"Anthony, Piers - Adept - 06 - Unicorn Point" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

"Then we part," Mach said regretfully. "I shall return to
Proton; Bane will be in touch." He became the griffin, spread
his wings, and launched into the air. Soon he was gone.

"I know you want to restore relations with Fleta," Stile
said as they resumed their journey. "Perhaps some day some-
thing will enable it."

UNICORN POINT 111

Neysa did not answer, but that was answer enough. Her
nature prevented her from forgiving her offspring, but she
loved Fleta, and hoped that some legitimate avenue of for-
giveness would develop. Just as Stile hoped that he would
somehow be able to prevail over the Adverse Adepts. Perhaps
both hopes were futileЧbut perhaps not.

For there was much that was not spoken. All of them knew
that the Adverse Adepts kept constant watch on Stile and
Neysa and the Lady Blue, so as to block any action they
might initiate against the Adepts. Anything spoken was over-
heard and analyzed. Perhaps the Adepts were foolish enough
to believe that there were no unspoken plans, but Stile doubted
that.

So he said nothing truly private aloud. This had become
automatic these past five years. But he spoke freely of other
things, so as to maintain the semblance of carelessness, and
also to fatigue the snoopers with trivia. That way if some-
thing private slipped out, it just might be overlooked. After
all, constant surveillance was also a constant drain on their
magic.

"Mach's power is greater than I had thought," he said.
"He cured your founder without seeming effort. I could have
done it, but not nearly so readily."

She made a musical agreement. Unicorns were resistive to
incidental magic, but Adept magic was hardly incidental. The
demons must have plotted for a long time to obtain and place
that founder spell, and it had been devastatingly effective. Yet
Mach had nullified both the demons and spell as if such magic
was child's playЧwhich perhaps it was, now, to him. Stile was
glad that the Robot Adept was not his enemy, even if he was
not his ally.

They traveled north, now, not running but not dawdling.
Stile had an appointment to meet Icebeard, the snow demon
leader who was also a chess master. They had played several