"Edghill,.Rosemary.-.Empty.Crown.Trilogy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Edghill Rosemary)

"That is the essence of my tale, Mistress Naomi. I must regain the
Sword, before it is too late. And then I must try to return to my own
place-before it is too late."

"I think the cake's defrosted," said Philip ingenuously. He bounded to
his feet, the image of helpfulness, and sprang off to the kitchen in
search of plates and forks.

"Have you any ideas about how to, uh, regain this sword?" Michael said
carefully. Ruth, looking at him, had no idea how much he believed of
Melior's story-but she believed, defiantly determined to hold Melior to
it no matter what mundane apostasy he contemplated.

"In the lands I know I would seek aid at the nearest castle. Were I
within the boundaries of a town, there would be magistrates to inquire
of-as well as taverns, and receivers of stolen goods who might inform
upon their patrons. Here-" Melior sighed, and bowed his head, suddenly
looking very tired. "Here every building is a castle, and I know not
where to begin."

"There is also the possibility that the magic doesn't work here,
Melior," said Naomi, very gently.

The elf-lord looked up at her through ice-crystal lashes. "And perhaps
I am no prince of Chandrakar, but a mad mountebank trying your
charity," he finished. "But no."

He slipped off his ring and set it on the table. Ruth picked it up.

Instead of the carved intaglio suitable for sealing letters that she
had expected to see, all she saw was a round-edged rectangle of some
mirrorblack stone.

Hematite? "Signet ring?"

"Here." Melior ran his thumb over the stone. For a moment colored
lights sparkled just beneath the surface, then faded away again.

All of them had seen it. Melior turned back to Naomi.

"There is too much iron in the air for this small a magic to work. But
the Sword was enchanted with a greater magic than any living thing can
wield; if the ring works even so much as this, the Sword will work well
indeed."

Michael picked up the ring next, and when Philip came back with plates
and forks, Michael flipped it at him. Philip looked inquiring.

"It lights up," Michael said.