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

УSo I can. Well.Ф Thoughtfully, Cray eyed the glassy surface before him. УEven
if we canТt see in, I imagine she can see out if she cares to, so we must
attract her attention somehow. But there are no windows to shout through, and no
gates to hammer at.Ф He rapped on the wall experimentally, but his demon-gloved
hand made only a small sound, as if there were no hollowness beyond.
УPerhaps this will help,Ф said Gildrum, and from the depths of its flame it
produced a silver bell no larger than a daffodil.
Cray took its tiny handle between two fingers. УThis wonТt make much of a
sound,Ф he said.
УYouТll be surprised.Ф
Cray shook the bell sharply, and its peal was high and sweet and piercingЧso
piercing that he could almost feel his bones vibrating in sympathy. Even after
he stilled his hand, the sound echoed on; in fact, it built with every passing
moment, multiplying upon itself, acquiring harmonics, till it was a veritable
choнrus of bells. On every side, Cray heard them, loud and pervasive. He
clutched the silver bell around its cup, held fast to its peasized tongue, but
he could feel the metal vibrating anyway.
УWhatТs happening?Ф he said, and though he spoke loudly, he could scarcely hear
his own voice.
УIce itself is ringing,Ф said Gildrum. УShe canТt help but hear it.Ф
УFire demons!Ф cried Leemin. УYou would burn down a whole forest for a few
sticks of charcoal! You make this terrible noise just to attract some mortalТs
attention, and you donТt care that you disturb countless demons! Countless!Ф
УThe sound will die away soon,Ф said Gildrum, and indeed, the echoes were
already beginning to fade. УStill, I do apologize. I didnТt realize the bell
would be quite so loud.Ф
УDidnТt realize,Ф muttered Leemin. УI warn youЧdonТt ring it again! I wonТt be
responsible for anything other demons may do in their anger!Ф
УThere wonТt be any need to ring it again,Ф said Gildrum, a tongue of its flame
taking the bell from CrayТs hands. УWeТve caught someoneТs attention inside.Ф
The far wall of the room they had been peering into had suddenly vanished,
revealing the chamber beyond. This was as large and empty as the outer room
except for one thingЧin its midst, looking small and fragile against the
immensity of the place, stood the young woman. She hesitated just a moment, and
then she began to walk toward Cray and his demons.
Cray watched silently as she came all the way to the wall and looked out through
its transparency at his face. Her gaze was level, without surprise, without
distaste, without welcome. She was an armТs length away, and he almost felt as
though he were seeing her in the mirror again. His eyes met hers, and a shiver
went through him.
УHello,Ф he said, not knowing if she could hear him, if his voice could carry
through the material that separated them. He raised his demon-gloved hands to
the clear smooth outer surface of her residence, pressнing against it gently as
Elrelet kept him from floating away backward. УMy name is Cray Ormoru, and IТve
come a very long way to make your acquaintance.Ф
And then the transparent wall turned to air beneath his hands, and he pitched
forward into that strange and wonderful building.
Chapter 4
She had stepped aside and allowed him to fall at her feet. And he had indeed
fallen; though he was still within the demon world of Ice, or so he thought, he