"Ann Durand - Flight of the Gryphon" - читать интересную книгу автора (Durand Ann)

Soon, she burst free from the ferocious tow in the middle of the river and sped toward the edge, where
her legs hit the muddy bank. The thing wrapped around her foot hauled her, sliding, out of the river and
up a gentle slope. She came to rest on a landing, her wet and muddy spullera forced over her head.

She pried it off her face and peered at her foot. A rope, looped tightly around her ankle, led to a large
hoshdel, a four-legged beast of burden, snorting about twenty feet away. Her eyes followed the rope up
the animal's shaggy, red body to a man frozen in the saddle and staring at her. Swiveling around in the
mud to sit up, she pulled her spullera down over her knees, confronted his gaze…and shuddered

He was wearing an ulli, the garment of the fearful Kastaks, minions of Askinadon who roamed
everywhere to perform the dark biddings of their master. The ulli, a single, tight-fitting shiny silver suit,
shimmered upon him like oil on water. The sleeves were long and extended over his hands, wrapping
around his fingers like gloves. His pants covered his legs and formed snugly over his feet like silver boots.
Without a seam, button, tie, or fastener anywhere in sight, it laid upon him like a coat of iridescent paint.
A red emblem marked the chest with a series of three interlocking circles. His hair was long,
wheat-colored and tied back off his face. His features were strong, and his blue-eyed stare unrelenting.
Hateful servant of the dark one. She did not intend to submit and was about to curse him when he
spoke.

"Where did you think you were going?"

His face softened as he broke into a grin. The non-threatening tone of his voice startled her. She looked
at him more closely. His eyes were sparkling with humor, even kindness. Her Lan Ma Ke, a gift she'd
inherited from her mother, glowed like an ember in her chest. Triggered in extreme circumstance usually
by a human voice, her Lan Ma Ke allowed her to feel the intentions of others, be it warm and inviting or
dangerous and threatening. She knew the moment she heard his voice that he was not going to harm her.
This man could not have come from the cartel of Askinadon. Yet, he wore the ulli.

"Who are you?" she asked.

His laugh startled her more than his voice. It was deep…and playful, an attitude nearly vanquished from
Parallon.

"I asked you the first question," he said, as if he were teasing.

She opened her mouth and was about to demand her release when the Voice slammed back into her
thoughts like a charging herd of rocsadons. She jammed both hands over her ears.

Katera. You dare defy the Great One.

"Ahh!" Katera wailed, boxing her ears.

For this, you shall suffer. Katera's head slumped between her knees. You will listen to my Voice as
it rings in your head like one thousand screeching whistles. It will not end until you arrive at the
Kopa Na An and summon your takatak. Go now. The Voice echoed painfully.

"Nooo."

I will make you suffer, Katera. Every word unleashed an avalanche of daggers inside her skull. Katera
stumbled to her feet, her arms wrapped around her head. She started back in the direction of the