"David Gemmell - Drenai Saga 01 - Legend" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

'Awesome. It was just before Skeln and the defeat of the Immortals.
Just a skirmish really. Yes, he was very good.'
'You're not terribly strong on detail, Horeb.'
'You want me to sound like the rest of these fools, jabbering about war
and death and slaying?'
'No,' said Rek, draining his wine. 'No, I don't. You know me, don't
you?'
'Enough to like you. Regardless.'
'Regardless of what?'
'Regardless of the fact that you don't like yourself.'
'On the contrary,' said Rek, pouring a fresh glass, 'I like myself well
enough. It's just that I know myself better than most people.'
'You know, Rek, sometimes I think you ask too much of yourself.'
'No. No, I ask very little. I know my weaknesses.'
'It's a funny thing about weakness,' said Horeb. 'Most people will tell
you they know their weak-nesses. When asked, they tell you, "Well, for
one thing I'm over-generous." Come on then, list yours if you must.
That's what innkeepers are for.'
'Well, for one thing I'm over-generous - especially to innkeepers.'
Horeb shook his head, smiled and lapsed into silence.
Too intelligent to be a hero, too frightened to be a coward, he
thought. He watched his friend empty his glass, lift it to his face and
peer at his own frag-mented image. For a moment Horeb thought he would
smash it, such had been the anger on Rek's flushed face.
Then the younger man gently returned the goblet to the wooden table.
'I'm not a fool,' he said, softly. He stiffened as he realised he had
spoken aloud. 'Damn!' he said. 'The drink finally got to me.'
'Let me give you a hand to your room,' offered Horeb.
'Is there a candle lit?' asked Rek, swaying in his seat.
'Of course.'
'You won't let it go out on me, will you? Not keen on the dark. Not
frightened, you understand. Just don't like it.'
'I won't let it go out, Rek. Trust me.'
'I trust you. I rescued you, didn't I? Remember?'
'I remember. Give me your arm. I'll guide you to the stairs. This way.
That's good. One foot in front of the other. Good!'
'I didn't hesitate. Straight in with my sword raised, didn't I?'
'Yes.'
'No, I didn't. I stood for two minutes shaking. And you got cut.'
'But you still came in, Rek. Don't you see? It didn't matter about the
cut - you still rescued me.'
'It matters to me. Is there a candle in my room?'
*
Behind him was the fortress, grim and grey, outlined in flame and
smoke. The sounds of battle filled his ears and he ran, heart pounding,
his breathing ragged. He glanced behind him. The fortress was close,
closer than it had been. Ahead were the green hills sheltering the
Sentran Plain. They shimmered and retreated before him, taunting him
with their tranquillity. He ran faster. A shadow fell across him. The
gates of the fortress opened. He strained against the force pulling him