"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 01 - Daggerspell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

Too lateтАФGruffidd drew his sword. With a sour smile, Cullyn drew his own, but he let the blade trail
lazily in his hand with the point near the floor. The room was so quiet that Jill heard her heart pounding.
Gruffidd moved and struckтАФthe sword went flying out of his hand. Across the room men yelped and
dodged as the sword fell clattering to the floor. Cullyn had his blade raised, but casually, as if he were
only using it to point out something. There was a smear of blood on it. Cursing under his breath, Gruffidd
clutched his right wrist with his left hand. Blood welled between his fingers.

тАЬI call you all to witness that he struck first,тАЭ Cullyn said mildly.

The room broke into excited whispers as GruffiddтАЩs friends dragged him away. Blaer hurried after
them, quite pale and carrying the riderтАЩs sword. Cullyn wiped the blood off his sword on his brigga leg,
sheathed it, then picked up his tankard and came back to the table.

тАЬJill, get down!тАЭ he snapped. тАЬWhereтАЩs your courtesy?тАЭ

тАЬI just wanted to see, Da,тАЭ Jill said as she scrambled down. тАЬThat was splendid. I never even saw you
move.тАЭ

тАЬNeither did he. Well, Jill, IтАЩm going to drink this ale, and then weтАЩll be packing up and getting on the
road.тАЭ

тАЬI thought we were going to stay here tonight.тАЭ

тАЬWe were.тАЭ

All a-flutter, Blaer ran over to them.

тАЬBy the hells,тАЭ Blaer said. тАЬHow often does this sort of thing happen to you?тАЭ

тАЬFar too often,тАЭ Cullyn said. тАЬThese young dogs would count it an honor to be the man who killed
Cullyn of Cerrmor.тАЭ He had a long swallow of ale. тАЬSo far all theyтАЩve won for their trouble is a broken
wrist, but by the hells, it wearies me.тАЭ
 тАЬSo it must.тАЭ Blaer shuddered as if he were cold. тАЬWell, lass, itтАЩs a strange life youтАЩre going to lead,
riding with him. YouтАЩll make some man a cursed strange wife someday, too.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩll never marry a man who isnтАЩt as great a swordsman as my Da,тАЭ Jill said. тАЬSo probably IтАЩll never
marry at all.тАЭ

That afternoon they rode fast and steadily, finally stopping about an hour before sunset when Cullyn
judged that they were far enough away from GruffiddтАЩs warband. They found a farmer who let them
camp in a corner of his pasture and who sold them oats for CullynтАЩs horse and the new pony. While
Cullyn scrounged dead wood from the nearby forest for a fire, Jill put the horses on their tether ropes and
staked them out. She had to stand on the head of the stakes and use her whole weight, but finally she
forced them in. She was starting back to the camp when the gray gnome appeared, popping into reality in
front of her and dancing up and down. With a laugh, Jill picked him up in her arms.

тАЬYou did follow me! That gladdens my heart.тАЭ

The gnome gave her a gape-mouthed grin and put his arms around her neck. He felt dry, a little scaly
to the touch, and smelled of freshly turned earth. Without thinking, Jill carried him back to camp and