"Laurell K. Hamilton - Ravenloft - Death of a Darklord" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

тАЬWhy, he gets yours.тАЭ

тАЬHe would die, horribly.тАЭ
тАЬAs you are dying?тАЭ Harkon stood and paced back to the foot of the bed.

тАЬYes!тАЭ

тАЬBut, Calum, donтАЩt you plan to give the boy back his body? As I plan to give Konrad back his?тАЭ

He stared into that handsome face. The dark eyes mocked him. He knew if he once tasted the freedom
of a new, healthy body, he could never return to this dying shell. He wanted to live. But at what cost?

тАЬNo one would agree to such a trade.тАЭ

тАЬBut I assure you, the young man will.тАЭ

тАЬHow could I come back to this pain once I was free?тАЭ Calum closed his eyes. тАЬI would not be strong
enough to make such a choice.тАЭ тАЬThen make another choice, Songmaster,тАЭ Harkon said.

Calum opened his eyes to find the tall man looming over him. тАЬWhat do you mean?тАЭ Harkon smiled a
knowing smile. тАЬKeep the body, be young and healthy. Escape this dying husk.тАЭ

тАЬWhat of the young man?тАЭ

тАЬHe will die.тАЭ

тАЬYou would kill him?тАЭ

The smile deepened. тАЬI would do anything to see you whole and well again, my friend.тАЭ

тАЬYou donтАЩt plan to give Konrad back his body, do you?тАЭ

Harkon gave a soft, purring laugh. тАЬOh, Calum, do you really want to know?тАЭ

No, Calum decided, he didnтАЩt, not really. What they were speaking of was evil. As evil as anything he
had ever fought against. He did not know why Harkon pursued this sorcery, but he, Calum Songmaster,
would not steal the youth, the life from another human being. It was monstrous. Harkon leaned close,
eyes drowning-deep, face solemn. тАЬThis might be our last visit together, Calum. Not that I wouldnтАЩt want
to see you again, my friend, but you may simply not be here. If you die before our bargain can be struck
...тАЭ He leaned close, whispering against CalumтАЩs skin. For a moment, he thought the man would kiss him
gently, as you would kiss a sick child. He was loathe for those lips to touch his skin. But only HarkonтАЩs
words burned along his wrinkled cheek. тАЬOnce dead, I cannot help you.тАЭ

A wave of bone-grinding, stomach-churning pain burned upward from his rotting gut. When the pain
receded, he lay gasping, staring up into HarkonтАЩs dark eyes. тАЬWhat do you need me to do?тАЭ Harkon
smiled. тАЬVery little, my friend, very little.тАЭ Calum waited for the words to fall from HarkonтАЩs lips, waited
to hear how he would betray his friends, how he would destroy one of them utterly. They both knew
Konrad would not survive in HarkonтАЩs body. He, too, would be killed. Calum knew that, and yet he
listened.