"Ed Greenwood - Forgotten Realms - Elminster 2 - Elminster In Myth Drannor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Greenwood Ed)

black-and-gold spirals of a mantle of honor. The ends of the mantle drew together to support the
intricately carved dragontooth scabbard of her honor blade, bobbing like a small lamp, wrapped in the
deep, solemn red glow of its awakened power. The Ring of the Watchful Wyvern gleamed upon her
hand. This was not an informal visit.
The moon was right for a chat between old friends, but no matriarch comes aglow in all her
power for such things. Sadness grew in the Coronal. He knew what must lie ahead.
And so, of course, she surprised him. Ildilyntra came to a halt before him, as he'd known she
must. She drew apart her gown, hands on hips, to let him see the light of the full, gathered power of her
honor blade. This also he expected, and likewise the deep, shuddering intake of breath that followed.
Now the storm would come, the snarled words of sarcastic fire or cold, biting venom for which
she was famous throughout Cormanthor. The twisted words of harmful spells would lurk among them, to
be sure, and he'd hav-
In smooth silence, the matriarch of the Starym knelt before him. Her eyes never left his.
Eltargrim swallowed again, looking down at her knees, white tinged with the slightest shade of
blue, where they were sunk into the circle of moss at his feet. "Ildilyntra," he said softly. "Lady, I-"
Flecks of gold had always surfaced in her dark eyes when she was moved to strong emotion.
Gold glinted in them now.
"I am not one used to begging," that melodious voice came again, bringing back a flood of
memories in the Coronal, of other, more tender moonlit nights in this bower, "and yet I've come here to
beg you, exalted lord. Reconsider this Opening you speak of. Let no being who is not a trueblood of the
People walk in Cormanthor save by our leave. Let that leave be near-never given, that our People
endure!"
"Ildilyntra, rise. Please," Eltargrim said firmly, stepping back. "And give me some reasons why I
should embrace your plea." His mouth curved into the ghost of a smile. "You can't be unaware that I've
heard such words before."
The High Lady of the Starym remained on her knees, cloaked in her hair, and looked into his
eyes.
The Coronal smiled openly this time. "Yes, Lyntra, that still works on me. But give me reasons to
weigh and work with ... or speak of lighter things."
Anger snapped in those dark eyes for the first time. "Lighter things? Empty-headed revelry, like
those fools indulging themselves over at Erladden Towers?" She rose then, as swift as a coiling serpent,
and pulled open her gown. The blue-white sleekness of her bared body was as much a challenge as her
level gaze. Ildilyntra added coldly, "Or did you think I'd come for dalliance, lord? Unable to keep myself
one night longer from the charms of the ruler of us all, risen to such aged wisdom from the strong and
ardent youth I knew?"
Eltargrim let her words fall into silence, as hurled daggers that miss their target spin into empty air.
He ended it calmly. "This spitting fury is the High Lady of the Starym I have grown familiar with these
past centuries. I admire your taste in undergarments, but I had hoped that you'd set aside some of what
your junior kin call your 'cutting bluster' here; there are only the two of us on this isle. Let us speak
candidly, as bents two elder Cormyth. It saves so much . . . empty courtesy."
Ildilyntra's mouth tightened. "Very well," she said, planting her hands on her hips in a manner he
well remembered. "Hear me then, Lord Eltargrim: I, my senior kin, and many other families and folk of
Cormanthor besides-I can name the principals if you wish, Lord, but be assured they are neither few nor
easily discredited as youths or touch-headed-think that this notion of Opening the realm will doom us all,
if it is ever made reality."
She paused, eyes blazing into his, but the Coronal silently beckoned at her to give him more
words. She continued, "If you follow your mad dreams of amending the law of Cormanthor to all
non-elves into the realm, our long friendship must end."
"With the taking of my life?" he asked quietly.
Again silence fell, as Ildilyntra drew breath, opened her mouth, and then closed it. She strode