"Karl Edward Wagner - Cold Light" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wagner Karl Edward)

The old Nandai villa had been situated somewhat apart from
the neighboring structures. It stood against a small lake on one
side, a lake which curved back upon the inner wall in one
direction and extended toward the low outer wall in the other.
Rotted piers tenanted by half-sunken vessels reached out across
its quiet surface, and the lake shore was overgrown with tall
reeds and low shrubs. The overgrown gardens encircled the old
villa, and outside garden wall there had once been tilled fields.
These fields were now in weeds with a sparse growth of young
palms and pine trees, but there was little or no cover afforded
here, and the villa was in effect surrounded by a clearing.
"No chance of riding up on him unobserved," Alidore
commented.
Gaethaa grunted acknowledgement. Turning to Cereb
Ak-Cetee, he asked, "Gavein still swears he knows of no
protective magic that Kane has invoked to guard his lair. How
about it?"
The wizard absent-mindedly picked at his nose and stared at
the villa. "Well, there's no immediate evidence that we'll be
dealing with sorcery here. I think we've caught Kane totally off
guard. Give you odds we could ride in on him right nbow and
take him."
Mollyl looked at Gavein knowingly and whispered something
to Jan, who laughed and stropped his gleaming hook across his
leather pants. "Now, Gavein," Mollyl grinned, "I just know you're
telling us the truth about old Kane living out here all alone and
all. But Jan here thinks maybe you might be holding back
something on us—maybe Kane keeps some men around here as
bodyguards, or maybe Kane has some little sorcerous devices
waiting for his enemies. You sure you got your story straight,
Gavein? You're not going to let Jan change your mind for you
now, are you?" Gavein shuddered, eyeing the razor-edged hook
in fascination.
"Cut it out, Mollyl," Gaethaa commanded. "I believe him.
These people are too gutless to lie to us."
"Cereb, make damn sure Kane doesn't have anything in store
for us we aren't expecting! The black hearted devil didn't live this
long on the strength of his reputation alone. Others have been
destroyed by Kane when they thought he was helpless, and I'm
not about to believe we'll walk in and find him snoring away on a
pile of empty wine jugs!"
The wizard slipped to the ground and began to remove a
number of items from his voluminous packs. "Let you know for
certain in a minute. But we'll end up wasting our advantage of
surprise at this rate."
"Kane has no reason to expect us," Alidore pointed out.
"No, we don't look too suspicious, do we now." Cereb
Ak-Cetee shrugged and bent to his work. His movements were
certain, and his slender fingers arranged his paraphernalia with
professional confidence. For all his youth, the Tranodeli was well