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

Great God! Who had they been pursuing over the open moors?
He searched further, among the great rock formations that reared up from the heath closer to the looming bulk of the mountains, but found no one. No one who could be perceived by scryingЕ
Kilian cut the thread of windsight and stood irresolute at the edge of the cliff. If Felmar and Scarth had been in that hut, and if theyТd fled pursuit under the spell of couverture heТd taught them, the hoofprints of their mounts might have been followed by the troop of warriors. And now the hunters had given up the chase, perhaps because theyТd lost the trail in increasingly rocky ground.
I could extinguish the BrothersТ cover spell now without putting them in danger, Kilian thought, and confirm that theyТve gone wildly astray, carrying the Trove of Darasilo with them.
But that was a drastic step and one he was loath to perform. HeТd have to use a generalized incantation that would lift the spell wherever Felmar and Scarth might be. What if they werenТt on the moorland after all, and stood in a vulnerable position elsewhere? Once he broke the spell, he could not reestablish it; that would have to be done by the two agents themselves. But would they realize what had happened? From within, a cover spell was manifested to its wearer only by the most subtle alteration of oneТs surroundings. The Brothers might not realize theyТd been exposed until it was too late to save themselves from capture. No, Kilian decided. It wasnТt worth the risk.
If the moorland commotion did indeed have nothing to do with Felmar and Scarth, the two men might be on their way up the gorge path at this very minute. It was preferable to let things be so long as there was a chance they might still be heading for the cave.
He settled himself again, pulled down his hood, and began windsearching for them along the gorge route, beginning at the fork in the track outside the city wall. He didnТt find themЧbut in time he did discover the mounted force of Count Olvan Elktor, halted in a rough bivouac on the near side of Double Waterfall. It was obvious that they had set out from the city during the murky night hours. TheyТd made the dangerous crossing and then paused to rest, but they were certain to move on before long.
Grimly, he counted at least forty men wearing the livery of the castle garrison, a dozen household knights in bright-colored surcoats, three Brothers of Zeth, and numbers of servants on ponies leading sumpter mules loaded with supplies. The presence of such a large force could only mean that the authorities were fairly certain that either Felmar and Scarth or Kilian and his party had come into the gorge.
White-faced, the alchymist withdrew his sight and hurried to waken his companions. Garon, Niavar, and Cleaton heard him out in bleak silence, while Raldo made incoherent sounds of distress, too stiff and aching even to rise from his pallet.
УIt took us three hours to get here from the waterfall,Ф Garon said, rolling up his blankets with swift economy. His brow was creased by concern. УWe were tired and didnТt travel very fast. The pursuers will come on much faster.Ф
УBut can we outrun them?Ф asked Kilian. УOr perhaps go another way?Ф
УThere is no other way. As to outrunning themЧit would be better to prevent pursuit altogether. By blocking the track.Ф
Niavar and Cleaton brightened at this and began to ask eager questions. Raldo stood by, apparently apathetic, but his eyes were alert. Garon bade all keep silent and continued addressing Kilian. УMy lord, when we planned this journey, you spoke of combining our talents to produce defensive magic. Is it not possible for the same type of joint effort to block a section of the trail behind us, so that no one would be able to follow? Perhaps we could amplify the landslide where Raldo took his fall.Ф
The alchymist said, УTo make an effective blockade, weТd need to find a spot where rocks above the path were already unstable and a modest bolt of magic might bring them down. The place where RaldoТs horse slipped is hazardous with loose surface stones, but not susceptible to rockfalls. The mountainside itself is virtually solid there. Without golden gammadions, our group lacks the strength to burst apart living rock.Ф
Garon nodded in understanding. УI think I know the perfect spot for our purposes. A short distance beyond this camp, we come to a hanging valley between two tall peaks. A side-path leads to extensive grassy pockets, dead ends all, where I used to pasture my sheep for weeks at a time. I never took the flock beyond there because forage becomes scanty at higher altitudes, but I did explore the ongoing route for my own amusement. If one continues along the gorge track for another hour or so, one arrives at a broad slope composed of great cracked slabs, where some cataclysm caused half the mountainside to break away and fall into the chasm.Ф
УI know about that area,Ф Kilian put in. УI scried it last night and thought it looked uncommonly perilous.Ф
УNormally, the slabs can be crossed with care by a man on foot,Ф Garon said. УI believe our horses could negotiate them if they were led. Having overseen the place, my lord, do you think weТd be able to bring down more rock and render it totally impassable?Ф
Kilian said, УWait,Ф and left them, going out into the meadow where the scrying angle was better. After a few minutes he returned with a wolfish smile on his face. УWe may not be able to render the slope impassable. But if the column of pursuers were strung out all across it and we then caused a rockfallЕФ
Garon, Niavar, and Cleaton stared at him in comprehension. Raldo only hung his head.
УLet us move on as quickly as we can, then,Ф said the alchymist. УWeТll have to break our fast as we ride.Ф
Garon, Niavar, and Cleaton packed their gear with alacrity, while Raldo hobbled about, tumbling the unwashed cups and bowls and spoons from last nightТs supper into a sack, scraping bits of cold porridge from the pot with a spoon, and wiping the greasy wire grill with a handful of grass. His sunken eyes, pursed lips, and trembling hands betrayed his misery.
УHow do you fare?Ф Kilian asked blandly.
УIТm doing the best I can, my lord. IТll scour the cooking things well at the end of the day.Ф
The alchymist grunted and said to Garon, УSaddle his horse, lash his bags in place, and help him to mount.Ф
They set out at a quick pace, most of them feeling more confident riding the narrow path than they had been on the previous day. The sun shone brilliantly and the air was crystalline, with every detail of the landscape sharply visible. The hanging valley, when they reached it, was a concave emerald corridor between peaks layered with brick-red, ochre, and black-rock strata, sublimely beautiful against an azure sky. But by that time none of them was in a mood to appreciate itЧespecially Raldo.
He sat in his saddle as inert as a sack of grain, his head lolling and his hands hardly keeping hold of the reins. One foot had slipped from its stirrup. His big bay was an intelligent beast, and it sensed that its rider sat unsteadily. Rather than take advantage of the situation and toss Raldo off, as the animal had done yesterday, it moved more and more slowly and delicately, almost as though it felt compassion for the wretched man on its back. Raldo brought up the rear of the group, and lagged ever further behind the others.
Finally he seemed to rouse from his stupor and shouted in desperation, УWait! Please wait for me!Ф
Kilian pulled up and said to Garon, УGo back and see if anything can be done for him.Ф
The young Brother dismounted and picked his way through the others along the narrow path, then continued to the place where Raldo had stopped. The two men spoke for some minutes. Garon replaced the fat manТs foot in its stirrup and wrapped the reins about one hand before returning to Kilian, shaking his head.
УIТm at a loss, my lord. Brother Raldo insists he can ride on. But he seems very ill. I wonder if he might have suffered some internal hurt in the fall? At any rate there seems little we can do, save hope he will regain his energy. I think it would be unwise to attempt to lead his horse. The animal is enormous, and if it should fall it would pull down the horse and rider leading it as well.Ф
The small Brother with the squint said, УOld ButterballТs a goner, then? We just leave him?Ф
УHe said he intends to press on,Ф Garon said. УHe may be lucky enough to reach the slide before the troops are upon him.Ф
УWe must continue,Ф said Kilian, Уas fast as is safe.Ф He clicked his tongue and urged his mount forward. After a moment, the others followed suit, not looking back.
Raldo cried, УIТll follow! IТm coming!Ф But his horse stood still, receiving no signal to move from its rider. After a time, the others were lost to his sight around a bend in the trail.
Raldo shut his eyes and exerted his negligible windsight. They werenТt scrying himЧat least they hadnТt lowered their hoods. To be safe, he waited a while longer, then dismounted with more agility than might have been expected. He led the big bay horse to a place where there was shade and a trickle of water. His bruises ached and he was unable to walk without a limp. But there was a small smile on his face as he took bread and smoked meat from his saddlebag, lowered his ample fundament to a flat rock, and began to eat his delayed breakfast.
==========
Around noon, Kilian and his three remaining companions came to the slide. It was a formidable thing, in places resembling a giant staircase with tilted treads, nearly a hundred ells wide and frightfully steep and rugged. The way across that Garon remembered from his youth was now obstructed by slabs and boulders that had shifted position during the intervening years, so he spent another hour scouting a new path, after which they all made their way slowly to the other side.
They tethered their mounts further on, well out of sight of those who were coming after them, and concealed themselves among rocks where they would not be easily scried or endangered by falling rock. Kilian led them in thaumaturgical exercises to refresh their minds in the technique of melding talent. Then they essayed a practice bolt, aiming at a small slab balanced far up the opposite side of the slope. A flash jolted the target, and an instant later there came a loud crack and a rumble as the rock bounced a few ells downhill.
УNot very impressive,Ф Kilian admitted, and the others gave nervous laughs. УBut then, we didnТt put our hearts into it.Ф
Garon eyed him askance. УDo you think we have a chance of pulling this off, master? IТve never been one for overt magic myself.Ф
УNeeds must when the devil drives,Ф muttered Niavar. УIf you can save your skin no other way, youТll find your overt talent sharpening along with your resolve.Ф
УCan you scry them coming, Lord Kilian?Ф Cleaton asked.
The alchymist pulled his hood down and concentrated. УIt wonТt be long.Ф
They waited. The air was still and hot. They loosened their jerkins and eventually shed them, drinking ale from the leather bottles theyТd tied to their belts. TheyТd left their swords hanging on their saddles. Physical weapons would do them no good.
УHow far is the cave?Ф Niavar asked, breaking a long silence.
УAnother two hoursТ slow ride,Ф Garon said. УItТs off to the side and up a ravine, not on the main path.Ф
Somewhere, a raven gave a raucous bark.
Cleaton said, УMy lord, what of Brothers Felmar and Scarth?Ф
УAnd the treasure?Ф Garon appended softly.
УI tried windsearching for them back at the campsite yesterday,Ф Kilian admitted, Уand made another attempt while we were riding here. They donТt appear to be anywhere on the gorge trail as yet, but if theyТre using the spell of couverture, I wouldnТt be able to scry them unless I obliterated itЧand thatТs too dangerous. IТve held off attempting to bespeak them because puncturing a heavy cover spell requires a veryТloudС windvoice. As I said before, I donТt want to risk some adept tracking the thread back to me. But perhaps that doesnТt matter anymore. The hunters seem to know weТre here.Ф