"Richard A. Knaak - The Kingdom Of Shadow" - читать интересную книгу автора (Knaak Richard A)

disappeared toward the river.

Following his friendтАЩs trail, Captain Dumon made better time. The screaming continued, bringing back
graphic memories of the other three men the party had lost since entering the vast jungle that covered
most of this land. The second had died a most horrible death, snared in the web of a horde of monstrous
spiders, his body so injected with poison that it had become bloated and distorted. Kentrilhad ordered
torches used against the web and its hungry denizens, carefully burning out the creatures. It had not saved
his man, but it had avenged the death somewhat.

The third hapless fighter had never been found. He had simply vanished during an arduous trek through
an area filled with soft soil that pulled oneтАЩs boots down with each step. Having nearly sunken to his
knees at one point, the weary captain suspected he knew the fate of the lost soldier. The mud could be
quick and efficient in its work.

And as he considered the death of the very first mercenary lost to KehjistanтАЩs fearsome jungles, Kentril
stepped out into a scene almost identical to that disaster.

A huge, serpentine form rose well above the riverbank, long reptilian orbs narrowed at the small figures
below who sought in vain to pry free the struggling form in its tremendous maw. Even with its jaws
clamped tight on the frantic mercenary whose screams had alerted Kentril and the others, it somehow
managed to hiss furiously at the humans. A lance stuck out of its side, but the strike had evidently been a
shallow one, for the behemoth appeared in no way even annoyed by it.

Someone loosed an arrow toward the head, likely aiming for the terrible eyes, but the shaft flew high,
bouncing off the scaly hide. The tentacle beastтАФthe name their esteemed employer, Quov Tsin, had used
for such horrorsтАФswung its prey around and around, giving Kentril at last a glimpse of whom it had
seized.

Hargo. Of course, it would be Hargo. The bearded idiot had been much a disappointment on this
journey, having shirked many of his duties since their arrival on this side of the Twin Seas. Still, even
Hargo deserved no such fate as this, whatever his shortcomings.

тАЬGet rope ready!тАЭ Kentril shouted at his men. The creatures had twin curved horns toward the backs of
their heads, the one place on their snakelike bodies that the mercenaries might be able to use to their
advantage. тАЬKeep him from returning to deep water!тАЭ

As the others followed his instructions, Captain Dumon counted them. Sixteen, including himself and the
unfortunate Hargo. That accounted for everyoneтАФexcept Quov Tsin.

Where was the damned Vizjerei this time? He had a very annoying habit of wandering ahead of the band
he had hired, leaving the mercenaries to guess half the time what he wanted of them. Kentril regretted
ever taking this offer, but the talk of treasure had been so insistent, so beguiling . . .

He shook such thoughts from his head. Hargo still had a slim chance for life. The tentacle beast could
have easily bitten him in two, but they just as often preferred to drag their prey under and let the water do
their work for them. Made their meals soft and manageable, too, so the cursed sorcerer had said with
scholarly indifference.

The men had the ropes ready. Kentril ordered them in place. Others still harassed the gargantuan
serpent, making it forget that it could have long finished this encounter just by backing away. If the