"(ebook) Anthony Piers - Xanth 15 - The Color Of Her Panties" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

coincidence, so she came up in sight of the isle which had once appeared
to be the most illustrious of regions. Her hair yellowed as it broke
the surface. She remembered again how she had captured Prince Dolph
here, despite the objection of his skeletal companioris Marrow Bones and
Grace'l Ossein. They had in the end turned out to be decent folk
despite their gauntness; indeed, they had helped her get her opals. She
wondered how they were doing; they had made a nice if somewh,-it
emaciated couple.

The Isle of Illusion no longer had much illusion, because the Sorceress
of illusion, Queen Emeritus Iris, had long since departed it. But a
faint tinge of great fancies still surrounded it, suggesting the
greatness of past imaginings. Perhaps some day another great
illusionist would inhabit it, and once again no one would know its
rather pedestrian reality.

She swam directly to the shore where the Gap Chasm debouched into the
eastern sea. She came as close to the small beach as she could without
getting out of the water.

Then, when the sand threatened to abrade her satiny skin, she sat up,
her tail folded before her. She concentrated, and her beautiful flukes
became misshapen lumps, while the main portion of her tail turned a
sickly pink. A lengthwise crease appeared, which deepened, until the
entire tail split into two ungainly limbs.

Mela bent these limbs at their knobby knees and set the bony feet firmly
against the sand. Then she heaved herself up, until she balanced
precariously on those awkward legs, knee-deep in the surf. It had been
a long time since she had gone on land, and it was hardly her notion of
tin, but it was the only way. The Good Magician lived on land, and
would not come to the sea.

Once she was sure of her equilibrium, she waded on out to the dry sand.
Her new legs were getting stronger as she got the hang of them, and her
balance was improving. She did know how to do this; she was merely out
of practice.

But when she walked away from the water, the sand grew hot, burning her
feet, and little sharp stones-tried to cut her soles. Her extremities
might be ugly, but they were also tender. Fortunately she knew where
there was a lady's slipper patch; she had seen it from the water. She
limped to it and picked two slippers. Naturally they fit perfectly, and
they protected her feet so that she could walk in comfort.

She came to the edge of the Gap, where the way turned steep. Now she
had to climb, but she could do that too, and clambered up across the
rocks and slopes without much trouble. She knew that she had to get out
of the chasm immediately, for two reasons. First, the sides became
considerably steeper farther in-everyone knew that!-and second, there