"Julian May - Boreal Moon 2 - Ironcrown Moon" - читать интересную книгу автора (May Julian)

from Rusgann, and clapped a big hand over his mouth.

The maid sprang to her feet shrieking, тАЬYou stinking whoreson, let him loose!тАЭ The youth fetched her a casual blow in the stomach with
his fist and she fell moaning to the stony sand.

His mouth temporarily freed, Dyfrig again cried, тАЬRun away, Mama!тАЭ

тАЬDonтАЩt move!тАЭ roared Lukort. A split second later his tone was wheedling and conciliatory. тАЬBe easy now, princess. My son Vorgo and I
wonтАЩt hurt the wee smolt and we wonтАЩt hurt youтАж So heтАЩs your boy, is he? Well well! Yon wench said he was hers! A liar as well as a
foul-mouthed hellcat, ainтАЩt she?тАЭ

Vorgo smirked, keeping a firm hold on Dyfrig as he wriggled. Rusgann struggled to her feet and stood a few feet away from the pair. Her
face was unreadable.

тАЬI know you, Lukort Waterfall,тАЭ Maudrayne said in a stern voice. тАЬHow dare you mistreat my child and my servant?тАЭ

тАЬThe twitch needs to be taught good manners. Got a nasty mouth on her. As to the lad, no oneтАЩs mistreatinтАШ him. We just donтАЩt want him
runninтАЩ off afore you and me have a chance to talk business.тАЭ

тАЬBusiness?тАЭ Her mind was a turmoil of conflicting emotions. тАЬWhat kind of business?тАЭ

тАЬThe world thinks you be dead, princess. Your brother Liscanor was in a black rage when the news come to Northkeep. He tried to talk
the other sealords into makinтАШ war on Conrig Ironcrown to avenge the insult to you and your family. NothinтАЩ came oтАШ that. Tarn had too
many other troubles, and now weтАЩre part of the Sovereignty whether we like it or not.тАЭ He shrugged. тАЬBut here you be, aliveтАФthanks to
the God of Heights and Depths!тАФand with a fine young son to boot. Imagine that! How old would the little fella be? About four, eh?тАЭ

She said nothing, feeling the hairs at the back of her neck creep with apprehension. The crafty devil had guessed who DyfrigтАЩs father
must be.

Lukort murmured something to Vorgo, who hoisted the child to his shoulder and strode to where the coracle lay. He cut off a piece of line
to bind DyfrigтАЩs wrists, put him into the skin boat, and cast off, heading for the lugger anchored behind the small island.

The skipper beckoned to Maudrayne. тАЬCome closer. No need to keep shoutinтАШ one at tтАЩother. DonтАЩt worry about your lad. I told my son to
take special good care oтАЩ him.тАЭ

She came slowly towards Lukort, stopping well out of easy reach. It would not do to underestimate the cleverness of this villain. She
spoke to the maid. тАЬAre you badly hurt, Rusgann?тАЭ

тАЬNay, my lady. The young lout only punched the breath out of me. The lad and I came on the two men here when we rounded the point.
Dyfi was all happy and excited, but I warned him he must say nothing at all until we knew they intended no evil. This Lukort was polite
enough at first, asked if I knew the Lady Maudrayne Northkeep who lived nearby with the sea-hag. Said he was one of Lord LiscanorтАЩs
subjects, come to see if you were being kept here against your will.тАЭ

Maudrayne turned her gaze to the fisherman. тАЬTwo tennights ago, you saw me at DobneluтАЩs steading through your spyglass.тАЭ

He nodded, all joviality. тАЬAnd wasnтАЩt it a great shock, seeing a queenly redheaded beauty carrying a milk-pail from the old hagтАЩs byre!
Us seamen give DobneluтАЩs fjord a wide berth accounta her curses. But nothinтАЩs to stop us peepinтАШ at the place as we sail on by. I studied
through the glass and nigh jumped out oтАЩ my skin when I realized тАШtwas you: IroncrownтАЩs wife that was supposed to be drownded in
Cathra, alive and well and back home in Tarn. I pondered it for days, wonderinтАЩ what to do.тАЭ