"01 - A Difficulty With Dwarves" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gardner Craig Shaw)

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fulfilled.' He shook his head, a sad smile on his face. 'I really should have killed some of you by now.'

'Indeed,' I interjected nervously, 'but there have been extenuating circumstances. After all, the fate of the world may be at stake!'

'But will that be enough of a reason when my review comes up?' The black-clad assassin flexed his knees, obviously troubled.'Well, the fate of the world . . .It does have possibilities. I think my Urracht superiors may give me an extension.' He hesitated again. 'Still, a contract is a contract.'

A deep voice shouted across the courtyard, causing even the brooding Dealer to take notice.

'Hey gang! It's showtime!'

Hubert the dragon circled overhead, angling to land in the grassy area at the courtyard's center. Alea waved to me from her perch at the base of the dragon's neck.

'Hit it, damsel!' Hubert cried as he executed a perfect four-point landing.

Alea began to sing:

'What's the show with so much class,

It stars a dragon and a pretty lass!

Yes we're the pair of Vushtan fame,

Who send the audience up in flame!

So if your theater's receipts are flaggin'

You know who to send for - Damsel and Dragon!'

'Just a little publicity,' Hubert remarked as Alea handed him his top hat. 'I thought it was time we classed up our act.'

'I agree entirely,' Snarks commented. 'Let me know when you've come up with some way to do it.'

'We've come for the meeting,' Hubert continued,

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choosing to ignore the demon. 'Are we on time?'

I told the dragon that they were perhaps a moment early and that we still awaited the arrival of my master.

'Early!' Hubert grinned. 'What an opportunity! Damsel and I have been working up a new routine, including some brand-new snappy patter. We could not ask for a better audience than our friends here. Quick: Why did the dragon cross the road?'

'Wait a moment,' Alea interrupted. 'Shouldn't we be working on our song lyrics?'

Hubert harrumphed, sending a column of smoke into the air. 'Alea, please.' He turned to the rest of us. 'It appears that the Damsel and I have some small artistic disagreement over song content.'

Alea crossed her arms and glared at her partner. 'We may have a disagreement, but I don't think there's anything artistic about it.'