"Mercedes Lackey & Ellen Guon - Knights of Ghosts and Shadows" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

He gave her a miserable attempt at a smile. "Thanks,
Beth. I just may do that. Hey, Spiral Dance is a helluva
lot better than that dump deservesтАФhow come you keep
going back there?"

"We have our reasons." Which I wouldn't tell anyone
unless they're one of us. Not even you, m friend. 'Sides, I
bet you wouldn't believe it anyway.

"Oh,"

Beth passed him the flask for a last swig, then headed
back the way she had come, towards Woods Stage and the
jam.

But as she walked down to the stage and pulled out her
ocarina, she spared a last, pitying thought for the lonely

KNIGHT OF GHOSTS AND SHADOWS 13

figure trudging off into the dusk. He really doesn't under-
stand it at all. He tries, but he doesn't. Banyon, Banyon,
when are you ever going to grow up?

Beth already had her ocarina out, adding the tiny wooden
whistle's voice to the jam session's version of "Kesh Jig"



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before she even reached the stage. Eric watched her join
the others, then sighed.

Yeah, dammit, she's right. But what am I supposed to
do? I can't lie. I can't. And I don't want to change.

From the stage, Beth glanced up at him, as though
asking him if he wanted to join the circle of friends and
musicians. He sighed again, and turned away.

No. Not tonight. I just want to be alone.

He headed farther into the Wood, where the gnarled
oaks clustered closely. Far away from everybody, that's
where I'll go. The edge of the Wood and beyond. "Ten
leagues beyond the wide world's end ..."