"Boreal Moon - 02 - Ironcrown Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (May Julian)

But Snudge only whispered, УDonТt trust him.Ф
Gavlok had climbed down from his horse and was removing the long belt that symbolized his knighthood. After detaching his sword, dagger, and purse, he used the stout strap to tie his friend firmly to the saddle. Even before he finished, Deveron Austrey was lost in oblivion.
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Using his own limited-range windsight, Garon finally found the shepherdТs pathЧbut only after a tedious search. It was much higher above the river than he remembered, nearly two hundred ells. Getting to it from the lakeside, up a treacherous talus slope in pouring rain, was a daunting ordeal. The horses had to be led, and their hooves dislodged loose stones at almost every step. More than once, an animal faltered and crashed to its knees, barely avoiding a fatal fall back down the trackless incline. Kilian and the Brothers were forced to zigzag back and forth to ease the steep angle of the gradient, more than doubling the distance traveled. And all this before they made a single step in the direction of the caveЕ
On GaronТs instructions, each of themЧeven the alchymistЧused his recovering talent to calm the increasingly agitated minds of the horses. By the time they attained their goal, an exiguous ledge along a cliff-face, Raldo was sobbing with fatigue and urging his animal to pull him up. Mercifully, the horse obeyed. The two of them were the last to arrive at the path.
The fugitives sat hunched under their capes without moving for some time, regaining their strength, while their mounts licked trickles of rainwater from the streaming rock wall.
Saying nothing to his companions, Kilian experimented with his formidable new spell of couverture. If he could summon the strength to erect it, it would shield them all. But he was not yet fully recovered and had no success. For the time being, he contented himself with an easier kind of magic that altered his overseen appearance, while his aspect remained unchanged in the eyes of his companions.
Finally, he gave the command to mount and move on, watching in silence as the sweating, crimson-faced fat man, too drained to climb into the saddle on his own, was boosted up by the others. They set off in single file, moving at a slow walk. The track was extremely narrow, with a sheer drop to the river on the left. It climbed higher and higher, but the horses seemed willing to negotiate it without complaint. For over three hours, they traveled without incident. Then they became aware of a deep rumbling sound, which grew louder as they continued on, rising eventually to a tumultuous roar.
УWaterfall,Ф Garon shouted in explanation.
The source of the noise remained unseen until they came around a sharp corner into an area where the path widened, forming a natural terrace at the opening of a deep vertical cleft carved by a tributary stream. The upper section of the waterfall was deep within this cleft, pouring down from a height hidden within low-hanging grey clouds. Billows of vapor surged around the foot of the falls, where a plunge pool had been gouged from a relatively flat rock shelf that was a continuation of the terrace where they had halted. This was littered with jagged chunks of stone fallen from above, some of them as large as cottages. Water flowed from the pool across the shelf in a wide, shallow stream until it reached the edge, where it dropped off in a second cascade to the floor of the gorge.
Beyond the submerged rock shelf, the path resumed.
УMerciful God,Ф Raldo exclaimed. УHow can we possibly get past here?Ф
Garon gave him a superior smile. УNow you know why I brought rope from the cattle-boat.Ф
УIt looks hopeless to me,Ф Niavar said. His face had gone white and his vagrant eye had nearly retreated behind his nose. УThe passable section near the lip of the lower cascade is only a few feet wide, and itТs at least a dozen ells long.Ф
УIt can be crossed,Ф Garon insisted. УIТve herded sheep across hereЧ although I must admit I never tried it when the water volume was so great. There must have been heavy snows last winter.Ф
УExplain what we must do,Ф Kilian said.
УWe blindfold the horses and go one at a time. IТll be first, carrying the rope and paying it out behind me. When I get to the other side, IТll fasten the line to that knobby formation under the overhang. One of you will tie the other end here, to this rock, after pulling it tight. As you ride over the shelf, guide your mount only with your knees. Keep one hand on the reins and the other on the rope. If your beast stumbles and starts to go over the edge, let him fall and hang on to the rope.Ф
УBazekoyТs Blazing Bunions!Ф Cleaton groaned. УIТll need a blindfold myself to get across.Ф
The alchymist was calm. УWhy donТt I go next? When I reach the other side, IТll use all my talent to compel your horses to set their feet safely among the stones and running water.Ф
They tied rags over the eyes of the mounts. Garon handed Kilian the rope coil, took the free end, and rode his rawboned, powerful chestnut across the streaming shelf as though it were Gala High Street. When both ends of the rope were fixed in place, Kilian followed suit on his tall sorrel mare, moving much more slowly. He, too, reached the other side with apparent ease.
УIТll go next,Ф Raldo declared, striving to keep a tremor out of his voice. УI canТt bear the suspense of waiting.Ф
The fat manТs huge bay gelding lost its footing after going only a few ells and gave a heart-stopping lurch; but it recovered its equilibrium and went on successfully to the other side, whereupon Raldo burst into tears of relief.
Cleaton set out with lips clamped tight and his eyes narrowed to slits. In the middle of the shelf, his rather nervous red roan suddenly stopped dead and refused to move. He thumped its sides with his heels, uttered lurid curses, and exerted all of his talent. The animal resumed its hesitant pace and joined the other three on the opposite side. The men there had dismounted, leaving blindfolds on the horses, and stood in the partial shelter of the overhanging cliff.
УLast but not least! IТll be right along, boys!Ф Niavar called, urging his mount into the shank-deep water. The small black cob squealed at the unexpected sharp cold and tossed its head violently. The knot of the blindfold slipped and an instant later the cloth fell away. Stricken with terror at the sight of the dropoff and the pressure of the flowing stream against its short legs, the beast shied. One of its forefeet came down atop a precariously balanced rock and it collapsed, legs flailing. There was a sickening crack as a bone snapped. The cob screamed, rolled to the lip of the shelf, and fell to its death in the misty depths of the gorge.
Kneeling in rushing water up to his crotch, wiry little Niavar clung to the sagging rope with both hands. He was unable to stand, so he used his arms to haul himself the remaining three ells across. The others grabbed hold of him and pulled him safely up.
УAm I going to have to walk to the bloody cave, then?Ф he grumbled.
УYou can ride pillion with me,Ф Garon said. УMy chestnut is strong and neither of us is heavy.Ф
The Brothers took Niavar close to the cliff and began to strip off his soaked clothes. Kilian opened one of his saddlebags and took out a long shirt, wool stockings, and spare boots; Garon contributed homespun trews that fit well enough when rolled up seven inches and cinched with a piece of rope; Cleaton found a short waxed-leather cape with a hood.
As he dressed, Niavar thanked them all.
Raldo said sheepishly, УIТm sorry I didnТt have anything that would fit.Ф
УJust be thankful it wasnТt your horse that fell,Ф Kilian said to him.
They resumed their journey, with the fat man bringing up the rear and mumbling prayers under his breath, trying vainly to forget the frightful image that KilianТs words had evoked, and the pitiless tone of the voice that had spoken them.
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BeynorТs voyage up the Malle was not as carefree as heТd hoped, but at least the Salka swimming around him remained unnoticed, and no one in authority challenged him as they passed the teeming wharves and docks of Holt Mallburn. The strong sea breeze that blew during the hours of hot sunlight kept his dinghyТs sail well filled throughout the first day on the river. Assisted by his unseen Eminent hauler, he forged nimbly upstream past less fortunate boats and reached Twicken by the time the sun dipped low and the breeze slackened off.
УThere are food stalls and small shops on the waterfront of this town,Ф he bespoke Ugusawnn. УIТm going to put in, tie up, and buy something to eat. DonТt worry, I wonТt try to leave the boat. Just see that you stay out of sight.Ф
The only response was a surly growl on the wind.
He lowered the sail and rowed to the public landing-stage, where he tied up, paid the toll, and began restowing the various bundles in the boat. After a few minutes a stout, pink-cheeked matron in a clean gown came along, carrying a wide basket covered with a cloth. She stopped at each vessel having people aboard, offering cold meat pies, but sold only a few.
УA fine evening, goodwife,Ф Beynor said, when his turn came. He proffered a silver quarter-mark coin. УIТll gladly take two of your pies.Ф
УI donТt have the change for this,Ф she admitted. УBusiness has been slow this evening. The big crowd came to the riverside this morn to see off the royal bargeЧbut I couldnТt get my baking done in time for selling to them. My old dad came over poorly, and IТve had to nurse him most of the day. If you care to trust me, IТll step over to yonder inn and get the change there.Ф
УYou look like an honest woman,Ф Beynor said. Her easy friendliness might have its uses. He gave a winning smile and opened his purse. УIТm very sorry for your hard luck. IТve had a bit of that myself today, out on the water. Gave my ankle a bad knock, and now I can barely walk. I donТt want to go tramping about ashore if I can help it, but IТve not much food left in the boat, and no drink at all. If I gave you more money, could you also fetch me some loaves of good wheat bread from the inn, and maybe some butter and jam, and some boiled eggs in their shells if the kitchen has such things? And ask the pot-boy to roll over a firkin of ale for me. IТll gladly pay you for your trouble.Ф
УOh, you poor lad! Of course I will. Just guard my pies whilst IТm gone. Is there anything else youТre needing?Ф
УFresh strawberries?Ф Beynor ventured, УI live on an island far up the coast, and earn a good living from sealing. But I havenТt such luscious things for four years, since last I came to visit my people up in Mallthorpe Greenwater.Ф
УIf anyone on the Twicken waterfront has any, IТll bring them to you,Ф the woman said. УImagine! Four whole years without strawberries!Ф
УIТd also be most grateful if you could send my way any old-clothes vendor who might be out and about this evening. As you can see, my garb is unsuitable for the warm weather you enjoy here, although it served me well in the chill at sea. IТd buy more comfortable things if I could.Ф
The woman was thinking. УYouТre a tall, thin one, just like my old father. And he, poor soul, spends much of his time abed these days and has small need of street clothes. After I see to your provisions, IТll slip away home and look in his coffer. There might be something you can use.Ф
УIТll pay whatever you think is fair,Ф Beynor said. He gave her another quarter-mark and she bustled off.
After a minute or two, Ugusawnn spoke truculently on the wind.
What did you say to her, groundling?
УI only asked her to fetch more food and some clothes for me. She had some interesting news to report. The royal barge left here this morning. ItТll be upriver at Tallhedge by now, and tomorrow it goes to Mallthorpe Castle and stays for two days before going on to Boarsden. WeТll have to get ahead of it to set up the ambush. The distance from here to the Big Bend is nearly ninety leagues. You may have to do some night hauling to get us there in time.Ф
I will do what is necessary.