"Patricia C. Wrede - Lyra Universe 3 - The Harp Of Imach Thys" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wrede Patricia C)

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THE HARP OF IMACH THYSSEL
An Ace Fantasy Book/published by arrangement with the author
PRINTING HISTORY
Ace Original/April 1985
All rights reserved. Copyright © 1985 by Patricia C. Wrede
Cover art by Joe Chiodo
This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part,
by mimeograph or any other means, without permission.
For information address: The Berkley Publishing Group,
200 Madison Avenue. New York, New York 10016.
ISBN: 0-441-31756-1
Ace Fantasy Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group, 200 Madison Avenue. New York. New
York 10016.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
/or all those who have contributed so much to Lyran history, particularly Vabronen, builder of
Castle Windsong, Neriwind, Karinobra, Macarato, Taldor, Virana, Nevarra, Calidion, Quain, Timlin
ri Aster, Viella, Luan, Delmar, Icebolt, Philomel, Jeness, Iranian, Verrick Kyel-Semrud,
Vallafana, Zylar, Colin, Halkana, Krendor, Maricor, Renalda, M aril lion, Agis, Kaskani, Coral
Starfmger, Araken, and anyone else whose proper name I may have forgotten.
One
Uark, still water reflected darker trees and a shadowed sky. As he rode along the take, Emcrcck
studied the scene, wondering whether he could capture it in words. It would make a good opening
fora tragic song, and he'd been thinking of trying to do a new arrangement of "Corryn's Ride." He
hummed the first line of music and paused to fit words around it. Dark water, still water, darker
yet the sky ...
"Emereck!" Flindaran's voice jolted him out of his reverie. "Is that an inn, or am I seeing
things?"
Emereck glanced at his friend, puzzled. He looked at the lake again, and for the first time became
aware of the town farther down the shore. It was a small village, hardly more than a cluster of
cottages, but even at this distance, Emereck could see the bulk of an inn at its center. "For once
you seem to have gotten something right. It's an inn. I take it you mean to stop?"
**Of course! I think we've earned a few small comforts after all this riding. A jug of Brythian
wine, a pretty girl, a little entertainment..."
Emereck laughed in spite of himself. "Beer and bed is all you're likely to find here. And if there
is any entertainment, we'll probably be providing it ourselves."
2 Patricia C. Wrede
Flindaran looked at him suspiciously. "You don't expect me to sing for them, do you?"
"How else would we get a meal and a room?"
"We could pay for it."
"With what?"
"I've got more than enough to pay for both of us, if you weren't so sticky about—"
"We've been^hrough that argument before, and you never win. Besides, this time it's not what I
meant."
"It's not? That's a first."
Emereck ignored him. "If you're going to pretend to be a minstrel, you'll have to act like one.
And no minstrel would pay for dinner if he could sing for it instead."
"Then I'll be a smith, or a soldier, or something instead."
"You'd give yourself away inside of three sentences. At least you know a little about music."