The Riftwar Legacy: The Complete 4-Book Collection. Raymond E. Feist

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СКАЧАТЬ to charge. One of the black-clad men carried a sword and readied himself to strike at James, while another leaped out of the way. At the corner of the barn, a third figure easily drew an arrow and nocked it to his bow, pulling back in a fluid draw. Suddenly a dark nimbus of energy splashed the side of the barn, missing him, but distracting him enough that he fell back without shooting.

      Gorath upon the second man was leaping from the back of his horse, while James engaged the first. Owyn cursed as he realized that while he had managed to unravel the mystery of the spell Nago had thrown at him and could now duplicate it, he couldn’t control it very well. He hoisted his staff over his head like a war club and rode toward the bowman, trying to strike him before he could loose his arrow.

      Gorath crushed his opponent’s throat with the flat of his blade, and rose up to see James having difficulty with his man, while Owyn rode around flailing at the third with his staff. The bowman was so busy trying to keep from having his head stove in by Owyn’s staff he couldn’t stop long enough to shoot. He finally tossed down his bow and tried to draw his sword.

      James saw Gorath standing uncertain of which way to move, and shouted, ‘Find the fourth one!’

      Gorath was off without another word, moving around the corner to find the door of the barn open. Inside was darkness to confound the human eye, but to the dark elf it was a pattern of darkness and light, greys and darker greys. He saw movement in the rafters above and along one wall to his left. He waited.

      A moment later the figure in the rafters slipped, causing some hay to fall, and the figure near the wall let fly with an arrow in the direction of the sound. Gorath charged. Before the Nighthawk could pull and fire again, the dark elf was upon him.

      The struggle lasted mere seconds as Gorath quickly killed his man. Outside Jimmy bested his own and turned his attention to the one Owyn harried.

      When the fighting was over, James and Owyn entered the barn and James said, ‘What’s here?’

      Gorath pointed up to the rafters and announced, ‘Someone hides up there.’

      James said, ‘Come down. We mean you no harm.’

      A man lowered himself from the rafters, hanging by his hands a moment before releasing his hold and dropping to the dirt floor. He landed nimbly on his toes and looked at his rescuers. ‘Thanks,’ he said.

      The man moved toward them and when he stopped a few feet away, Owyn said, ‘Gods!’

      James looked at the man, who looked enough like him to be his twin. ‘You must be Lysle,’ said James.

      ‘Why do you assume that?’ asked the man.

      ‘Because people keep mistaking me for you,’ said James, moving around so he faced the door and the scant light from outside could strike his features. ‘It got me almost murdered by some unhappy folks up in Tannerus some months back.’

      The man laughed. ‘Sorry, but they’re waiting for me to return with some items they sent me to purchase on their behalf. I’ve been distracted and am overdue in getting back there.’ He paused a moment, then said, ‘You do look enough like me to confuse people, it’s true. I’m Lysle Riggers.’

      ‘I’m James, from Krondor,’ came the reply. ‘These are my friends, Owyn and Gorath. We were on our way to Romney and when we were in Malac’s Cross an old woman thought I was you.’

      ‘Old Petrumh,’ said Lysle. ‘She’s a little crazy. She’s been that way since her husband died in a fire. Most of the folks in town give her something to eat or let her sleep in their barns. For some reason she’s taken to telling everyone she’s my gran.’ He shook his head.

      ‘Care to tell us why a bunch of Nighthawks are trying to kill you?’

      ‘Nighthawks?’ asked Riggers, shrugging. ‘Assassins? Can’t say as I would know why. Maybe they thought I was you.’

      Gorath looked at James and said nothing. Owyn said, ‘Maybe –’

      James cut him off. ‘No, someone wants you dead, Riggers. Let’s head into town and maybe by the time we get there you’ll remember why.’

      The man looked at the three before him as if weighing the possibility of flight or resistance. Obviously discarding either as an option, he nodded. ‘Let’s go. The Wayside is a decent enough inn, and I could use an ale after all this.’

      ‘Check the bodies,’ said James. Gorath and Owyn went outside to do so. ‘You have anything you need to fetch?’ asked James.

      Riggers said, ‘No. I had a sword, but lost it somewhere back in the woods running from those four. It wasn’t a very good one. I’ll take one off the dead outside.’

      Moving outside, James said, ‘Fair enough.’

      Owyn said, ‘They’re carrying nothing, James. No papers, no money, nothing. Just weapons and those black clothes.’

      Gorath came over and said, ‘And these,’ as he held up a medallion with a hawk on it.

      James took it, inspected it, and threw it to the ground. ‘These are the real Nighthawks,’ he said. ‘Not those frauds down in Krondor.’

      ‘Frauds?’ asked Riggers.

      ‘It’s a long story.’

      ‘Good,’ said Riggers. ‘That means a second ale. Let’s go.’ He set off toward the distant lights of the town, while the others mounted up.

      Owyn rode next to Jimmy and said, ‘For a fellow who was about to be chopped up by assassins, he’s pretty cheerful.’

      ‘Yes, he is,’ said James.

      They followed their new acquaintance into town.

       • SEVEN •

       Murders

      THE INN WAS CROWDED.

      Lysle Riggers led James, Gorath and Owyn into The Wayside, a tavern whose location was reflected in its name, situated as it was just on the edge of the city, and a good walk from the main street. But it seemed a popular place, with workingmen, armed fighters and some unsavoury-looking sorts packing the common room.

      James and his companions had left their horses with the lad who worked in the stabling yard, giving instructions for their care, and followed Lysle inside.

      Lysle led them over to a table in the corner. He motioned for them to sit and waved to the barman, who hurried over to take their order. James ordered a round of ale and some food, and the barman offered a quick glance between him and Riggers, but said nothing as he headed back to the kitchen.

      Riggers said, ‘Well, then, I owe you a story.’

      ‘A long one, you said,’ observed Gorath.

      Riggers said, ‘And you shall have it, but I have one question. What brought you so fortuitously СКАЧАТЬ