaped forward with surprising speed. Kalliades parried the thrust, then stepped in, hammering
his elbow into the manтАЩs face. Baros fell back. тАЬKill him!тАЭ he screamed. The other four surged forward.
Kalliades killed the first, and drunken Banokles hurled himself at the others. Baros darted in again, but
this time Kalliades was ready. He blocked the thrust, rolled his wrist, and sent a riposte that opened
BarosтАЩ throat. Banokles had killed one man and was grappling with another. Kalliades ran to his aid just
as the fifth man slashed his sword toward BanoklesтАЩ face. Banokles saw the blow coming and swung
the man he was fighting to meet it. The blade cleared his assailantтАЩs neck.
As Kalliades charged in, the surviving crewman turned and ran away into the night.
Sitting now beside the crackling fire in the cave, he glanced at Banokles. тАЬI am sorry to have brought
you to this, my friend. You deserved better.тАЭ
Banokles took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. тАЬYou are a strange one, Kalliades,тАЭ he said, shaking
his head. тАЬBut life with you is never dull.тАЭ He yawned. тАЬIf I am going to kill sixty men tomorrow, IтАЩll
need some rest.тАЭ
тАЬThey wonтАЩt all come. Some will be left with the ships. Others will be whoring. Probably no more than
ten or fifteen.тАЭ
тАЬOh, IтАЩll rest easier knowing that.тАЭ Loosening the straps of his battered breastplate, Banokles lifted it
clear and dropped it to the ground. тАЬNever could sleep properly in armor,тАЭ he said, then stretched
himself out beside the fire. Within moments his breathing had deepened.
Kalliades added wood to the fire, then returned to the cave mouth. A cool breeze was blowing, and
the sky was ablaze with stars. Banokles was right: There was no way off the island, and tomorrow the
pirate crew would come hunting them. He sat lost in thought for some time, then heard a stealthy
movement behind him. Rising swiftly, he turned to see the blood-smeared woman advancing on him,
a fist-sized stone in her hand. Her bright blue eyes shone with hatred.
тАЬYou wonтАЩt need that,тАЭ he said, backing away. тАЬYou are in no danger tonight.тАЭ
тАЬYou lie!тАЭ she said, her voice harsh, trembling with anger. Kalliades drew his dagger and saw her
tense. Casually he tossed the blade to the floor at her feet.
тАЬI do not lie. Take the weapon. Tomorrow you will need it, for they will be coming for us.тАЭ
The woman crouched and tried to pick up the fallen dagger. But she lost her balance and half fell.
Kalliades remained where he was. тАЬYou need to rest,тАЭ he said.
тАЬI remember you now,тАЭ she told him. тАЬYou and your friend fought the men who were attacking me.
Why?тАЭ