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

had helped Kane put out the fires—working through the vision
his eyes had given the scene. Cautiously she reached out with her
mind to link with the attackers. Avoiding the touch of those
whose contact so distressed her, she felt for Alidore. At that
distance she could appreciate only dimly the sensory impulses his
mind emanated.
"It's hard to say, Kane. The one you shot first is still moving.
They don't seem to be getting ready to charge just yet. Some are
watching us, and the others are watching someone who seems to
be working at something on the ground—I can't tell what.
Kane—he's the one that scared me worst—the one who knew I
was blind! I think he must be a sorcerer from bits of their
thoughts. I could never touch that demented mind of his again!"
"A sorcerer! As if a simple attack by a band of professionals
wasn't enough!" Kane swore. "I wonder though—I've heard of
some madman called Gaethaa the Avenger who travels with a
wizard in his band. A savior of the oppressed, they call him.
Maybe this is Gaethaa then who's gone to all the trouble to trail
me here—he's fanatical enough to pull the stunt from all I hear!
Thought he usually kept a small army with him though."
Anxiously he gauged the amount of daylight left. "Suppose
there's no chance they'll let it grow dark enough for us to make a
break. They'll rush as soon as it's too dark for me to pick them off
in the open. Break through the garden without any problem and
be at the door. I'll try to take them one by one in the entrance
hall—maybe get a few shots off first. No, they'll expect that and
enter in groups from both sides to surround me. Damn! Wish 1
knew what that wizard or whatever they have can do! Rehhaile,
can you maybe try to enter his mind long enough to..."
Rehhaile cried out in terror. "Kane! Something's wrong! I can't
stay awake! Kane! I feel like I..." Her frightened voice trailed off.
Like a collapsing puppet, she slumped to the floor. Arms pushed
out to hold back the lethargy gave way brokenly, dropping her
body to the planks with a soft thump. A tremor shook her as she
struggled to rise, then her face fell back, unconsciousness
preserving a mask of fear.
Kane struggled to keep to his feet! Blackness slashed through
his mind, and his limbs were cased in lead! His strength slipping
from him, Kane grimly recognized the cold touch of a spell of
paralysis! A simple spell, but one for which he was totally
unprotected. No time even to work the counterspell that almost
any third-rate conjurer could command.
Desperately he fought the spell. It was a weak one, or he too
would lie stretched out on the floor. Still he knew he was helpless
to fight off an attack unless be could break free. Sweat dripping
from his frame, Kane forced wooden muscles to move limbs of
stone. There was a chance for him if he could only move outside
the spell's range.
He tottered to the stairway, commanding his body to resist the
spell with every atom of his will. On the first step he lost balance