"Katherine Kerr - Deverry 06 - A Time Of Omens" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kerr Katherine)

majority as he countedтАФthe red boar of Cantrae. MaddynтАЩs stomach wrenched as he wondered how
many old friends of his had survived the intervening years of warfare only to face up against his troop
now.

As the warband drew up for the charge across the meadow, something else occurred to him with the
force of a blow: this warband had been waiting for them, had indeed traveled hundreds of miles to catch
them here, had somehow known exactly where to find them. He remembered, then, the rumors that the
Dun Deverry king would be stripping the west of menтАФa ruse, a trap, to ensure that no loyal Cerrmor
men would be within reach as the Boar lured the true king to this meeting of Wyrd. His heart thudding,
Maddyn looked wildly around, wondering if he dared ride back to tell Nevyn. As if she felt his agitation,
his blue sprite appeared on his saddle peak and grabbed one of his hands in both of hers.

тАЬGo back to the barges. Get Nevyn. Get the guards. Hurry!тАЭ
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Just as she vanished, the Boars howled out a war cry and led the charge. Sod flew shredded and dust
plumed as they raced across the meadow, their captain pulling ahead to face off with Caradoc as the
silver daggers threw their javelins in a flat arc, points winking as they whistled home, crossing paths with
the enemy darts, flying just as straight and true. As the two captains met, both troops howled out a
challenge and broke position: the mobs were joined. Cursing a steady stream of the foulest oaths he
knew, Maddyn rose in the stirrups and tried to make out what was happening, desperately tried to find
the prince in the swirl of rearing horses and shrieking men.

As he watched, he would just spot Branoic, whose height made him stand out above the mob of riders,
when some squad or clot of fighting would swarm around him and lose Maddyn the view again, but he
could never see the prince, who was one of the shortest men in the pack. He rode this way and that, on
the edge of terror, wondering if Maryn had been killed in the first charge, while he struggled to see
through the dust and chaos. Suddenly he realized that the fighting was coming to center on Branoic, that
more and more enemies were struggling to cut their way toward him as more and more silver daggers
peeled off to stop them. He could only assume that Branoic was desperately guarding MarynтАФperhaps
even a wounded MarynтАФand without thinking he drew his sword.

He was just about to spur his horse down to join in the battle when he heard hoofbeats and shouting
behind him. He turned to see the last squad of silver daggers, with Nevyn at their head like a captain,
galloping straight for him.

тАЬTo the prince!тАЭ Maddyn yelled. тАЬBehind Branno! To the prince!тАЭ

Howling a war cry, the men swept past him and down the rise to slam into the fighting from the flank.
Nevyn pulled up beside him,

тАЬLook, my lord,тАЭ Maddyn gasped, half-hoarse from screaming. тАЬBranoic must be trying to save
himтАФthatтАЩs where the fightingтАЩs thickest.тАЭ

Dead-pale but as calm as death, Nevyn shaded his eyes with one hand and peered down at the
screaming shoving mob.