"Andre Norton - Oak, Yew, Ash & Rowan 3 - A Crown Disowned" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

"This stuff goes quicker than the old powder. Burns on land as well as water, too. Don't get any on you."
A quick, disciplined rush, Rohan thought, and we'll have a good ground from which to fight the rest,
when they come. Before the soldier could get his flame going, Tusser erupted from his place of
concealment and, followed by his warriors, began a wild attack. His and his followers' war-cries filled the
air.

"No, waitтАФ" But there was no turning back. Rohan jumped to his feet and leapt forward.

The Outlanders' surprise was complete. They stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the ones who
seemed to have dropped out of nowhere. With swift, brutal efficiency the Bog-warriors cut down the
Outlanders. It was all over in an instant, and Rohan looked at Tusser with new respect.

"You are a worthy fighter," he said. "It will be good to have you as my ally, when the real fighting comes."

Tusser nodded his thanks, but didn't loosen his grip on his shell-tipped spear.

"More Outlanders come, I think. This place cursed, but maybe good for fight. Can hide until more of my
people get here."

"Then let's get to a high ground, where we can see what is happening."

The two men, with three of Tusser's warriors behind them, picked their way over the rubble. Behind
them, Rohan heard splashing and chose not to look at how the

Bog-men were disposing of the bodies of their enemies.

He would remember the way to the chamber where he and Granddam Zazar had held their meeting and
she had discovered the true identity of the one known variously as the Magician and the Sorceress,
depending on which guise she had decided to assume, but was reluctant to take them there. Instead, he
chose a spot where a portion of the city wall was still more or less intact. From that sheltered vantage
point, they had a good view of the surrounding territory.

They didn't have long to wait. Tusser pointed in the direction of the big plume of smoke rising in the west.
"They come," he said.

"I hope your fellows make it in time, or it will be an even shorter fight than the last one," Rohan observed.

Tusser grinned. "They make it in time. I hear both."

By straining his ears, Rohan could just discern the quiet sounds of poles pushing the Bog boats in their
direction. These were almost drowned out by the noise the Outlanders were making as they headed for
the ruins. Also, the interlopers were talking, obviously not thinking there was anyone to hear them.

"What's got into Morrice and his men?" one of them was saying. "We should have been seeing their
smoke a long time ago."

"Maybe they found a Bog-woman to take their minds off their jobs," another voice said, laughing.

"The Dowager won't be pleased to hear it," the first voice rejoined, and Rohan jumped a little despite