"Eisenstein,.Phyllis.-.Elementals.2.-.1988.-.Crystal.Palace" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eisenstein Phyllis)

of openwork lace. It rotated slowly, and GildrumТs nearby flamelight flashed
from its delicate structure, casting scintillations in every direction.
УGreetings, O Ice demon,Ф said Cray. УI am Cray Ormoru. I believe we have met
before.Ф
УWe have,Ф said the demon, and it floated closer to Cray, circling him slowly.
УI am Leemin. I understand you require my help.Ф
УIt was I who asked for it,Ф said Elrelet. Though Elrelet was invisible to human
eyes, demon senses perceived it easily. УNow I ask again: will you give us safe
passage to the mortalТs dwelling?Ф
УAll of you?Ф
УYes.Ф
УEven that one?Ф One of its spicules elongated for a moment, like a spear
feinting in GildrumТs direction.
УYes,Ф said Elrelet.
УI warn you that a thousand of my kind will come to push you all out if it dares
to melt any of our Ice!Ф
УIt shall not, I promise you. It will keep its flame small and cold. But we have
need of its light for Cray OrmoruТs eyes. Will you guide us?Ф
The Ice demon was silent for some time, floating around and around Cray.
Finally, it said, УI suppose you think I should, mortal. I suppose you think I
owe you favors.Ф
УMy gift was freely given,Ф Cray replied. УYou owe me nothing. Still, I do need
your help.Ф
УI have never understood mortals,Ф said the Ice demon. УI have never understood
why you set me free.Ф
Cray smiled. УIf I were a slave, I would want to be free. There is no more to it
than that.Ф
УNo more than that,Ф echoed the demon. УNo, I do not understand at all. But I
have benefited, even without understanding.Ф It halted its circling and floated
motionless between Cray and the surface of its home. УFew mortals have ever
entered Ice. Fewer have emerged. It is not a place for mortals.Ф
УYet the young woman I seek is there.Ф
УI know. Half in one realm and half in the other. A most peculiar situation.Ф
УWill you take us to her?Ф asked Elrelet. УWe mean no harm to Ice. If there were
some other way, believe me, we would prefer not to travel through Ice at all.Ф
УThere are no entries to her dwelling in Ice, you know,Ф said Leemin. УNot
unless she wishes to open one.Ф
УWe hope she will,Ф said Elrelet, Уwhen she sees Cray Ormoru.Ф
УAh. That might be interesting to watch. To see if she does let him in. IТve
only ever seen one other mortal with her.Ф
УWill you take us there, O Leemin?Ф
It hesitated one more moment, and then its spicules began to fold in on each
other. УVery well. But that Fire creature must remain small and cold!Ф A sleek
cone once more, the demon nudged the surface of Ice with its point, reopening
the fracture. УStay close behind me,Ф it said, and it slid into Ice. There, its
base expanded, forcing the fracture open enough to accomнmodate Cray.
Elrelet carried him in after the Ice demon, and Gildrum followed closely, as
small as the flame of a torch, and cooler. As they moved forward, the tunnel
gradually narrowed behind them, and within moments Cray could no longer see the
clear blue of Air at its mouth; it had no mouth. Yet the radiance of Air still