"Roger Taylor - Caddoran" - читать интересную книгу автора (Taylor Roger)

Caddoran

Roger Taylor

Mushroom eBooks

Chapter 1

Mist folded around the five figures on the beach, reducing their world to a grey, shifting dome, and
deadening everything around them. Even if they had not been afraid of discovery, it would have made
them lower their voices.

Hyrald massaged his left arm with his right hand, to stave off the chilly dampness that was threatening to
make him shiver. His sister moved to his side and voiced the inevitable question.

тАШWhere are we?тАЩ

Hyrald would have liked to reply, тАШJust another damned lake. WeтАЩll find shelter for the night and move
around it in the morning,тАЩ but every sense told him otherwise.

тАШItтАЩs the sea, Adren,тАЩ he said flatly.

Standing only a few paces away, Thyrn, slight and restless, and his uncle, Nordath, both turned to him as
they caught the reply. The third man, Rhavvan, taller and heavier than the others, presumably also heard
but made no response. He continued staring intently into the mist.

тАШWhat?тАЩ Thyrn demanded querulously.

тАШThe sea,тАЩ Hyrald confirmed, more relaxed now that the word had been spoken, though he glanced
uneasily at Rhavvan, who had moved further away and now stood vague and insubstantial at the
shadowy limit of his vision.

Thyrn looked around into the greyness as if for an ally. тАШThe sea! It canтАЩt be. The seaтАЩs to the east, not
north. Are you sure? How do you know? Gods, weтАЩll be trapped if we canтАЩt move on . . .тАЩ

тАШSniff the air.тАЩ Hyrald cut across the outburst almost viciously. He was in no mood to debate the obvious
and ThyrnтАЩs nervous disposition had to be firmly handled if it was not to run out of control. тАШThatтАЩs salt. I
remember it well enough now. Be quiet.тАЩ He raised a hand to emphasize the order.

Thyrn blew out a steaming breath into the mist and stamped a foot irritably. Water welled up around his
boot. Hyrald caught his eye and he fell still.

Into the ensuing silence came the sound that Hyrald was listening for. A soft, distant lapping. He
motioned the group forward and soon they were standing at the waterтАЩs edge. It glistened, oily smooth in
the dull light, and quite still save for an occasional slow welling like the sleeping breath of a great animal.
A thin foam-specked rim slithered slightly towards them, then retreated.

тАШThis is the sea?тАЩ Thyrn whispered, curious now, as well as frightened. тАШI always thought it would be
noisy тАУ violent тАУ great waves crashing in. Like in the old tales тАУ and pictures.тАЩ He waved his arms in
imitation, then crouched down and tentatively dipped a finger into the water. Hyrald watched him тАУ Thyrn