"Richard A. Knaak - Dragonlance - Lost Histories 4 - Land of the Minotaurs" - читать интересную книгу автора (Knaak Richard A)

something to the harness when they had collided?

Hecar glanced around, judged the expressions on the guards, and decided that he was surrounded and
defenseless.

What, he wondered, would Kaz do under these circumstances? Of course, being far more clever, Kaz
would not have made such a journey in the first place. He had warned Hecar from doing it, but the latter
had been too curious and headstrong.

What would Kaz do in his position? There was really only one choice. If Scum was the captain of this
lot, going voluntarily with them did not vouchsafe Hecar's continued well-being.

Snarling, he charged the cleric. The robed figure was surprisingly swift, so much so that he was easily
able to dodge his attacker. The two guards beside the cleric moved in to seize Hecar, as did the three
others. Hecar swung a fist wildly and succeeded in catching one guard on the underside of the jaw. His
attacker stumbled backward, but did not fall. The other guard who had stood with the priest seized
Hecar's arm and twisted it viciously.


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Roaring in pain, Hecar still managed to keep his footing. He brought one foot up and struck his
adversary in the back of the leg, just below the knee joint. The guard fell to his knees, losing his grip.

"Alive!" shouted Scum. "Alive!"

A heavy foot caught Hecar in the small of the back. He fell forward. Something hard and flat struck him
on the head just behind the horns. The world spun.

"Not too hard, Captain. Save something for the circus."

Darkness began to creep over Hecar. He shook his head in an attempt to clear it, thinking, What's
happening? What by Kiri-Jolith's axe is responsible for this madness? I've done nothing!

Then he was struck hard again. Oddly, the last thing he heard was a voice, a calming voice, say, "There
is a balance to maintain. I am sorry."

Chapter 2

Kaz's Mission

Still no word from Hecar, Kaz thought as he gazed over the small settlement. "Small" was perhaps not
the proper word anymore, for there had to be at least sixty minotaurs in the vicinity and another thirty
down by the river. What had started out as a home for Helati and him, with Hecar, her brother, deciding
to remain nearby, had grown into a village. Most of the newcomers had only just arrived during the past
year and a half, and the population increased every couple of weeks. Word had somehow gotten back to
minotaurs disenchanted with the reborn empire that a free settlement existed. If things continued at this
pace, the race could soon claim three kingdoms instead of two.