"Esther M. Friesner - Chicks 03 - Chicks 'N Chained Males" - читать интересную книгу автора (Friesner Esther M)

proportioned part of the man's anatomy speared skyward. His head was thrown back in what was either
a shudder of ecstacy or a grimace of agony. Since he was alone on the table and his hands were chained
down, Kordel rather imagined it was the latter.

"What'll you give me for it?" Kordel said through still-clenched teeth.

The fence barked a short laugh that echoed slightly about the spartan white walls of his seemingly empty
shop; a wise fence kept his merchandise out of sight. Two heavy velvet curtains obscured the back room
while a single window threw a hard square of light on the stone floor.

"Look, Kordel," the fence said, ignoring Kordel's glare, "you stole the statue of Sybaritus from the
temple downtown. Very nice. A feather in your cap, and all that."

"Any temple with a back door deserves to be burgled," Kordel muttered.

"But," the fence continued, waggling a thin, bony finger, "this piece is . . . unique. If word gets out I have
it, I'm going to have a bunch of murder-minded cultists on my hands." He steepled his fingertips. "Why
don't you try pulling out the gems and melting it down?"

"I thought of that four fences ago," Kordel snapped. "But the thing isn't pure silverтАФonly gilded. And the
gems are barely semi-precious."

"Figures," the fence snorted. "A fake statue for a false god." He picked idly at the gilding, then noticed
which part he was picking at and quickly dropped his hand. "I've never understood the Sybarites. Marks,
all of them. They 'contribute' huge sums of money for a ritual orgy when they could get the same thing up
the street for one-third the costтАФand that without boring mumbo-jumbo to a god Anya Nightbond
created for her own profit." He clucked his tongue. "I don't understand the attraction."

Kordel shrugged. "They think that sex with the presence of the godтАФdrawn down into the statueтАФis
better than without it. They also believe that without a weekly ritual, they'll become unable to have sex at
all. Since they believe it's true, it becomes true. And Anya cashes in on their belief."

The fence lifted an eyebrow. "How do you know all this?"

"I attended their rituals," Kordel replied matter-of-factly. "Part of casing the job."

The fence gave her a sidelong glance and opened his mouth to ask a question.

"I wouldn't," Kordel warned. "I'm already in a bad mood."

The fence cocked his head, considering pro and con. Con carried the day. He picked up the statue
instead and hefted it. "Whatever possessed you to steal this thing, anyway? You must have known it's a
piece of junk."

"I made a bet."

"A bet?"

"I bet I could steal the statue of Sybaritus and make at least a hundred silver from it."