"Phyllis Eisenstein - Elementals 02 - The Crystal Palace" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eisenstein Phyllis)

peo-ple who had lived together ten years already and could look forward to centuries yet; they
embraced like young lovers in the first flush of devotion. Cray smiled to see it, for he loved them both.

When he loosed Delivev at last, the demon gave Cray a hug, and then he opened the mouth of the sack.
For all its bulk, it had not been a heavy loadтАФit was sheepтАЩs wool, cleaned and carded, ready for
spinning.

тАЬShe struck a hard bargain, your shepherdess,тАЭ Gildrum said to Delivev. тАЬI had to promise that the
coverlet for her bed would be worked with silk embroidery.тАЭ

тАЬNo matter. I have plenty of silk.тАЭ Stooping, she picked at the surface of the fluffy, cream-colored mass,
testing the fibers between her fingers. тАЬShe knows the value of her harvest.тАЭ

Gildrum laid a hand on her head and stroked the brown hair that was as soft as the downy feathers of
her dress. тАЬMy dear, she knows you must have it, and she dares to set the price accordingly. SheтАЩs
com-pletely lost her fear of you.тАЭ

She looked up at him. тАЬAnd of you?тАЭ

тАЬOh, yes. She was as friendly as if IтАЩd been her lordтАЩs tax gatherer come to give her payments back. It
seems youтАЩve made her rich; since last year, her two-room hut has become a mere annex to a much
grander house, and she has acquired two servants as well. She doesnтАЩt even shear her own sheep any
more.тАЭ

Delivev stood up slowly. тАЬAll that from a few em-broidered hangings? IтАЩm flattered that my work should
be worth so much at market!тАЭ

Gildrum laughed. тАЬThe hangings decorate her new home. ItтАЩs the wool that brings her wealthтАФher
won-derful wool thatтАЩs fine enough for sorcerers. ItтАЩs in demand and therefore carries a high price even
for ordinary mortals. And plenty of herdsmen have paid even better for the use of her rams as breeding
stock.тАЭ He circled her waist with one arm. тАЬShe made a good bargain with you.тАЭ

She leaned against him, her head tilted to his shoul-der. тАЬLet her be rich. As long as she sells me wool.тАЭ

He kissed her forehead. тАЬMy dearest Delivev, how many other sorcerers would say something like that?
Most of them would just take all her wool and leave her poverty.тАЭ He kissed her nose. тАЬBut then, you are
a most unusual sorcerer, in every way.тАЭ

Cray picked up the load of wool, slung it over his shoulder. тАЬIтАЩll put this away for you, Mother.тАЭ

тАЬIf you like,тАЭ she replied, but her eyes were all for Gildrum.

Her workroom was a tower chamber. There, her spinning wheel and looms stood, and a multitude of
half-completed projects awaited her pleasureтАФtapes-tries, fabrics, hoop after hoop of embroidery,
crewel, needlepoint. And everywhere were skeins and spools of every sort of fiber, coarse and fine, dull
and shiny, and every color of the rainbow. Cray dropped his bundle beside the loom that held a silk
brocade, a rich maroon and black fabric worked with golden threads. It was for a dressing gown, he
knew, a gift for Gildrum. The demon needed no clothing, of course; it could manufacture garments from
its own substance. But Delivev took pleasure in creating such things, and in seeing them used. She had
already made Cray a sim-ilar gown, and he wore it sometimes to please her, though it was really too