Книга только для ознакомления
. His wrists
were raw and bloody from the hemp's chafing. Dunvane
took the wheel now and turned it left and right, but the
steering ropes were slack and the ship did not respond.
He drew in a deep breath and coughed. Feathers of
smoke clung to the SUNCHASER; the shredded sails were
still burning. Dunvane had never seen anything like the
blazing hot tempest that had swept down upon them. The
wind was like fire itself, and it consumed more than the
ship's sails. Those sailors who'd had the ill fortune to be
standing on the windward side of the ship had ignited like
candles. Half of Dunvane's crew of fourteen died in that
instant. He and the others who'd been on deck had burns on
their faces and hands and arms.
Then came the waves. Breakers as high and solid as cliffs
fell on them. Only Dunvane's seamanship had saved the
SUNCHASER, as he turned stern first to the crushing
waves. The ship rode out the extraordinary storm, but with
all the spinning and turning, the captain had no idea where
they'd come to be.
What crewmen remained were scattered on deck, laid
out by exhaustion. Dunvane staggered to the waist of the
ship, shaking the sailors awake. Four men, he found, were
beyond waking. Within a short time, the only three
survivors of the SUNCHASER'S crew were on their feet.
"Set the lads to clearing away those fallen shrouds,"
Dunvane said.
First Mate Norry croaked the order, then asked his
captain, "As we're short-handed, sir, will we be puttin' back
for Palanthas?"
Dunvane squinted into the billowing clouds
|
