"Tanya Huff - Death Rites" - читать интересную книгу автора (Huff Tanya)

There was a small danger it could get hung up, but taking out this particular target without their kit was
more of a challenge than she'd accept—although during their journey, Bannon had expressed interest in
trying. She watched her brother fill his lungs—once, twice, three times—and tried not to grin at his .
expression as he submerged. If d be her turn soon enough.

The dark water was shallow and the moon nearly full. Vree watched the glimmer of Bannon's
shoulders disappear, his back, his legs, his feet. The rope played out smoothly through her fingers.
She'd counted slowly to a hundred and fifteen when the rope stilled. Four feet, maybe five
followed Bannon into the hill all at once, then three short tugs. He'd reached the other side.

Moving quickly, working her fingers to keep them from going numb hi the cold, she tied off both
kits, one behind each other. One breath. Two. A sound from the shore. Drawing in the thud breath,
she turned.


file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/Tanya%20%20Huff%20-%20Death%20Rites.html (9 of 18)23-12-2006 20:00:15
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The unmistakable silhouette of three ravens watched her from the dead branches of a skeletal tree.

One hand rose to touch the onyx amulet of Jnr she wore on a leather thong around her neck, the
other pulled twice at the rope. Releasing the third breath, she dropped her gaze to the water, but
even as she followed the two packets in under the rock, she could feel the ravens vvatching.

The cold made it hard to think about anything but the cold. There wasn't room enough to swim
against the current, nor was it smooth enough to allow Bannon to drag her along with their
supplies. Arms outstretched, she pulled herself forward, counting slowly once again.

At 71, her reaching hand felt waxed linen. It wasn't moving. Pulling herself up as dose as she could,
she stretched out an aim beneath it, along the bottom. The stream bed narrowed suddenly, went
from a horizon-

tal slice through the hill to a vertical one and the first kit had jammed.

…72…

… 73…

… 74…

… 75…

The rear kit pressed harder against her shoulder, she punched the bottom of the first as hard as she could.

… 76…

…77…

All at once it jerked free and through. She guided the second as well as she was able and followed,
turning sideways and up, the rock scraping almost gently against belly and front of thighs. A six-count