"Lawrence Watt-Evans - Dragon Weather" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watt-Evans Lawrence)

usual and had collected in that valley over in the
Sandalwood Hills.тАЭ He pointed over the shoulder of
the mountain; Arlian had never been to the
Sandalwood Hills, but he had seen them from the
crater rim and knew where his grandfather meant.
тАЬThe dragon must have come out late that
summer,тАЭ the old man continued, тАЬand no one
discovered it over the winter. When we got there in
the spring, there was nothing left but charred ruins
and bare bones.тАЭ
тАЬAnd how do you know it wasnтАЩt human raiders
who destroyed it?тАЭ ArlianтАЩs mother asked. тАЬThose
bandits in the south are surely bad enough without
worrying about dragons!тАЭ
тАЬThe Borderlands bandits never get anywhere
near this far north,тАЭ her father said; тАЬand human
raiders donтАЩt leave six-foot claw marks.тАЭ
тАЬAnd neither do dragons,тАЭ Sharbeth said, her
hands on her hips, тАЬbecause the dragons, if there
are really any left alive at all, stay asleep in their
caves, deep beneath the earth. You must have just
imagined those claw marks, Father, or
misinterpreted sword cuts or wagon ruts.тАЭ
тАЬThey were real, and they were claw marks,тАЭ her
father insisted, but without much vehemence;
Arlian realized that the two of them had
undoubtedly had this argument many times before,
as they had so many others, and had worn the
passion out of it. His mother and grandfather
argued often, and had done so ever since Grandsir
had first come to live with them while Arlian was
still a small child. He could barely remember a time
when Grandsir had not been thereтАФor when his
mother did not argue with him.
тАЬIтАЩm not going to listen to your nonsense,тАЭ
ArlianтАЩs mother said, with no great anger. тАЬIтАЩm
going to go see that those men have something fit to
eat when they get those wagons up here, something
to keep their strength up!тАЭ She turned and started
back toward the house.
Arlian hesitated. He wanted to stay close to his
mother, and help out when the water wagons
arrived, but he also wanted to hear his
grandfatherтАЩs story about the ruined villageтАФit
wasnтАЩt one he remembered hearing before. He
wanted to know more about the dragons and what
had become of them.
тАЬAre you coming, Arlian?тАЭ his mother called. She
paused and looked over her shoulder.
тАЬNo, Mother,тАЭ he replied. тАЬIтАЩll stay here for a