"Nancy Springer - Isle 02 - The Silver Sun" - читать интересную книгу автора (Springer Nancy)

book one

THEFOREST



Chapter One



TheForest was the abode of warlocks, folk said, and gob-

lins, and other creatures even worse. Still, Alan bent his

staggering steps toward theForest , as a desperate man

will. Robbers had stripped him of everythingтАФhorse,

weapons, even his clothing. The peasants could not spare

him more than a beggar's crust. But within theForest wil-

derness, Alan hoped, he might be able to find something

to eat and a covering for his naked body.



He had not reckoned on his own dizzying weakness.

The world swam before his eyes, and trees encircled him

with a green blur. He sensed movement and angry shout-

ing, but he did not care. Then the sting of a sword-flat

across his back jolted him into full awareness.



Alan found himself facing a big, angry captain at the

head of a mounted patrol. The next blow of the captain's

sword knocked him to the ground. He lay sprawling, with

no strength to flee or defend himself. Closing his eyes,

Alan braced himself against the punishing blade.
But as suddenly as the blows had begun, they ceased.