"Mithgar - Hel's Crucible - 02 - Into The Fire" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKiernan Dennis L)

"We do not die of old age, Beau," said Phais, "if that is what thou art mulling. Instead 'tis by violence or accident, or by poison as nearly did I."

"Oh my," said Beau, his eyes filling with distress. "Nothing peaceful whatsoever?"

Phais shook her head.

Beau glanced at his medical kit. "Illnesses?"

Phais spread her hands. "There are but few which affect Elvenkind, and those most virulent."

"Oh my," said Beau. "Oh my."

And easterly they rode, while the wind blew chill and brooding clouds darkened the skies above.

* * *

"This way," called Bekki above the howling wind, and Tip, next in line, could but barely hear him. Still Tipperton turned and shouted behind, "This way! This way!" and whether Beau heard him and shouted the word on, Tipper-ton could not say.

Blindly they followed Bekki through the hurling white, barely able to see the horse or pony ahead as they tramped in file, each drawing an animal or two behind.

Finally they reached a vertical flank of mountain stone, and Bekki turned rightward to the east, while the frigid blast shrieked down from the heights above, carrying stinging ice and hurtling snow on its furious wings.

"I say," called Tip toward Bekki, but his words were shredded on the squalling wind and carried to shrieking oblivion. I say, wouldn't it be better if we were roped together? But no one could hear him or read his thoughts, and so, unattached, he followed Bekki, and Beau followed him, with Phais coming after and then Loric. To the right loomed shapesЧtrees?Чhe did not know. He was just about to try yelling to Bekki again when of a sudden the fury abated, and he came into a cavernous vault, with stone overhanging above and rubble underfoot, and in the dimness he could see Bekki and his pony trudging on ahead, back into recesses of the great hollow.

Tip led his pony on inward and turned to see Beau and his mount coming after, and then Phais drawing her animal behind with a packhorse in tow as well, and finally Loric with two steeds after.





Bekki nodded at the fire. "Before we leave, we shall gather wood to replace that which we burn."

Beau gazed around at the vaulted chamber, a semidome of sorts, sides curving 'round to the back, ceiling arcing down to the back as well, the rubble-strewn floor more or less level. They sat at the rear of the hollow in relative comfort, snow flying and wind howling a hundred feet away at the bowed mouth of the wide cavity.

Beau turned to Bekki. "Oh my, Bekki, how did you ever find this place?"

"It is a Chakka wayfarers' shelter. I have been here before."

Beau looked at the cords of wood stacked against the back of the chamber. "Yes, but with all the snow, I mean, how could you see?"

"I could not, but as I said, I have been here before."

Beau threw up his hands in a gesture of puzzlement.

Bekki glanced at Tip, then said, "Chakka cannot lose their footsteps. Once we have been to a place, the way is always within us. It is a gift from Elwydd."

Beau looked out into the shrieking snow. "Oh my, quite a marvelous gift, I should say." He turned to Tip. "I wonder if we have a gift . . . Warrows, that is."

Tip sighed and tapped his chest at the point of the coin. "Perseverance, I shouldn't wonder."