"Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill - The Bard - 03 - Spirits " - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

muttered under his breath just as the transit cops reached them. тАЬSo, тАШUnquiet GraveтАЩ?тАЭ he said, louder,
as if he and the stranger had been duetting for some time.

The stranger nodded, and they both beganтАФquite as if they had been duetting for some time.

Mind, тАЬUnquiet GraveтАЭ wasnтАЩt EricтАЩs tune of choice, but it was the only Appalachian piece he had been
able to think of on the spur of the moment. Plaintive and just a little on the spooky side, it wasnтАЩt one
calculated to haul in the cash. But that was all right; it made some of the audience clear off, giving the
transit cops a good look at the two buskersтАФand EricтАЩs license.

And giving Eric a good look at them, just as he nodded to the banjo player to wrap it up. He sighed with
relief; they were people he knew, who werenтАЩt going to quibble that his license was for himself alone and
not with a partner.

тАЬTop oтАЩ the marninтАЩ tтАЩye, constable,тАЭ he said in his best тАЬFaire-IrishтАЭ accent. Officer Zielazinski laughed.

тАЬMore like afternoon, isnтАЩt it, OтАЩBanyon?тАЭ the transit cop jibed good-naturedly. тАЬWhoтАЩs your partner?тАЭ

The banjo player answered before Eric could fumble. тАЬHosea Songmaker, sir, at your service,тАЭ he said in
slow syllables sweetened with the honey accent of the hills and deep with respect. Eric could sense the
touch of Bard-magic here, too: I am no threat to you; I will cause no trouble. . . . He supposed a man
as big and physically intimidating as Hosea SongmakerтАЩd had plenty of use for that particular charm more
than a few times in his life, and it made him like his new partner all the more.

Zee laughed, responding unconsciously to the touch of the benevolent magic. тАЬNot from around here, are
you! Well, you stick with Banyon; heтАЩll show you the ropes. HeтАЩs pretty street-smart.тАЭ

The two transit cops moved on, back to business; there were more important matters to claim their
attention in the subway than a couple of licensed buskers.

When theyтАЩd gone, Hosea gave Eric a sidelong glance, followed by a slow smile. тАЬReckon I owe you
one,тАЭ he said. Eric laughed.

тАЬJust want to keep a good musician out of trouble,тАЭ he replied easily. тАЬHow were you to know you need
a license? Listen, letтАЩs collect a take while the collectingтАЩs good, and IтАЩll tell you all about what you need
to know afterwards.тАЭ

Hosea nodded, and combed back the long blond hair that flopped down into his eyes back with a set of
strong, brown fingers. тАЬOld standard?тАЭ he suggested, and played the first few notes of тАЬFoggy Mountain
Breakdown.тАЭ

Eric nodded. Everybody knew that oneтАФthe Lester Flat and Earl Scruggs classic had been the theme
song to the movie Bonnie and Clyde. And while it was written for banjo and fiddle, there was no reason
he couldnтАЩt take the fiddle part.

тАЬThenтАФhow about we follow straight into тАШDevil Went Down to GeorgiaтАЩ and тАШMama TriedтАЩ?тАЭ Eric
countered. There. IтАЩm not just a Celtic purist, you know.

тАЬRight.тАЭ HoseaтАЩs eyes lit up slyly, and Eric suspected he was about to be given a run for his money.
Hosea surged into the opening bars of the тАЬBreakdown,тАЭ his fingers blurring on the strings. Eric barely