"03 - Shadowlight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jefferies Mike)

'Lead us to the Gates of Night!' shouted Errant, spurring
Dawnlight, first stallion of the Nighthorses, out of the crescent
and galloping to the King's side.

'Lead us! Lead us!' chanted Grey Goose, Captain Archer at
the far end of the crescent, rattling his quiver of newforged
arrows as he urged the Archers to step forward.

King Holbian hesitated, drawing Beacon Light's reins tight
in his hand. 'Our place is here as the legends foretold, upon the
Causeway Field. We dare not climb towards the Gates of
night.'

Errant shaded his eyes against the new morning's light and
looked up at the heather meadows where the sunlight reflected
from a forest of fast-moving spear blades and broad Marching
swords. 'Others have gone before us, my Lord. Look! They are
spread out across the mountainside in a mighty battle crescent.
Nightbeasts run before them shadowing the morning in their
haste to retreat towards the Gates of Night.'

'Tombel leads them!' shouted Breakmaster, shadowing his
eyes. 'Look, he carries the emblem of the owl in blue and gold.'

'Tombel!' cried the King, riding on a few paces and scanning
the steep mountainside.

'Yes, my Lord,' answered Errant, riding Dawnrise forward to
stand beside the King. 'He marshalled all the warriors with the
tattoo mark into a mighty battle crescent and led them out into
the wild grasslands beyond the ruins of the Granite City to
hunt the Nightbeasts. Clearly he has swept across all Elundium
on their heels driving them back to their foul begnunngs.'

King Holbian gripped Errant's arm, his eyebrows drawn into
a worried frown. 'Tombel may be on their heels but he cannot
outrun them; they will escape into the City of Night

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and strengthen the Nightmare against Thanehand. He will be
lost in their darkness.'

Errant twisted in the saddle, sweeping his hand in the
direction of the Nighthorses. 'Pledge me, Lord, to ride to
Tombel's aid. Let me follow him with the Nighthorses of
Underfall. We could strengthen his warriors before the sun has
touched the Causeway Field.'

King Holbian shivered with indecision, rubbing at the cracks