"Jay Lake - To Live Forever" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lake Jay)

Ahasuerus coughed, a heavy, wet sound from deep in his chest. тАЬWater, then?
IтАЩm no drinking man.тАЭ

тАЬNo, thank you.тАЭ Dismas swept dust from an intact barrel, then sat down. тАЬI
prefer to talk.тАЭ

тАЬTalk, then.тАЭ Ahasuerus paced the room. тАЬYou came off MikeтАЩs Boat, that
buys you some of my attention.тАЭ

тАЬI can see how busy you are.тАЭ Dismas glanced around at the cold furnace, the
quiet kilns, the unemployed worktables. тАЬI will waste no time. We have come to seek
your aid.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm a bronze smith.тАЭ Ahasuerus paused to cross his arms, facing down
Dismas with a sneer. тАЬI make horseshoes and spear heads and axle fittings. Which
of those do you need?тАЭ

Dismas glanced at Gestas, who pulled a pouch from beneath his bloused shirt.
The pouch was copper mesh, lined with raw native silk, bound with a leather thong
that also formed a necklace.

Ahasuerus snorted. тАЬI also know a charm bag when I see it. Some farmwife
finds an iron nail in an ancient plank at the bottom of the midden, she puts it in one
of those. Sorry, no nails for sale here.тАЭ

Gestas smiled, opening the bag to spill out a single iron coin. It tingled in his
hand. He tossed the coin toward the smith, who caught it without breaking eye
contact. Ahasuerus rolled the coin in his fingers a moment before looking down at it.

тАЬAh...тАЭ He sniffed the coin, then passed it from one hand to the other, feeling
it from all angles. тАЬAh.тАЭ

Dismas and Gestas both held their silence.

Ahasuerus sighed, then resumed his pacing. He cradled the iron coin gently in
one hand. тАЬRiver Watch found six Deadwalkers this morning. That many sent back
to us at once means the Children are upset. Now I know why.тАЭ He looked up at the
two gentlemen. тАЬHow many? How much?тАЭ

тАЬOver four hundred pounds of cold iron coin, Ahasuerus.тАЭ DismasтАЩ face
blazed. тАЬThink what could be done with four hundred pounds.тАЭ

тАЬHow did you find it?тАЭ

After glancing at Dismas, Gestas spoke reluctantly. тАЬThe usual sort of thing.
Rumors, hand-drawn maps, skulking in dark alleys.тАЭ

The smith laughed. тАЬDead men may tell no tales, but when hardly anyone dies,
no secret lasts forever. You dug up the BosunтАЩs Grave.тАЭ