"Boreal Moon - 02 - Ironcrown Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (May Julian)
The affronted magickers fixed her with venomous glares.
Somarus threw back his head and roared with laughter. УI believe you could!Е What else do you want of me, Mistress Cray?Ф
УA cup of ale would be lovely,Ф she said. УIТve come a long way. There was wildfire in the wold and I had to go around it.Ф
Somarus rose to his feet, still grinning. УCome and have breakfast. IТd like to talk more with you. Like most human beings, IТve never seen one of your race before. I was told you had green skin and pointed ears and leaves instead of hair, and that your womenЧuhЧbewitched luckless fellows who lost their way in the Elderwold.Ф
УWe used to do that in days gone by,Ф she said demurely, Уbut not so much of late. Tastes change.Ф
Someone sniggered nervously.
Somarus swept his gaze around the hovering group of nobles, warriors, and wizards. УAll of you, get back to your duties! Baron Cuva, IТll ride out this morning for Castlemont with you and a party of ten knights. Light armor and weaponry, surcoats and banners with the Boarsden blazon for disguise, everyone looking spruce and stalwart. Find a suitable mount for Mistress Cray.Ф He looked down at her. УShall we go to my pavilion?Ф
УIn a moment.Ф She went to the paralyzed man and spoke a word softly.
The warrior straightened, sheathed his sword, and walked off dazedly after the others. УI hope his friends donТt tease him too badly,Ф Cray said.
УHeТs big enough to take care of himself. Come along now. IТm famished.Ф She stood before the prince, staring at his right shoulder with a little frown. УOh, my. You missed one.Ф She reached up and touched a damp lock of his curling hair. There was a sizzling snap and Somarus smelled a whiff of smoke. УThatТs taken care of the creeping little whoreson! Now you look much more like a king.Ф
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The ferry put into eleven lakeside towns and villages before reaching the end of the line at the city of Elktor, and at each stop people got off and on, while crewmen unloaded and loaded cargo at tedious length. The clouds had lowered steadily throughout the day; and by late afternoon, when the knoll crowned by Elktor Castle finally came into view of the passengers, rain was falling and the dramatic mountains above the walled lakeside city were wreathed in eerie swags of mist.
Felmar and Scarth had secured inside seats on the boat early on, so they had a fairly comfortable trip, even though the benches were hard and the cabin atmosphere fuggy with the odor of unwashed humanity. Their quarrel-and-snivel act, performed regularly, kept most of the other passengers at bay, although one garrulous old biddy insisted on sharing memories of her own catastrophic pregnancies with the bogus mother-to-be.
Most of the time the two fugitives slept. So when they finally disembarked at Elktor Quay they were ready to set out for Roaring Gorge as soon as they could purchase suitable clothing and equipment and secure horses. It was only the fifth hour after noon, but their hopes of a speedy getaway were deflated almost at once when a one-eyed dockside loafer informed them that most of the shops and market stalls had shut down early because of inclement weather and a dearth of customers.
УAs for horses,Ф the fellow continued with lugubrious relish, Уye wonТt have an easy time gettinС anything first-rate. TownТs all skimble-skamble, with a grand hunt on for a pair of scoundrelly Zeth Brothers who set Gala Palace on fire and like to killed the High KingТs brother. Word came to Count Ollie late yesterday to beat the bushes for Тem hereabouts, and his captains have commandeered damn near every sound nag in the city to mount search parties. Maybe ye could hire a wagonЧФ
Felmar uttered a falsetto squall. УNo, no, the track to MotherТs croft is too steep for wheels. We need horses to get there. Hoddo, do something! We canТt keep standing here in the rain!Ф
Scarth patted his mateТs hand and said, УNow, now, Juby. Calm down, lambykin, or youТll drop that babe of yourТn afore its time.Ф
The idler screwed up his face in an orgy of concentration. УLemme think now. There might be one place still with a mount or two left to sell. If I could just recallЕФ
Scarth gave a grunt of disgust and pulled a silver penny from his belt-wallet. УDoes this jog your memory?Ф
The one-eyed man smirked. УNoЧbut add another and the nameТs bound to come to mind.Ф
Without a word, Scarth pressed two coins into the dirty outstretched palm.
УBo HernТs stable. Follow the Quay Road a quarter league to the north edge of town, nigh unto the Mountain Gate. Old Bo sells donkeys and mules. Good for ridinС in rough country. And he has saddles and tack, too.Ф The rascal tugged his forelock. УLuck to ye, master and mistress.Ф
УIs there an inn or cookshop near the stable where we might get something to eat?Ф Scarth asked.
УBoТs wife can fix you up. Otherwise thereТs the Rusty Gudgeon tavern acrost the wayЧbut some say they use cat meat in their pasties.Ф The one-eyed man ambled off, ignoring the rain.
Scarth hoisted the bundle to his shoulder and they set off along the waterfront. УMules arenТt a bad idea, Fel, TheyТre not fast, but a good one is more reliable on a bad track than a horse. Our map shows that itТs fifteen leagues or so to the gorge mouth, and most of the way is twistier than earthworm guts. Then almost an equal distance to the cave, over a miserable sheep trail. WeТre in for a rotten time of it if we press on. Maybe we should stop at the stable for the night and start out early tomorrow.Ф
УNo,Ф said Felmar emphatically. УWeТre well rested. All we need is a meal and some food and drink to take with us. And IТve got to shed this wicker birdcage tied to my belly! IТll keep the rest of the womanТs garb till weТre well away from the city, but thereТs no way I can ride wearing this futterinС thing.Ф
УItТs raining harder,Ф Scarth said. УWe could at least wait a few hours to see if it stops.Ф
УWeТve got to move on. I donТt like the feel of this town. There are alchymists up in Elktor Castle and other windvoices prowling about with the searchers. I can sense them! Thus far, our spell of couverture is holding firm, but somethingТs not right. I almost feel as though weТve been overseen. Right through the bloody cover.Ф
УI wonТt say youТre imagining things,Ф said Scarth, Уsince youТve got more talent than I do. But if the Brethren did have a windeye on us, Lord ElktorТs guardsmen would have met us at the ferry dock and clapped us in irons.Ф
УThe windwatchingЧif thatТs what it wasЧwasnТt done Zeth-style.Ф Fel-mar was silent for a few minutes. They splashed on through spreading puddles, paying no attention to the occasional beggar who whined from a doorway. Most of those walking along the quay were seamen, some with giggling doxies on their arms. Half a block ahead, a hanging sign with a lionТs head designated a good-sized inn. Unattached sailors were heading towards it like iron filings to a magnet, but the two disguised Brothers tramped on past, steeling themselves against the scent of brown ale and roasting mutton. It was not a place where poor countryfolk, such as they were supposed to be, would be welcomed.
УThereТs another strange thing,Ф Felmar said, after a time.
УWhat?Ф
УWhile I was sleeping off and on in the ferry, I had the most unsettling dreams. About the things we took from the Royal AlchymistТs crypt. Noises would wake me up, but when I slept again the same dream always returned. This happened three, maybe four times.Ф
Scarth stopped short with his mouth open in dismay. A single drop of rain hung at the tip of his long nose. УYou know what? I had strange dreams, too. IТd forgotten. I only remember bits and pieces, but I think I dreamed of Lord Kilian. Something about him frightened me, but I canТt for the life of me think what.Ф
Felmar tugged his friendТs arm. УKeep walkingЕ I dreamed that when we finally brought these moonstones and books to him, he laughed like a fiend and called us idiots for never suspecting how valuable the things are, for not realizing that we could have used them to become the most powerful sorcerers in the world!Ф
УI donТt remember anything like that. But I think I do recall Lord Kilian laughing at me.Ф
УThink about it, Scarth. We agreed to risk our lives stealing this mysterious collection of arcana for him. He told us the sigils predated BazekoyТs invasion, that they were ancient magical tools able to conjure the power of the Beaconfolk, and only Beynor of Moss could bring them to life. He said that Beynor had sworn an unbreakable oath, promising to share the activated stones with him and us. Kilian claimed he had a foolproof way to prevent Beynor from playing us false. But what if his talk of the Mossland conjurer was only a red herring, intended to distract us from the truth?Ф
УWhat truth?Ф
УIt stands to reason that Kilian didnТt know how to conjure these moonstones while he lived in Gala Palace and kept them hidden. But what if heТs since learned how to do so, perhaps by studying some long-forgotten materials in the abbey? HeТs had access to the great library throughout his four-year confinement. What if the method for activating the sigils is contained in the two books that were in the cabinet with them? TheyТre written in a strange language, you know.Ф
УDo you mean that Kilian might have been unable to read the books beforeЧbut now he can?Ф
Felmar shook his head uncertainly. УMy dream seemed to hint at something else. I canТt remember what. All IТm really sure of is that weТve both been deceived. IТm starting to suspect that if we give these things meekly over to Kilian, he wonТt bother sharing them with us. In fact, we may be lucky to escape with our lives!Ф
ScarthТs heavy jaw hardened in growing anger. УBrother, if I hadnТt had my own dreams about Kilian, IТd deny your conclusion with my dying breath. He had me completely persuaded. But nowЕ I think you may be right about the danger. I feel like a fool.Ф
УI was taken in, too,Ф Felmar muttered, Уas well as poor dead Vitubio. Even wearing the iron gammadion, Kilian Blackhorse is a consummate wizard. He converted Prior Waringlow, the greatest intellect in the abbey, to his cause. ItТs no wonder we were taken in.Ф
They walked in silence for some time. There were fewer people on the streets as the rain intensified and the air grew more chilly. The small shops, brothels, and drinking establishments were thinning out as they neared the great wall at the northern end of the city, giving way to shuttered wool warehouses, empty and deserted at this time of year. When a sheltered alcove presented itself, Felmar discarded his artificial pregnancy, wrapping the arcana that had been concealed inside the basketry in his apron and tucking the bundle securely under his arm.
While the smaller man was rearranging his cloak, Scarth said, УHave you any notion what we should do now? IТm damned if IТll simply keep heading for that cave in the gorge where KilianТs waiting.Ф
They began to walk again. Felmar said, УIТm trying to think. WeТve got to get up into the mountains quickly, thatТs for certain. The masses of rock will help foil windsearchersЧwhoever they may be. North of the city, the road forks. To the left is the steep shepherdТs path that we were supposed to follow to Roaring Gorge. To the right is a better track that leads eastward to Beorbrook Hold and the Great North Road. It winds through desolate moors and foothills, but avoids the most rugged part of the mountains.Ф
УYou think we ought go that way?Ф Scarth was dubious.
УOnly for a short distance, until we find a suitable place to go to ground. You and I must do some heavy thinking about our future.Ф
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