"Chalker, Jack L - DG2 - Demons of the Dancing Gods" - читать интересную книгу автора (Chalker Jack L)

dead corpses and whose face, twisted in an expression of per-
manent hatred, was set off by two huge pupilless eyes glowing
a bright red.

The creature was dressed in royal robes of lavender, set off
by a crimson cape, boots, and gloves. It halted in front of him
and looked down menacingly. He bowed low and said, "How
is my lord Prince Hiccarph?"

The demon prince gave a bull-like snort. "You really blew
it, didn't you. Baron Asshole?"

"We blew it," he responded calmly. "Despite that cursed
dragon and the very considerable powers of Ruddy gore, it was
the lack of the Lamp that did us in. We had it in our grasp --
and, in your august presence, a brainless hulk and a slip of a
halfling girl stole it right out from under your nose. All that
when one wish would have carried the day and the war for us.
You can't make me take all the credit, not this time."

"I can make you take whatever I wish," the demon prince
hissed. "You're mine. Baron. I own you, not merely when you
get here but right now. I think this fact bears reminding."

He smiled. "If that is true, my lord, and I am your abject
slave, then the fault is truly yours for the loss, for you chose
the instrument and you played its string."

"You are an impudent bastard," Hiccarph commented, his
tone softening. "Perhaps that's why I like you. Perhaps that is
why I just don't strike you down and take you with me tonight."

Inwardly, the Baron relaxed a bit at the comment. Still
time... still time... Aloud, he asked, "Have you determined
why those two were able to ignore your powers? At first I
thought it was the Lamp, but I soon realized that the magic
Lamp of the djinn would have little authority over you."

"I have done much research on the matter," the demon prince
told him, "and still I have not the answer that is true. Dozens
of explanations have occurred to me, but which one is the right




6 DEMONS OF THE DANCING GODS

one? Unless I know the exact means by which Ruddygore
accomplished this, I can take no measures to counter it. We
know very little about them, after all; and, if I peer too deeply