"01 - Daughter of the Drow - Elaine Cunningham 1.0.palmdoc.pdb" - читать интересную книгу автора (Starlight And Shadows)

insult. When I die, I'll no doubt realize something has changed. You, on the
other hand…"
"Perhaps I don't run through life at your pace, but that is no matter for scorn.
'Caution is the better part of wisdom."
"Bythnara quoted in a tight voice.
"And the major part of boredom," Liriel returned lightly.
"What about you, Syzwick?" she asked the male. Bythnara's latest consort was the
son of a well-to-do perfume merchant. He was obscenely wealthy, highly
decorative, spirited yet manageable—all qualities that made him very popular
with the females in their set. "Are you having second thoughts, as well?"
"Of course not," the male said staunchly, shifting his spear to his other
shoulder. "Still, we have been gone quite a long time."
"It'll be worth every moment," Liriel promised. She stopped suddenly, flinging
out a hand to indicate they should do likewise. She pointed downward, and both
of her companions gasped.
The trio stood on the very edge of a riverbank. Several feet below them lay a
calm, dark expanse of water. The river ran deep, silent, and very cold. Its
waters were said to come from lands of ice far above the Underdark. Although the
air here was warmer than the water, a constant cloud of mist floated over the
river like a guardian wraith.
The boat is moored right below us," Liriel said, pointing down at a long, narrow
skiff.
She leaped out over the dark water. Summoning her natural ability to levitate,
she hung in the air for a moment and then floated down to land lightly at the
bow of the boat. Her companions followed suit with considerably less gusto. They
quickly seated themselves to calm the rocking of the craft. They knew they could
not afford to tip over, and not just because of the icy waters.
For they were hunting pyrimo, small, fierce fish that could strip a full-grown
lizard mount to the bone in minutes. These fish were extremely aggressive, known
to leap from the water to attack animals that came to drink at the river's edge.
So sharp were their teeth and so powerful their jaws that the first bite was
often painless, unnoticed. The pain came quickly enough, though, for any blood
in the water summoned dozens of the voracious fish. Hunting them was a dangerous
sport, and accidents were not infrequent.
The first challenge was simply getting this far, for the tunnels that led to the
river were seldom traveled and rarely patrolled. The river itself was a
hazard—deceptively calm, given to sudden eddies and strong, random under- tows.
And the fish were dangerous even in death. Their flesh was delicate, tasty—and
highly toxic. Carefully prepared, pyrimo were more potent than wine, and any
party at which they were served instantly became an event. Fatalities among the
diners did occur from time to time, but they were rare. Carefully trained chefs
prepared pyrimo knowing their own lives depended on the result.
But the party was hours away, and before them lay the challenge of the hunt.
Liriel placed a booted foot on the bank and shoved hard. Her boat, tethered to
the rocky bank by a light mithril chain, glided toward the center of the river.
When the craft stilled, Liriel took up her spear and stood in the prow, feet
braced wide for balance. Bythnara echoed her stance in the stern, while Syzwick
took a seat in the center for ballast. The boat was designed so two could hunt
at a time, one on either end and well out of each other's reach. The fish
attacked even when impaled, and more than one drow had been bitten by his