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

would keep it against future poverty. She yawned broadly, tucked the
pouch back under her pillow, and slid under the covers.

Time enough to worry later. For now, she felt as if she could sleep three
days straight through, and she meant to try if she could do it.

She yawned once more, and the yawn ended in a snore.



When Shadow awakened, the sun was high and the clamor of the
market came loud through her window. Shadow smiled and stretched
comfortably, luxuriating in the sensation of cleanliness, and bounced out
of bed to don the new tunic, trousers and boots she had purchased the day
before.

As she bent to lace the boots, she realized that she was still wearing the
silver bracelet. She frowned and pulled at it, then pulled harder, then,
frightened, yanked at it hard. It remained closed around her wrist as
firmly as if it had grown there.

Anxiously, Shadow peered closely at the bracelet. She could see no
mechanism to release the catch. It wasn't all that tight. She could twist it
around her wrist, and her wrist did not seem swollen; however, tug as she
might, she could neither force the clasp open nor pull the band back over
her hand.

A bespelled piece of jewelry intended to trap just such a thief as herself?
Shadow thought a moment, then shook her head. No, not likely. No one
could have meant an item of such obvious value to be stolen. And the man
who had owned the pouch containing itтАФShadow remembered him
dimlyтАФhad been young and alert-looking, no easy mark; that was why
she'd tried for the pouch in the first place. What challenge to steal from
some numbwitted fool?

But it was she who'd been the fool, to vainly pop such a piece onto her
wrist. Now she was at the mercy of whatever magic was in the bracelet,
and she couldn't get it off.

Well, it didn't appear to be doing her any harm at the moment, and
there were other concerns lined up for her attention this dayтАФnamely, the
replacement of her wonderful tools, and the acquisition, by one means or
another, of some weaponry. She could probably locate some metal-smith
to cut the bracelet off, although it was a pity to ruin the beautiful filigree.
She dismissed the bracelet from her mind, tucked her pouch of money
into her sleeve, and marched downstairs for breakfast.
 A copper bought bacon, ale and bread, and Shadow ate hurriedly
before turning her steps to the market.

It was nearly midday before Shadow found what she wantedтАФan elven