"R. Garcia y Robertson - Firebird" - читать интересную книгу автора (Robertson R Garcia Y)

the bootheels up, wearing silver-chased armor and a gold coronet on his old-fashioned great helmet. He
had his visor tipped back and she could see the hard cold sheen in his pale blue eyes, glinting like
dangerous ice in the spring.

He stared evenly at the aged Bone WitchтАФtwo of the most feared people in Markovy were meeting for
the first time. Totally different, yet each in their own way absolutely terrifying. Prince Sergey, Grand Duke
of Ikstra, broke the frosty silence, тАЬGood morrow, grandmother, we are trailing a mounted knight, riding
a gray war horse and wearing a blue-and-white surcoat. He is most likely wounded. Have you seen
him?тАЭ

тАЬNo, my lord,тАЭ replied the Bone Witch. тАЬNot him, nor anyone like him.тАЭ

тАЬStrange,тАЭ mused Prince Sergey, тАЬour wolfman trailed his horse straight to this clearing.тАЭ The
Lycanthrope stood waiting, a hideous look on his fanged face, clearly hoping to make a meal out of
someone. тАЬHe was Castellan of Byeli Zamak, and claims to be a baron.тАЭ

тАЬAnd yet I have not seen him,тАЭ the Witch insisted.

Prince Sergey looked to the dwarf sitting on his pony. Rising in his saddle, the dwarf took a deep breath
through his nose. Two more sniffs, and the dwarf settled back in the saddle, saying, тАЬShe is telling the
truth.тАЭ

Prince Sergey nodded. Then his gaze turned to Katya, staring at her like she had failed to pay her squirrel
tax. тАЬWhat about the girl? Has she seen him?тАЭ

The тАЬgirlтАЭ gulped. тАЬNo, my lord, never.тАЭ She shook her head vigorously, shrinking back beside the
Witch.

Prince Sergey looked again at the dwarf. This time the little man swung off his pony, and walked over to
her. His head came up to KatyaтАЩs waist. Lifting his nose, he sniffed her belly, then ran his nostrils down
her thigh. He stepped back, saying, тАЬShe is lying.тАЭ

Sergey raised an eyebrow. тАЬHas she seen the Castellan?тАЭ

His dwarf shrugged. The little man was a lie sniffer, not a mind reader. His majesty turned back to her,
тАЬHave you seen a knight wearing blue and white?тАЭ

She had no good answer, caught between her need to lie, and knowing the dwarf would sniff her out.
Anything she said would put her at the mercy of these men. The wolfman leered at her. He was the one
who had found her. Without him, this clumsy crowd of horsemen could not have trailed her from the
streamтАФbut a Lycanthrope can track a mouse on a moonless night.

тАЬWell, have you seen him?тАЭ the Grand Duke demanded.

Before she could think of some truthful misdirection, a shout of triumph came from the back of the Bone
Hut. A couple of squires came around the corner proudly leading her knightтАЩs horse. Someone called
out, тАЬThatтАЩs his horse. The big gray that belongs to the Castellan.тАЭ

Prince Sergey stared hard at the horse, then looked back at her. тАЬHave you seen the knight who rode
this horse?тАЭ