"02 Myth Conceptions (e)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asprin Robert)

turesЧin another four or five hundred yearsЧhe will
be very deft and wise, which is more than I can say
for myself. In the unlikely event I should live that
long, all I'll be is old.

"Gleep?"

The dragon was looking at me now. Having
stretched his limited mental abilities to their utmost,
he turned to me to correct the situation or at least
provide an explanation. As the perpetrator of the
situation causing his distress, I felt horribly guilty.
For a moment, I wavered on the brink of restoring
Buttercup's normal appearance.

"If you're quite sure you're making enough
noise. ..."

I winced at the deep, sarcastic tones booming close
behind me. All my efforts were for naught. Aahz was
awake.

MYTH CONCEPTIONS 5

I assumed my best hangdog attitude and turned to
face him.

Needless to say, he looked terrible.

If, perchance, you think a demon covered with
green scales already looks terrible, you've never en-
countered one with a hangover. The normal gold
flecks in his yellow eyes were now copper, accented
by a throbbing network of orange veins. His lips were
drawn back in a painful grimace which exposed even
more of his pointed teeth than his frightening,
reassuring smile. Looming there, his fists clenched on
his hips, he presented a picture terrifying enough to
make a spider-bear faint.

I wasn't frightened, however. I had been with
Aahz for over a year now, and knew his bark was
worse than his bite. Then again, he had never bitten
me.

"Gee, Aahz," I said, digging a small hole with my
toe. "You're always telling me if I can't sleep
through anything, I'm not really tired."

He ignored the barb, as he so frequently does when