"Simon R. Green - Haven 06 - Bones of Haven" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Simon R)

Barber stepped through the doorway, and the darkness swallowed him up. Hawk and Fisher followed
him in, blades at the ready. The darkness quickly gave way to a vague, sourceless silver glow. Barber,
Hawk, and Fisher moved immediately to take up a defensive pattern, looking quickly about them for
possible threats. They were standing in a narrow corridor that seemed to stretch away forever. The
walls and the low ceiling were both covered with a thick mass of dirty grey cobwebs. The floor was a
pale, pockmarked stone, splashed here and there with dark spots of dried blood. There was a brief
disturbance in the air behind them as first Storm and then Winter appeared out of nowhere to join
them.
"All clear here, Jessica," said Barber quietly. "No sign of anyone, or anything."

"If this is Hell Wing, I don't think much of it," said Fisher. "Don't they ever clean up in here?"

"I'm not sure where or what this is," said Storm. "It doesn't feel like Hell Wing. The air is charged with
magic, but there's no trace of the standard security spells that ought to be here. EverythingтАж feels
wrong."

"Are you saying you've brought us to the wrong place?" asked Hawk dangerously.

"Of course not!" snapped the sorcerer. "This is where Hell Wing used to be. This is what hasтАж
replaced Hell Wing. I think we have to assume the creatures have broken loose. All of them."

Barber cursed softly, and hefted his sword. "I don't like this, Jessica. They must have known somebody
would be coming. Odds are this place is one big trap, set and primed just for us."

"Could be," said Winter. "But let's not panic just yet, all right? Nothing's actually threatened us so far.
Storm, where does this corridor lead?"

Storm shook his head angrily. "I can't tell. My Sight's all but useless here. But there's something up
ahead; I can feel it. I think it's watching us."

"Then let's go find it," said Winter briskly. "Barber, you have the point. Let's take this one step at a
time, people. And remember, we're not just looking for the creatures. The rioters who opened the
gateway have got to be here somewhere. And, people, when we find them, I don't want any heroics. If
any of the rioters wants to surrender, that's fine, but no one's to take any chances with them. All right;
move out. Let's get the job done."

They moved off down the corridor, and the darkness retreated before them so that they moved always
in the same sourceless silver glow. The thick matted cobwebs that furred the walls and ceiling hung
down here and there in grimy streamers that swayed gently on the air, stirred by an unfelt breeze.
Noises came and went in the distance, lingering just long enough to chill the blood and disturb the
mind. Hawk held his axe before him, his hands clutching the haft so tightly that his knuckles showed
white. His instincts were screaming at him to get out while he still could, but he couldn't just turn tail
and run. Not in front of Winter. Besides, she was right; even if this place was a trap, they still had a job
to do. He glared at the darkness ahead of them, and then glanced back over his shoulder. The darkness
was there too, following the pool of light the team moved in. More and more it seemed to Hawk that
they were moving through the body of some immense unnatural beast, as though they'd been
swallowed alive and were soon to be digested.

Barber stopped suddenly, and they all piled up behind him, somehow just managing to avoid toppling