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

The demon inspected the device again, the soul jar, and poked at it.
The magic soul within rewarded it by thrashing, if something without a
body could be said to thrash.


The demon shifted its weight. It knew it was getting more powerful,
but the nearly nonstop feeding was at an end. The last of the Saaur
were dead and devoured, and now the demon host was


4


RISE OF A MERCHANT PRINCE


depending on lesser animals for food, animals with negligent soul
force. There were some client races, who would breed children, some
of which would go to the feasting pits, but that meant slow growth in
this realm. Its body would continue to mature, but not significantly until
the next realm had been entered.
Cold, the demon thought as it glanced around the large room,
ignorant of its original use: a bedroom for one of the Saaur leader's
many wives. The native realm was one of wild energies and pulsing
heat, where the demons of the Fifth Circle grew like wild things,
devouring one another, until strong enough to escape and serve the
Demon King and his lords and captains. This demon had but vague
recollections of its own beginning, remembering only anger and fear,
and an occasional moment of pleasure as it devoured something.


The demon settled down on the floor. With a changing body, it
couldn't seem to find a comfortable position. Its back itched, and with
certainty it knew wings would grow there soon, tiny at first, then
growing larger as it rose in power. The demon was clever enough to
know it would have to fight to gain rank, so it had better rest. It had
been lucky so far, as the critical periods in its growth had come during
the war on this world, and most of the host were too occupied with
devouring the inhabitants of this world. to contest in their own ranks.


Others were now fighting, and the losers would add strength to the
winners as they were devoured; any demon without enough rank was
a fair target for another save when a lord or captain demanded
obedience. It was simply the way of this race, and each who fell was
considered unworthy of a second thought. This demon considered that
there must be a better way to gain more strength than an open
challenge and outright attack. But it couldn't think of what it could be.