"Karl Edward Wagner - Kane 01 - Darkness Weaves" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wagner Karl Edward)

Kane shook his head and stood up. "Later, perhaps. Let him breathe now, though. As it happened,
there was only one man who followed you, and I was waiting for him. I think Imel will talk freely now."
His eyes held Imel in their deadly stare, now burning bright with anger. Imel knew he was very close to
death. "Who was he? Why was he following you?" Kane did not waste adding a warning not to lie, and
Imel probably couldn't have anyway--held in the cold grip of those eyes.

"An officer who accompanied me from Thovnos. He was my bodyguard. I've been through the slums of
Nostoblet trying to find you, and I felt it necessary to have him accompany me at a discreet distance.
Tonight I ordered him to follow me when I went with Arbas."

Kane considered him at length. "Yes; because you didn't trust him--and with good reason. Once he got
you alone, Arbas would have killed you without compunction for whatever valuables you carried--had I
not told him to bring you here. Curiosity on my part. All friend Bindoff could tell me was that you were a
younger offshoot of somewhat impoverished Thovnosian gentry, a man of dubious integrity but reputedly
adroit--and that you came to him with rather curious credentials and asked where to find me.

"So you are justified, but not pardoned. With every good soul in all South Lartroxia thirsting for my
blood, I can take no chances. Your coming here was a risk; your coming with an escort was a worse
risk. Maybe luck favors me this night, for I could discover no evidence that your friend was followed. At
any rate, I was forced to wait in the rain even longer after I'd dealt with One-Ear, to be certain he wasn't
followed. You see, I didn't trust you either, Imel. So I was waiting out there in the rocks beside the path.
Watched you and Arbas go by, and then met your friend. I think I may have given him a bad fright. He
did have an interesting ring, though."

With deceptive carelessness he tossed the ring onto the pile of odds and ends pilfered from the tombs.
He signed the disappointed assassin to release the Thovnosian, then demanded, "Once again, What's
your business?"

Imel slowly let out his breath as the dagger point withdrew. Trickles of sweat stung as they slid aver the
scarlet line across his throat. His neck felt dry where the assassin's hot breath had hit. Gathering his
shaken wits for an effort on which he knew his life hung, Imel began, "I was sent here by one who desires
your services--and who is willing to pay for them royally."

"Really? That's a bit vague, but it has a nice ring. Be more precise, though. In what form?"

"Wealth, power, position--a kingdom, perhaps."

"Now you begin to interest me. Let's hear details. Particularly with regard to my 'services,' as you put it."

"Certainly. But first, what do you know of the affairs of the Thovnosian Empire?"

"Of its current affairs very little. It has been some years since I visited the islands."
"In that event, you will pardon me if I embark upon a somewhat lengthy tale to explain my mission."

"If I find it interesting," Kane murmured--then exclaimed softly, "Damn! Look here!" An evil-hued tomb
beetle clattered to the table and lumbered determinedly toward the flickering lamp. Kane caught the large
scarab up and fascinatedly watched it crawl from hand to hand. "Messenger from the dead. They love to
burrow inside a rotting skull." He glanced up at Imel's strained face.

"Go ahead. I'm listening."