"Karl Edward Wagner - Kane 03 - Bloodstone" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wagner Karl Edward)

are true about Malchion hiring some more troops to attack Selonari."

"That old tale's been blowing around these hills in one form or another long as I can think back," scoffed
someone.

The contents of the jewel merchant's bag were carefully poured out on a blanket, where they tossed
sparkles of firelight back into the circle of greedy eyes. A dozen pairs of hands twitched in eagerness to
seize the treasure, but the bandits held back while Hechon fingered through the loot calculatingly. His
would be the final word as to how everything would be divided among his band.

"Damn! Here's something interesting now!" muttered Hechon. A three-fingered hand reached down and
lifted a ring into the firelight. Experienced eyes weighed the object. "Huh! Thought this looked strange!
Ring's way too big for most people, and I can't quite call this metal. Not right for silver--too hard.
Wonder if this is maybe platinum--that's a costly metal and hard as iron. I've heard tell they work it up
north or somewhere. Thought this gem was bloodstone at first; too, but it don't look like any I ever seen.
See how the light seems to shine into it a ways... you can almost follow the veins of red down into the
gem."

"Let me see that ring." The big man seated apart from them spoke at last; Hechon's discovery of the ring
had aroused him from his brooding aloofness.

Eyes turned at his low voice. Hechon looked toward him in shrewd calculation, and after a pause he
tossed the bloodstone ring to him. "Sure, Kane. Take a look, then. If you're too tired to come stand
around with the rest of us."

Kane caught the object in his left hand and held it before his eyes. In silence he studied the ring, carefully
turning it about in the light, as if he saw a legend inscribed on its surface. He seemed lost in thought for a
long while, then announced abruptly, "I want this ring as part of my share of the booty."

Hechon rankled at his tone. He had had second thoughts about accepting Kane into his band since the
red-haired stranger had come to him two months before. He brought along a handful of others--all that
survived when their old gang of outlaws had been surprised by a troop of mercenaries sent out by the
coastal cities to make the mountain passes safe for commerce. Where Kane had come from before that,
Hechon neither knew nor cared. However, of Kane's deadly skill in battle the bandit leader did know,
for the awesome might of the stranger's sword arm quickly made his name feared throughout theOcalidad
Mountains. And although Hechon immediately recognized the threat Kane posed to his leadership, he
had judged his position among his own men too secure for the other to challenge outright... and in a raid
Kane was worth a dozen lesser rogues.

Now Kane's confident appropriation of the bizarre ring struck resentment in Hechon's shrewd mind.
Best to assert command now, he decided, before the others began to accept Kane's wishes as law in
other matters. "I decide how the take gets split up," he growled. "Anyway, that's a valuable ring, and I've
taken a liking to it myself."

Kane frowned slightly and continued to examine the bloodstone ring speculatively. "Bloodstone is
scarcely a precious gem, and this ring's value is only that of a curiosity," he offered reasonably. "Still, I
find it somewhat intriguing, and it looks like it might not be much too large for my hand. So maybe it's just
a whim, but I want it. As to its dubious monetary worth, I'll take a big chance and accept this ring in lieu
of the rest of my share of the spoils. That's leaving you others with an extra slice of obvious value to split
up."