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

followed. Relations with that tribe had been amicable for
twenty years, until the communication between Mach and
Bane had polarized the Adepts and tribes of Phaze and forced
new alignments. It was possible that Icebeard remembered
that, and that the chess challenge was his way of maintaining
relations despite their status as enemies. There were as many
tribes of demon folk as there were human folk, and demons

UNICORN POINT |l5

differed as much from each other as did human beings, and
were subject to similar constraints.

Neysa had not been along on that trip. Instead Stile had
ridden her brother Clip, now a Herd Stallion. Neysa was not
partial to any demons, no matter what their heat or color, and
was hard put to avoid an impolite snort as the white creatures
closed in. This was however no attack, but an honorary es-
cort. Icebeard wanted very much to play chess with Stile,
and would do nothing to interfere with that.

They were ushered into the palatial ice caverns that were
the demon's throneroom. Icebeard tried to maintain his chill
reserve, but could not. He jumped down and approached Stile
with an attitude that in any other creature would have been
positive, but with him was merely less threatening. "Now we
play!" he exclaimed. "Thou and I alone!"

"Aye," Stile agreed. Then he glanced at Neysa. "The mare
liketh not these Demesnes; if thou willst grant her safe pas-
sage out, she will depart and return for me when the issue be
settled."

Icebeard looked at Neysa. "Be this not Fleta's dam?"

Neysa made an affirmative note.

"And she play not chess? Fleta be a better player than
Mach; comes she oft here to challenge my minions."

Stile had not realized this. But of course Fleta had come
with Mach when he trained here, so had had opportunity to
pick it up if she wanted to. Of course there was no reason a
unicom could not play chess if she wished, but Stile had not
heard of it happening before. "Interesting," he remarked.

"Methinks the filly be a better gamescreature than Mach
overall," the demon confided. "My affinity to unicorns be
not great, but that one dost have charm."