"Sean Russell - The Swan's War 2 - Isle of Battle" - читать интересную книгу автора (Russell Sean)

They went slowly, the moon throwing their shadows down in a jumble beneath their
feet. Tarn wondered if the others felt as exhausted as he. All that had happened that
evening seemed suddenly to drain his emotions away, leaving nothing behindтАФlike a
retreating wave. Tam only wanted to lie down and sleep, to bury his head beneath
blankets and be left in peace.

"But what is that, Cousin?" Fynnol asked Tom, and pointed.

As they crossed over the shoulder of the hill another artery of mist appeared, weaving its
way among the trees.

"It must be the Westbrook," Pwyll said, looking around to find the moon. He pointed
off.тАЭ The two rivers must meet there beyond the wood."

"Then our camp is not so far off," Cynddl said.

"Let us make some haste," Pwyll said, starting off, "and see if Alaan has returned."

But Fynnol slumped down hard upon a stone.тАЭ Give me a moment's rest. We've been
caught up in madness all this night and I for one am exhausted and still frightened. I
admit it. Even the climb down from that place left me shaking, and once again the
lackeys of this man Hafydd tried to murder us." He put his head in his hands for a
moment, and Tam stepped nearer and patted him gently on the back.

"What has become of Baore?" Fynnol asked loudly.

"I don't know," Tam answered, "but I suspect he's come to no harm."

"Then why didn't he meet us in the garden as we'd arranged?"

"Much occurred within Castle Renn├й," Tam said softly.тАЭ Likely the explanation is innocent
enough. He was protecting some

THE I5LE OF BATTLE

13

grandmother in the chaos. It would be like him. With a little luck
&
the woman will adopt him and leave Baore her vast estates."
But the jest fell flat. Tam knew he should leave such things to Fynnol.
Pwyll was trying hard to be still, but he kept glancing down toward the
WestbrookтАФthere in the ribbons of mist.
"Come along, Fynnol," Tam said, again patting his cousin on the back, "we'll go down to
our encampment and find food and drink. That will help more than rest."
"Nothing will help but to be out of this madness." But Fynnol rose up resolutely and they
went off down the hill. At the bottom they found a rutted cart track worming into a small
wood. Here they stumbled forward in the blackness where the moonlight would not
enter. As they came out of the trees into the pale light again, they found a road that ran