"David Gemmell - Drenai Saga 04 - Quest For Lost Heroes" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gemmel David)

QUEST
FOR LOST
HEROES

David A. Gemmell
 Dedication

Some men climb mountains, or found empires, others make fortunes or create classics. But Quest for Lost Heroes is dedicated with love
to Bill Woodford, who took on the role of stepfather to a shy, introverted and illegitimate six-year-old boy, and never once let him down.
Through his patient encouragement, his quiet strength and his endless affection he gave his son the pride and the confidence to fight his own
battles – both in life and on the printed page. Thanks, Dad!
 Acknowledgements

Grateful thanks also to Liza Reeves, for the direction, Jean Maund for copy-editing, and Tom Taylor, Stella Graham, Edith Graham and
Val Gemmell for the test reading.
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
CHAPTER TWO .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 13
CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
CHAPTER FOUR......................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
CHAPTER FIVE .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
CHAPTER SIX............................................................................................................................................................................................. 46
CHAPTER SEVEN ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 50
CHAPTER EIGHT ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 56
CHAPTER NINE.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 63
CHAPTER TEN ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 70
CHAPTER ELEVEN.................................................................................................................................................................................... 76
CHAPTER TWELVE................................................................................................................................................................................... 81
CHAPTER THIRTEEN................................................................................................................................................................................ 87
CHAPTER FOURTEEN .............................................................................................................................................................................. 92
CHAPTER FIFTEEN ................................................................................................................................................................................... 99
EPILOGUE................................................................................................................................................................................................. 102
 PROLOGUE
Three men were down, the other four formed a half circle around the huge, ugly man in the bearskin jerkin.
'You want to know what it's like on the mountain?' he asked them, his voice slurred. He spat blood from his mouth, which stained his red
and silver beard. His attackers hurled themselves forward and he met the first with a crashing blow to the chin which sent the victim
sprawling to the sawdust-covered floor. Blows rained in on him. He ducked his bald head and charged at the remaining three, but his foot
slipped and he fell, dragging a man with him. A booted foot lashed into his face but he swung his arm to knock the man from his feet. The
ugly man staggered upright and leaned back against the wooden counter, his eyes narrowing as two of his attackers drew daggers from their
belts. Dropping his right arm, he pulled a long skinning-knife from his boot. It was double-edged and wickedly sharp.
The innkeeper moved silently behind him and the blow to the back of the ugly man's neck was sudden. His eyes glazed. The knife
dropped from his fingers and he fell face down to crash alongside his victims.
'I'll cut his puking heart out,' said one of his attackers, moving forward.
'That would not be wise,' the innkeeper told him. 'The man is a friend of mine. And I would be obliged to kill you.' The words were
spoken softly, but with a confidence which cut through the atmosphere of anger and sudden violence.
The man slammed his dagger home in its sheath. 'Someone will kill him one day,' he said.
'Sadly that is true,' the innkeeper agreed, opening the flap on the counter and kneeling beside the unconscious man in the bearskin. 'Are
your friends alive?'
Two of the men were groaning, and a third struggled to sit. 'Yes, they're alive. What was that nonsense about a mountain?'