"Raymond E. Feist - Serpentwar 2 - Rise of a Merchant Prince" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

BOOK II


Wealth howsoevergot, in England makes
Lords of mechanics, gentlemen of rakes;
A niiquity and bitih are needless here,


Impudence and money makes a peer


-Daniel Defoe


THE TRUE-BORN ENGLISHMAN, PT. I


prologue


THE SOUL SCREAMED.
The demon turned, and as its gaping maw was set in a permanent
grin, the only hint of its increased delight was a slight widening
of its eyes, black orbs resembling those of a shark: flat and
lifeless. It studied the jar it held for a moment, its only possession.
This soul was especially active and the demon had been fortunate
to find it and keep it. Placing the jar under its chin, the
demon closed its eyes and felt the energy flow into it from the jar.
The creature's emotional makeup knew nothing that could be
called happiness, only lessened states of fear or anger, but the
surge of feeling within was as close to happiness as the creature
could know. Each time the soul within the jar struggled, the energy
created filled the little demon's mind with new ideas.
As if suddenly concerned its toy would be taken from it by one
of its more powerful brethren, the demon glanced around. The
hall was one of many in the grand palace of Cibul, capital of the
now destroyed Saaur race.
Then the demon remembered: destroyed save those who had
fled through a magic gate. It felt its anger return, and then the
emotion quickly fled. As a minor demon, it was not intelligent,
only cunning, and it didn't fully understand why the escape of a
small part of this nearly obliterated race was important. But it was,
for the Demon Lords were even now gathered upon the plains to
the east of the city of Cibul, inspecting the site of the now closed
rift through which the Saaur survivors had fled.
The Lords of the Fifth Circle had attempted once to open the


I