"Sorcerer's Son" - читать интересную книгу автора (Phyllis Eisenstein)

тАЬI would think you are well protected in Ringforge.тАЭ

тАЬHow?тАЭ He clutched a length of his dark cape in both fists, тАЬI wear woven cloth; she could turn my very clothes against me.тАЭ

тАЬInside your own castle?тАЭ

тАЬAm I never to set foot outside again, then? Must I wear plate armor every time I walk abroad? Or felted garments hung together with bolts and glue? She rules too much, her hand is everywhere. What can I do, Gildrum?тАЭ

She smiled. тАЬA fire demon could keep you warm enough if your vanity would permit you to walk the world naked, my lord.тАЭ

тАЬA sorcerer naked as a beggar? Hardly!тАЭ

тАЬA beggar would not wear rings of power on all his fingers. People would know your rank.тАЭ

тАЬDonтАЩt try my patience so, Gildrum.тАЭ

тАЬThen I must think a moment, lord.тАЭ Pursing her lips, crossing her arms over her bosom, she looked up at the ceiling. Just visible beneath the hem of her blue gown, her feet swung slow arcs between the legs of the stool, pendulums measuring the time of her thought. тАЬMy lord,тАЭ she said at last, тАЬif you are truly concerned about some danger from the lady, then I would advise you to construct a cloth-of-gold shirt, a fine mesh garment, supple enough to wear next to your skin. It must be made of virgin ring-metal, and you must draw and weave the strands yourself, without demonic help. Such a combination of your province and hers would be impervious to her spells and to any of your own that she might try to turn against you.тАЭ

Rezhyk poked the coals in the brazier. тАЬA fine notion, Gildrum, but what is to keep her from discovering that the shirt is being made long before I finish it? I am no weaver, after all; it would be a slow process.тАЭ

тАЬHow will she discover it? You will do it here in Ringforge.тАЭ

тАЬHow does she discover anything? Every spider is her spy.тАЭ

тАЬEven here in your own castle?тАЭ

тАЬEven my own castle is not proof against vermin. They come and go as they please.тАЭ He glanced about nervously. тАЬThere are none here now, but they might get in at any time.тАЭ

тАЬWell, then, you must do something about them. Post a watch of fire demons to burn every spider that approaches the outer wall.тАЭ

тАЬShe will take that as an affront!тАЭ

Gildrum sighed. тАЬWorse and worse. Perhaps if you just sent her a vase of flowers and begged her forgivenessтАж?тАЭ

Rezhyk paced a slow circle about the brazier. If only we could arrange for her to take a long sea voyage, or to go into seclusion in some distant cave for a while. How much time do you think the making of the shirt would require?тАЬ

тАЬAs you said, you are no weaver. Perhaps a month. Perhaps two. No more than that, I think, if I show you exactly what to do.тАЭ She held up a hand to stop his pacing. тАЬThere is a way to weaken her powers for a month or two, my lord.тАЭ

тАЬYes?тАЭ

тАЬIf she conceived a child, the childтАЩs aura would interfere with her own. She would be limited, severely limited.тАЭ

тАЬEnoughтАж?тАЭ

тАЬEnough that she could hardly speak to a creature beyond her own castle walls.тАЭ

Rezhyk shook his head. тАЬShe would abort the child. She would abort it as soon as she realized it existed. She could not allow that kind of vulnerability.тАЭ

тАЬA month or two, I said, my lord. Until she noticed the pregnancy. Until she noticed the curtailing of her powers.тАЭ