"(ebook) Anthony Piers - Xanth 16 - Demons Don't Dream" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

"Now, this glade is a safe haven," Nada said. "But the moment we go out of it, we're playing the game proper, and there will be challenge and trouble. So while I don't want to bore you with too many explanationsЧ"

"You aren't boring me," Dug said quickly. She could have been delivering the world's dullest lecture on Shakespeare's most boring historical play (which was a fair description of a normal English class session), and still have fascinated him. He was satisfied just to remain in this glade and watch her talk. Because she seemed to be genuinely interested in him. That was surely the fakery of the game programming, but it was excellent fakery. He remembered a challenge that was ongoing: companies were trying to build a computer that could maintain a dialogue with a person so effectively that the person would not know it was a computer. The computer would be in a sealed-off room, so the person couldn't see, and would have to guess whether there was a computer or a person in there. So far no computer had fooled the experts, but it was getting close. Nada Naga, as an animated projection for such a computer program, was awfully close. She seemed so alive, and not just because of her appearance.

She smiled again, as he had hoped she would. 'Thank

DEMONS DON'T DREAM 13

you, Dug. I need to be sure you understand what is happening, because it is my job to take you as far through the game as possible, and if you fail to win the prize, it won't be through any fault of mine. But my ability is limited, and in any event the decisions are yours; I can only answer your questions and advise you. I myself don't know the winning course. But I do know Xanth, and so I will be able to guide you away from most of its dangers." She paused, glancing at him. "Are you familiar with Xanth?"

"Never heard of it," he said cheerfully. "I'm not a fantasy reader. I gather it's a hoked-up fantasy setting, with beautiful princesses, ugly goblins, walking skeletons, and smoky demonesses." He had picked that up from the list of alternate Companions. "I presume I'll have to cross mountains and chasms and raging rivers, and fight off fire-breathing dragons, and find special magic amulets to enable me to get into magically sealed vaults where the treasure lies. And that there are so many threats lined up that the chances are I'll be wiped out early, and then I'll have to start over, knowing a little more about what to avoid. Frankly, I'd rather just stay here and talk with you." His glance fell to her bosom, and bounced away, because when he was standing this close to her he could see right down inside. He loved the sight, but didn't want her to catch him staring. She might put on a jacket, ruining the view.

"You do seem to have a good notion of the game," she agreed. She inhaled, and he almost bit his tongue. "But you can't win it by staying here. So soon we shall have to лstart the trek. Normally the best first step is to go to ask .fee Good Magician Humfrey for advice. Unfortunately he Charges a year's service for a single Answer to a Question. Since that isn't feasible for youЧ"

"Right. No point in going there. Let's talk. Do you ever date MundanesT

* "Date? Do you mean one of the Seeds of Thyme? We might find one of those if we go to the right garden."

14 PIERS ANTHONY He laughed. "I mean, do you ever go out with Mun-

danesT

"I am about to go out into Xanth with you, to show you

the best route toЧ"

"I mean like doing something together. Seeing a show, having a meal, talking. Having fun."

Her lovely brow almost furrowed. "We shall be pursuing the quest together, and we shall see what Xanth has to show along the way. We shall talk as much as we need. I hope this is not unpleasant for you."

She just wasn't getting it So he tried once more. "Like maybe dancing together, and kissing."

Nada gazed at him, a peculiar expression crossing her face. She was finally getting it! "I think not. I am here to be your Companion. I am not your romance. Please do not try to kiss me."

Dug laughed again, but it was to cover up embarrassment She had told him no plainly enough. If he tried to kiss her, she would turn into a serpent and chomp him. "I was just asking. So what else do I need to know about the game?" Because if he had to play the game to keep her with him, it was worth it

Then he had to laugh at himself. Nada was a game figure on his computer screen! He couldn't kiss her anyway. Yet here he had gotten all interested, in the faint hope mat she might agree to do it He really was getting into mis. But wouldn't it be great if it were possible, and she were willing! She was so much better than the girlfriend he had just lost to his friend. So foolish as it was, he was going to try to please her, hi the hope that eventually she would agree to kiss him, even if it could be in name only. Nada got down to business. "It is almost impossible to win the prize directly* because we don't even know where to look for it So we shall have to go see the Good Magician, and hope that you can make some kind of deal with him for his advice. I know the way there, so will guide you. However, the path is dangerous hi places, and we don't know what might happen, so we shall have to be

DEMONS DON'T DREAM 15

very careful. There are enchanted paths, but those are for the regular folk of Xanth. We shall have to go crosscountry." She glanced up, smiling briefly. "That means we will encounter those mountains, chasms, rivers, and dragons you described, and may not even get as far as the Good Magician's castle."

"If we don't and I'm out of the game, may I ask for you again, the next time I play?"

"You may do so, but I will not be able to help you any better than the first time, because the threats will be changed. So you may be better off choosing another Companion, who may work better for you.**

"Will you remember me, in the next game?"

"Yes. But it may be difficult for me, because I may have seen you get eaten by a dragon. That would be traumatic for me."