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

"Our light cavalry is good enough," growled Arbas, feeling something approaching patriotism.

"That's true," conceded Imel. "And herein is our greatest danger. They have mounted patrols covering
the roads and passes through the mountains, so we'll have to sneak through them or plan a running fight.
Fortunately, the authorities have grown lax in their search for you, Kane, and we won't have as much
trouble as we would have had, say, two months ago."

"Yeah. I know about those damned patrols. I was waiting for them to grow laxer still," said Kane.
"There are definite advantages to biding your time..."

"Advantages we can't wait for, I'm afraid. We've already pressed our luck by waiting this long. If the
ship is discovered, everything is ruined. We don't dare hold off any later than tomorrow night."

"How many men do you have with you?"

"Seven--no, six," Imel corrected.

"Well, that should be enough men to carry us through a running fight, though that many will be ticklish to
slip past any large patrols unseen." Kane rubbed his beard in thought. "Coming along, Arbas?"

"No, thanks," the assassin replied. "My trade affords me both wealth and excitement enough for my
tastes. Conspiracy on so large a scale is not to my liking."

They passed another hour settling details and swapping anecdotes over a jar of wine, and Imel began to
think that Kane could be almost likable if you just avoided his eyes. The man was an enigma: gigantic, of
savage strength, a hardened warrior; withal he was no barbarian outlaw, but a man of cold intelligence
whose knowledge was extensive in whatever area their conversation touched.

At last when the storm had somewhat abated, Arbas and Imel slipped out and began to pick their
course carefully back along the rain-slick ledge. They were almost beyond the tombs when the light of
Arbas's lantern caught something white moving toward them.

"Watch it!" hissed Arbas and whipped out his sword. Biting back the taste of fear that the weird
apparition had churned in his gut, Imel did likewise--hoping it was only soldiers that they had to deal
with.

Arbas threw open the lantern shield. The white object suddenly fell with a slopping thud. Half-seen in the
flickering light, emaciated figures with leprous flesh crouched and snarled--then scurried off into the
shadows. The shapes disappeared into the night, although an occasional pair of luminous eyes could be
glimpsed beyond the lantern light.

Stealthily the two men approached the motionless object, and Imel suddenly felt recognition and with it,
sickness. It was the corpse of the unfortunate bodyguard who had followed him and been cut down by
Kane. The mystery of his presence here was clear at first glance. His body had been partially eaten, the
fleshy parts of his face, arms, and legs gnawed away. Entrails hung across the ledge.

"Ghouls!" cursed Arbas. "Those were ghouls carrying him back to their dens to ripen!" He studied the
shadows with grim intensity. "Well, let's just hope those carrion-eaters haven't the courage to attack two
armed men with a light!"