"Anthony, Piers - Xanth 06 - Night Mare" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

to be ignoredl Imbri whirled on a hoof and charged across
the plain, heading for the stable. Her relaxation would have

to wait.
The Night Stallion was awaiting her. He stood huge and




4 Night Mare

handsome, midnight black of hide and mane and tail and
hoof in the same fashion as all the mares, but on him it
was more impressive. Any male was impressive in the
realm of equus, for the real power lay with the few stal-
lions.

Trojan projected a dream set in a lush human edifice
chamber, in which Imbri took the form of an elegant hu-
man person lady, and he was a gray-haired human creature
King.

"You are not doing well, Mare Imbrium!" the Horse
King said. "You have lost that special spark that truly ter-
rifies. I am dissatisfied."

"But I just drove a goblin to distraction!" Imbri-Lady
protested.

"After hauling in the dragon and the unforeshadowed
cliff," Trojan retorted. "You should have had him terrified
into oblivion before he ever left the house. Dream dragons
must not be brought in promiscuously, or the dreamers will
become acclimated to them and desensitized. That ruins it
for the other mares. You must avoid overexposure of emer-
gency elements."

Imbri realized it was true. The nucleus of the dream had
been the horror of the draft that was supposed to chill the
spine of the client and make him shiver. She had lost her
competitive edge and made clumsy what should have been
precise. "I will try to do better," her lady form said peni-
tently.

"That is not enough," he replied. "The edge is not en-
tirely a matter of trying. It is inherent. Once you lose it, it's
gone. I'm going to have to trade you, Mare Imbrium."

"But this is the only work I know!" she protested,
stricken. She felt as the goblin had when receiving a dread