"Anne Logston - Shadow 01 - Shadow" - читать интересную книгу автора (Logston Anne)

"SOURED!!" Walpert roared, his already-florid face darkening to an
alarming hue. He grabbed a full skin and thrust it into Shadow's hands.
"And him telling such lies in the very market! There, my ladyтАФnay, I'll not
have a copper of you! Drink it in good health, and tell your friends where
the real wine is sold in Allan mere!"

"Oh, indeed I shall," Shadow agreed warmly. "Indeed I shall, Master
Walpert, and Fortune favor you!"

Shadow looped the skin's strap over her belt and sauntered whistling
back into the market, surreptitiously liberating a meat pie from its tray
and munching contentedly. Oh, but the day was fine and life was grand!
She swigged from the wineskin, paused a moment, then turned east.

"Ah, fair morning to you, Master Ulm!" she called.
 CHAPTER TWO
It was late evening when Shadow walked into the Silver Dragon Inn,
content and heavily laden, but so tired she could scarcely lift her feet. She
gave the innkeeper three Moons for three days' board without even
haggling, added another copper for a tub of hot water, and wearily
climbed the stairs to her room.

Half an hour later, she relaxed luxuriously in her tub while a handsome
bath boy scrubbed a week's accumulation of grime from her tanned skin.
She eyed the boy appreciatively and he looked back as frankly, but she was
so tired that even the prospect of a fine young man in her bed seemed
more trouble than it was worth, and at last she sent him away with more
than a little regret and a Moon in his pocket.

She toweled herself dry and attacked her wet hair with a comb, holding
the ebony lengths up high so they did not trail on the floor, then braided
and coiled it. The cool, wet hair felt good against the sore lump on the
back of her headтАФsouvenir of her farewell caress from former
companionsтАФand Shadow sighed happily, kicked her dirty rags into a
corner, and collapsed limply onto the bed. She pulled her pouch from
under the pillow and tipped its contents out onto the blankets.

Despite the day's purchases, she still had fifty Suns, thirty-three Moons,
and nearly fifty coppers. She poured them back into the pouch and picked
up her last piece of booty to examine it.

It was a light, filigreed bracelet, silver by the look of it, and set with
three deep blue-green skystones. The filigree was molded in delicately
carved leaves, flowers and vines around its entire length, with supporting
plate only at the claspтАФwhich apparently was stuck, as it would not open.
Perhaps the young man who'd been carrying it in his pouch had been
taking it to a jewelsmith for repair.

Shadow chuckled again, sliding the too-large band on her own slim
wrist. It would be worth a good many Suns on the market, or perhaps she