"Andre Norton - Brother To Shadows" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

traveler's rights under the law." On this point custom would bear him out and he would
hold to it.

The priest scowled and then flung away after the others, who were already moving off to
make up their packs ready for the journeying to their newly appointed stations.

Jofre faced the force stone again. Slowly he moved forward. The light which had
centered it was certainly goneтАФ it was now as dull as the age-worn stone which held it.
At least ten Masters had lived and died in its lightтАФthe eleventh had the misfortune to
see that light fail.

The young man skirted the bodies of the lieutenants and climbed the steps. He expected
some outcry from the Shagga though what he would do was no profanation. However,
that did not come and he passed into the darkness of the hall above, where the only faint
light came from two lamps at the far end.

Between them lay that other bodyтАФthe Master. For some reason Jofre needed to do this
but he could not explain that reason even to himself. He came to stand beside the man
who had saved his life, even though just perhaps because he saw in Jofre a tool to be well
employed at a future date.

Jofre's hands moved Star-Of-MorningтАФJourney-into-Light. The fingers shaped that
message in the air. Farewell-far-journey-triumph-to-the-warrior. As he did this there
welled into him an inflow of strength, almost as if some of the will and purpose of the
dead Master passed to him as a bequest.
Only a tenth night ago he had knelt at this very spot, had spread before him certain maps
and papers, known the carefully hidden excitement of one being prepared for a mission.

"It is thus," the Master had spoken as one who shared thought, "these off-worlders change
every world they enter. They cannot help but do so to us. We have lived by a certain
pattern for ten centuries now. The valley lords have their feuds which have become as
formally programmed as the IDD dances. They hire us as bodyguards, as Slip-shadows to
dispose of those whose power threatens them or whom they wish to clear from their
paths. It has become in a manner a gameтАФa blood game.

"But to all patterns there comes a time of breaking, for weaving grows thinner with years.
So it comes for usтАФ though many of the Masters would say no to that. But we must
change or perish." There had been force in those words as if the Master were oath giving.

"The Master of Ros-hing-qua has shown the way. He has oathed two Brother Shadows,
one Sister Shadow off-world to men who seek easement to trouble on their own home
globe. Word has come that they carried out their assignment in keeping with issha
traditions. Now it is our turn to think of such a thing. There is news from the port that
there has been talk of others coming from the far starways to seek the arts we have long
cultivated. You are not of our blood, Jofre, by birth. But we claimed you and you have
eaten of our bread, drunk brother-toasts, learned what was our own way. Off-world you
can use all you know and yet not be betrayed by the fact you are born of us. Therefore,
when the time comes, this mission shall be yoursтАФeither you will be sent to be the
shoulder shield, body armor for some far lord, or you will be the hunter with steel."