"Laurell K. Hamilton - Ravenloft - Death of a Darklord" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

тАЭI say so.тАЭ She left the room first, and he followed. There was silence for a time, then Gersalius sat down
and said, тАЭDescribe one of your visions for me, Elaine. Please.тАЭ

Elaine sipped her tea. She didnтАЩt want to talk to the wizard. It wasnтАЩt just wanting to avoid strife.
Jonathan had taught them well. Magic could be useful, but it was easily turned to evil.

тАЭI donтАЩt want to do magic,тАЭ she said softly.

GersaliusтАЩs smile widened. тАЭChild, magic is not a choice. I have known men who wanted more than life
itself to do magic but had not the talent. You cannot force magic into your body, nor can you rid yourself
of it if it is a natural ability.тАЭ

тАЭI have seen people who bargained with evil things to gain magic,тАЭ she said.

тАЭThat is not natural magic, Elaine. That is abomination.тАЭ

тАЭMagic is magic.тАЭ

тАЭThose are not your own words, child.тАЭ

She stared down into her cup. тАЭI donтАЩt know what you mean.тАЭ тАЭElaine, magicтАФtrue magicтАФis not
intrinsically evil. It is like a sword. The steel itself has no leaning to good or evil. It is the hand that wields
the sword that dictates whether it will be used for good or evil. The weapon itself is neutral.тАЭ

тАЭBut . . .тАЭ She searched his face, trying to find something that was not there. She could sense no trace of
evil about him. Elaine wasnтАЩt sure she had ever been around a wizard that didnтАЩt bear some taint.

тАЭYou can feel I mean you no harm.тАЭ

тАЭYes.тАЭ

тАЭIt is magic that allows you to detect whether I am telling the truth or not.тАЭ

She shook her head. тАЭI canтАЩt always tell whoтАЩs lying and who isnтАЩt.тАЭ

тАЭWith practice you could.тАЭ

тАЭCan you?тАЭ

He grinned. тАЭMost of the time. There are those with greater powers than my own.

They can fool me from time to time.тАЭ

тАЭMagic is unreliable.тАЭ

тАЭEverything is unreliable, from time to time.тАЭ
A small smile flashed across ElaineтАЩs face before she could stop it.

тАЭSee, not so bad,тАЭ he said.