"Andre Norton - Witch World - Lore of the Witch World" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norton Andre)

"Why are you here?" Dairine had to wet her lips with her tongue before
she could shape those words.

They move now to put you ashore on Usturt, lady! Captain Ortis, he
came up leaning on Vidruth's arm, his body all atremble. He gives no
orders, only Vidruth. Lady, there is some great wrong hereтАФfor we are at
Usturt. And Vidruth commands. Such is not right."

"I knew that I must go to Usturt," she returned. "Rothar, if you have
any allegiance to your captain, know he is a prisoner to Vidruth in some
manner, even as I have been. And if I do not do as Vidruth says, there will
be greater troubleтАФdeathтАФ"

"You do not understand." His voice was very husky. "There are
monsters on this land. To see them even, they say, makes a man go mad!"

"But I shall not see them," Dairine reminded him. "How long do I
have?"

"Some moments yet."

"Where am I and how did you get here?"

"You are in the treasure hold, below the Captain's own cabin. I have
used the secret opening to reach you as this is the first time Vidruth and
the captain have been out of it. Now they must watch carefully for the
entrance to the inner reef."

"Can you get me into the captain's cabin?" If in those moments she
might discover what hold Vidruth had over Captain Ortis, she perhaps
would be able to help a man she trusted.

"Give me your hands, then, lady. I fear we have very little time."

She reached out, and her wrists were instantly caught in a hold tight
enough to be painful, but she made no sound of complaint. Then she
found herself pulled upward with a vast heave as if Rothar must do this all
in a single effort. When he set her on her feet once more, she sensed she
was in a much larger space. And there was the fresh air from the sea
blowing in as if through some open port.

But the air was not enough to hide from her that telltale scentтАФa scent
of evil.

"Let me go, touch me not now," she told Rothar. "I seek that which
must be found, and your slightest touch will confuse my course."

Slowly she turned away from the wind, facing to her right.