"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 02 - Darkspell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

Deverry, nor did Cantrae have enough to make a real strike at Cerrmor.

тАШA lot of skirmishing ahead, if you ask me,тАЩ Maemyc pronounced. тАШAnd maybe one good strike north
to avenge the Stag and Wolf clans.тАЩ

тАШA quick couple of raids and little else,тАЩ Gwetmar agreed. тАШBut then, thereтАЩs Eldidd to worry about on
the western border.тАЩ

тАШJust so.тАЩ He glanced at Gweniver. тАШHeтАЩs been getting bolder and bolder, raiding in deep to bleed
both us and Cantrae. IтАЩll wager he holds back his full force until weтАЩre both worn down.тАЩ

тАШI see. It sounds reasonable, truly.тАЩ

On the far side of the dais there was a bustle at the small door that led to the KingтАЩs private stairway.
Two pages knelt ceremoniously while a third swung the door open wide. Expecting the King, Gweniver
got ready to rise, but another man came through and paused to look over the assembled company. Blond
and blue-eyed, he looked much like Glyn, but he was slender where the King was heavyset. His long
swordsmanтАЩs arms were crossed tight over his chest as he watched the lords with narrowed
contemptuous eyes.тАШWhoтАЩs that?тАЩ Gweniver whispered. тАШI thought the KingтАЩs brother was dead.тАЩ

тАШHis true brother is,тАЩ Gwetmar said. тАШThatтАЩs Dannyn, one of the old GwerbretтАЩs bastards, the only lad
among the lot. The King favors him highly, though, and made him captain of his personal guard. After you
see him fight, you canтАЩt begrudge him his birth. He swings a sword like a god, not a man.тАЩ

His thumbs hooked into his sword belt, Dannyn strolled over, gave Gwetmar a pleasant if distant nod,
then looked Gweniver over. On the yokes of his shirt was embroidered the ship blazon of Cerrmor, but
all down the sleeves was a device of striking falcons.

тАШSo,тАЩ he said at last. тАШYouтАЩre the priestess who thinks sheтАЩs a warrior, are you?тАЩ

тАШI am. And I suppose youтАЩre a man who thinks he can tell me otherwise.тАЩ

Dannyn sat down beside her and turned to slouch against the table. When he spoke, he looked out
over the hall instead of at her.
 тАШWhat makes you think you can swing a sword?тАЩ he said.

тАШAsk my men. I never boast about myself.тАЩ

тАШI already spoke with Ricyn. He had the gall to tell me that you go berserk.тАЩ

тАШI do. Are you going to call me a liar?тАЩ

тАШItтАЩs not my place to call you anything. The King ordered me to take you and your men into his guard,
and I do what he says.тАЩ

тАШAnd so do I.тАЩ

тАШFrom now on you do what I say. Understand me, lass?тАЩ

With a flick of her wrist, Gweniver dumped the contents of her tankard full into his face. As the lords