"Saje Williams - Sword And Shadow" - читать интересную книгу автора (Williams Saje)

brief, unconscious gesture. He knew RavenтАФknew RavenтАЩs hard-earned
reputation as the cityтАЩs chief thief-taker, but an aura swam around
Raven that made even the toughest man wary.
And Goban was one of the hardest. Ten years spent as a caravan
guard, then five running what some laughingly called the most elite
squad in the watch had honed him to a razorтАЩs edge. The jagged,
puckered scar marring the left side of his face from the corner of his eye
to the edge of his mouth definitely gave him a sinister, rakish air.
Despite his unfortunate appearance, Goban was known for being as
solid as the day was long, a rare find in a city as corrupt as this one, and
in a profession as dirty as his was known to be.
Rather than being drummed him out of the service because he didnтАЩt
participate in the graft prevalent throughout the rest of the constabulary,
Sergeant Goban had been assigned to the most impoverished district,
where no one had the money to engage in the game in the first place.



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 Saje Williams



And there was so much crime in the poor quarter that Goban, alone of all
the watch sergeants working Quinal, welcomed the occasional help from
a thief-taker like Raven.
It was a fragile thing on which to build a bridge of trust, but it was all
they had.
Raven let his gaze pass across the assembled watchmen, not needing
any particular empathic ability to sense them shrinking away slightly.
One man paled and whispered to his companion with a shudder. тАЬTтАЩaint
natural, I tell you.тАЭ
And he, of course, is quite correct. Not that IтАЩm going to tell him that.
тАЬI assume you called us down here for a reason, thief-taker?тАЭ Goban
was brusque, as always.
тАЬI did indeed. I think IтАЩve found the source of Dark Dream.тАЭ
This got their attention. How could it not? TheyтАЩd been looking for
whoever was making or bringing in that drug for almost ten years now to
no avail, suggesting to Raven, if to no one else, that it was most likely an
out-world operation. The purpose behind it, however, remained as much
a mystery to him as to the likes of Goban.
тАЬWhere?тАЭ Goban asked. тАЬI have some favors I can call inтАФget us an
extra fifteen men for the raid.тАЭ
Raven shook his head. тАЬIтАЩm not sure thatтАЩs a good idea. Anything
overt would be dangerous as hell, and most likely get too many men
killed. I believe one of the ringleaders is a warlock.тАЭ
The men made warding signs and muttered amongst themselves.
Raven suppressed a sigh. He hated using the term warlock, but that was
this worldтАЩs title for a rogue mage. Considering that any not okayed by
the Church was declared as such the first time he or she cast a spell,