"Michael A. Stackpole - Dragon Crown Saga 3 - When Dragons Rage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stackpole Michael A)

minimum. A corner of the cellar had been cleared and a patch of straw had been spread
out. An eyebolt had been hitched to a rafter and from it hung chains that ended in manacles.
The chains were long enough that Crow could lie down, and that surprised Alexia.
The light from her lantern finally touched Crow himself, bleeding some color into what had
been the white ghost of a figure huddled in the corner. HeтАЩd been stripped of his clothing,
and while his long white hair and beard suggested antiquity, his body was still that of a
younger man. His left leg remained slightly swollen from broken bones that had only been
partially healed by magick. A single scar started at his hairline to the right side of his face,
came down over his cheek, then picked up two companions at his collarbone, which then
traced down past his hip and thigh to his knee. A plethora of other scars, all white with age,
crisscrossed his body.
Alexia gasped тАФ not because of his nakedness or the scars, but because of the new
livid bruises on his chest, his arms, legs, and face. His lower lip had been split and his left
eye was all but swollen shut. A crust of blood matted the hair at his right temple and one
bruise on his chest clearly bore the imprint of a bootheel.
Her gasp snapped his good eye open. Anger rather than fear flashed through it, then the
right corner of his mouth tugged back in a smile. тАЬPrincess. I am honored. Forgive me for not
getting up.тАЭ
Alexia shook her head and crouched down, setting the lantern at the edge of the straw.
тАЬThey beat you?тАЭ
тАЬThey were provoked.тАЭ
She frowned. тАЬYou went with them peacefully. You wouldnтАЩt do anything stupid.тАЭ
He snorted, and his smile stretched the split lip. тАЬYour confidence in me is gratifying. I am
afraid I did provoke them.тАЭ
тАЬHow?тАЭ
He raised his hands. тАЬTheyтАЩd looped the chain high enough that I couldnтАЩt lie down.тАЭ His
right eye sparkled as he separated his hands, then, quickly, slammed his wrists together.
The manacles hit hard with a muffled clang, then the right one sprang open. тАЬA manacle is
only as good as the spring that keeps the catch shut. I unwound a bunch of the chain from
around the rafter. After that I helped myself to some of the provisions down here. They have
some passable wine in that cask over there, and there is some good cheese in that wooden
box.тАЬ
Alexia smiled in spite of herself. тАЬSo, I shouldnтАЩt have been worried about you at all?тАЭ
He winced as he shifted more fully onto his left hip. тАЬNot concerning my hunger. As it was,
they decided I had some sort of key in my clothes, so they took them. Then they decided I
needed a lesson.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩll make sure they get you some clothes. IтАЩm freezing myself down here, and IтАЩve got a
quilted gambeson on under this mail.тАЭ She rubbed her gloved hands over her arms. тАЬYou
wonтАЩt have to endure the cold tonight.тАЭ
He shrugged. тАЬIтАЩve been in far colder climes and survived, but your kindness is
appreciated, Highness.тАЭ
тАЬCrow, you should call me Alyx.тАЭ
тАЬHighness, we have been through this before.тАЭ
тАЬTimes are different, Crow. Before you didnтАЩt want any familiarity because you said our
causes would someday force us apart. You didnтАЩt want to be a liability. I didnтАЩt know what
you were talking about then, but now that I do, it doesnтАЩt matter.тАЭ
Crow snapped the manacle back around his right wrist. тАЬHighness, I wasnтАЩt thinking
about who I had been when I said that. And I must apologize for misleading you. I would have
gladly shared with you all I knew of your father. I didnтАЩt know him long or well, but I respected
him. That I could not act to save his life is the single greatest regret of my life.тАЭ