"Robert Jordan - Conan The Indomitable" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jordan Robert)

"Here you have come to my aid against two of the Harskeel's thugs, and even so, I cannot help myself
from haranguing you."
"Who exactly is this Harskeel?" Conan asked.

"Not 'who' precisely, but more of 'what,' " Lalo said. "Its full name is Harskeel of Loplain, and it is an
hermaphroditeтАФhalf man, half woman."

Elashi inhaled sharply.

"You know of it?" Lalo asked. ,

"Aye," Conan answered. "We had an encounter with it along the trail earlier this very day. Is it perhaps
mad?"

"Mad? What makes you ask, you apelike buffoon?"

Conan's anger stirred, but he forced it down. The man was cursed, after all. "This Harskeel thing lost five
of its men in an attempt to steal nothing more than my sword."

"Ah, I can see why you would think it crazed. No, there is method in this madness. The Harskeel of
Loplain is also cursed, but by its own actions. Once it was two separate people, a man and a woman.
These two were lovers, and desired more intensity and closenessтАФnot that a barbarian like yourself
could possibly understand such a thingтАФso they stole a book of spells from a witch. Unfortunately for
them, they bespoke the spell incorrectly. It left them considerably closer than was their intent."

"Ugh," Elashi said. "But what has that to do with Conan's sword?"

"Actually, it collects swords from anyone who shows the slightest sign of bravery. There is supposed to
be a counterspell, some mantologic process that will return the Harskeel to its former state of two
people. The spell involves the use of a sword dipped in the blood of its owner. If the owner isтАФor
wasтАФbrave enough, it will trigger the magic. So far, more than a few men have died without providing
the needed weapon."

"I thought this creature wished more than merely my sword," Conan said.

"Certainly it did not seek your brain," Lalo said. "Forgive me."

Conan merely nodded. He had heard worse from Elashi, and she was under no particular curse.

Lalo told them his time at the local inn was about up and that he would be leaving soon. Conan and
Elashi also planned to leave as soon as the snowstorm ended, likely on the morrow. The three of them
finished the bottle of wine and then parted, Lalo warning Conan to take care on his journey. Now that
the outlander had slain so many of the Harskeel's men, the hermaphrodite would certainly consider him a
candidate for the spell it needed.

As Conan and Elashi started for their room, she said, "A shame, to be cursed so."

"I notice he did not insult you during our conversation," Conan said.