"(ebook) Anthony Piers - Xanth 07 - Dragon on a Pedestal" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

Chapter 1. Ivy League

Irene held her little girl snugly before her as they
rode the centaur. They were approaching Castle Zombie, and
she didn't want any problems about sliding off. Ivy, only three
years old, had not encountered a zombie before and might react
in an unfortunate manner.

Suddenly Irene experienced a terrible vision. She screamed
and almost fell off the centaur herself.

Chem Centaur spun her front section about, trying to catch
woman and child before they fell. Simultaneously, Chet jumped
close, reaching out to steady them. "What happened?" he asked,
his free hand reaching for the bow slung over his shoulder. "I
didn't see anything."

"You didn't; / did," Irene told the centaur, recovering. They
had been friends for a long time. "A vision. It appalled me."

King Dor, riding Chet, glanced obliquely at Irene. He ev-
idently did not know how serious this might be, so he limited
his comment to practicalities. "Let's get on inside the castle.
Then you can tell us about it." He didn't say so, but he might
have been nervous about having his daughter riding with a
person who screamed without apparent reason, for he reached
1

2 Dro9on on a Pedestal

across and lifted Ivy from Irene's arms. Irene stifled a flash of
anger and embarrassment, but did not resist the transfer. She
could hardly explain her reaction herself.

They rode on in slightly awkward silence, the two centaurs
choosing the path. Irene glanced at her husband and child. Dor
had been young and gangling when she had arranged to become
engaged to him, and still somewhat unprepossessing when she
had finally managed to marry him five years ago, even though
he was a full Magician. She remembered their nuptials with a
certain fondness; they had been in the zombie graveyard at
Castle Roogna. Most of those zombies were gone now, having
perished at the brutal hands of the invading Mundanes. It was
difficult for a zombie to die, since it wasn't really alive, but
it could be hacked to pieces. However, the newer zombies here
at the Zombie Master's own castle in the uncharted wilderness
of southern Xanth had not been subjected to such indignity.

She closed off that subject in her mind, as she was not
partial to zombies, useful and loyal though they might be. She