"Wen Spencer - Wolf Who Rules" - читать интересную книгу автора (Spencer Wen)

"Is that wise, domi?"
"We'll be careful."
She expected more of an argument, but he clicked his tongue in an elfin shrug.
Pony leaned out over the bridge's railing, the spells tattooed down his arms in designs like Celtic knotsтАФ
done in Wind Clan blueтАФrippled as muscle moved under skin. The hot wind played with tendrils of
glossy black hair that come loose from his braid. Dressed in his usual wyvern-scaled chest armor, black
leather pants and gleaming knee boots, Pony seemed oblivious to the mid-August heat. He looked as
strong and healthy as ever. During their escape, the oni nearly killed him. She took some comfort that he
was the one thing that she hadn't totally messed up.
As they recuperated, she'd endured an endless parade of visitors between bouts of drugged sleep, which
gave the entire experience a surreal nightmare feel. Everyone had brought gifts and stories of Turtle
Creek, until her hospice room and curiosity overflowed.
Thanks to her new elfin regenerative abilities, she healed far faster than when she was a human; she
awoke this morning feeling good enough to explore. Much to her dismay, Pony insisted on bringing four
more sekasha for a full Hand.
Yeah, yeah, it was wise, considering they had no clue how many oni survived the meltdown of Turtle
Creek. She was getting claustrophobic, though, from always having hordes of people keeping watch
over her; first the elves, then the oni, and now back to the elves. When she ran her scrap yard тАУ months
ago тАУ a lifetime agoтАФshe used to go days without seeing anyone but her cousin Oilcan.
As Viceroy, her husband Wolf Who Rules Wind, or Windwolf, held twenty sekasha; Pony picked her
favorite four out of that twenty to make up a hand. The outlandish Stormsong тАУ her rebel short hair
currently dyed blue тАУ was acting as a Shield with Pony. Annoyingly, though, there seemed to be some
secret sekasha rule тАУ only one Shield could have a personality at any time. Stormsong stood a few feet
off, silent and watching, in full bodyguard mode while Pony talked to Tinker. It would have been easier
to pretend that the sekasha weren't guarding over her if they weren't so obviously 'working.'
The bridge secured, the other three sekasha were being Blades and scouting the area. Pony signaled
them now using the sekasha's hand gestures called blade talk. Rainlily, senior of the Blades,
acknowledged тАУ Tinker recognized that much by now тАУ and signaled something more.
"What did she say?" Tinker really had to get these guys radios. She hated having to ask what was going
on; until recently, she always knew more than everyone else.
"They found something you should see."
***
The police had strung yellow tape across the street in an attempt to cordon off the valley; it rustled
ominously in a stiff breeze. Ducking under the tape, Tinker and her Shields joined the others. The one
personality rule extended to the Blades; only Rainlily got to talk. Cloudwalker and Little Egret moved
off, searching the area for possible threats.
"We found this in the middle of the road," Rainlily held out a bulky white, waterproof envelope.

file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry/Bureaublad/...html.jpg,%20advance%20reader%20copy)/A416520554___1.htm (3 of 13)5-1-2007 1:07:05
 - Chapter 1


"Forgiveness, we had to check it for traps."
The envelope was addressed with all possible renditions of her name: Alexander Graham Bell, 'Tinker'
written in English, and finally Elvish runes of 'Tinker of the Wind Clan.' The sekasha had already slit it
open to examine the contents and replaced them. Tinker tented open the envelope and peered inside; it
held an old mp3 player and a note written in English.
"I have great remorse for what I did. I'm sorry for hurting you both. I wish there had been another way.
Riki Shoji."
"Yeah, right." Tinker scoffed and crumpled up the note and flung it away. "Like that makes everything