"Dave Duncan - A Handful Of Men 2 - Upland Outlaws" - читать интересную книгу автора (Duncan Dave)

"And Grunth?"




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 Upland Outlaws

The dwarf shrugged, rolling his eyes.


"So Zinixo will imprint me with a loyalty spell?" Shandie demanded, glaring.


"Slow, isn't he?" the warlock said, in an aside to Rap. "Of course. It will be easier than proclaiming himself imperor. The Impire is just too big for
him to ensorcel everyone, and a dwarf imperor would not be acceptable-he would always be frightened of revolution, see? But you will reign for his
benefit. You will serve him loyally to the end of your days." He jabbed a finger like a crowbar toward the child asleep in Eshiala's lap. "And so will
she, and her children after her! You know how long sorcerers live."


"No!" Shandie bellowed. "I won't have it!"


The dwarf curled his big mouth into a sardonic smile. "And your so-beautiful wife? My nephew is oddly partial to female imps ... Now don't you
wish you'd taken my advice?"


Shandie put an arm around Eshiala. "What is your advice now?"


Again the dwarf shrugged his barrel shoulders. "I may be able to get us out of here. May, I said. He's so suspicious that he tends to be too cautious.
He may not commit his real strength quickly enough to block me. "


That sounded like a very leaky lifeboat to Rap. As soon as the fugitives emerged from the shielding, they would be visible in the ambience. There
was no hiding place in that featureless void, no way to outrun a superior force. Only power mattered.


"If I can escape . . ." Shandie said. "If we can ... If you can get us out of here, what then?"


"Retire. Hide. You can't hope to win your impire back, you know. Just go into hiding and maybe, in a couple of centuries, your descendants can
come forward and claim their inheritance." The mundanes stared at one another in dismay, while Raspnex curled his lip contemptuously at them;
but in the ambience he was scowling up at Rap with a worried expression. "The kid's taking a long time, isn't he?"


"Let's hope he's still yours when he comes back, " Rap said pointedly. "Zinixo's here, in Hub?" he added aloud. "Maybe. More likely not, not yet.
But he's sent his minions. I could smell 'em."