"Lyndon Hardy - Riddle of the Seven Realms" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hardy Lyndon)

one who can so claim and he is only a man. Perhaps Caspar too is mightier and the coming struggle
is the last."

With a sharp crack, a spark of blue light suddenly arched from Elezar's left thumb to his
forefinger. His arm swung out from his body in the direction of Delithan, a mask of anger etching
the fine lines of his face. The huge djinn brought an arm up over his eyes. The pale outline of a
shield began to materialize in front of his chest.

For a moment the two demons stood frozen, the crackle of ionization covering any words that they
might have spoken. Then, as quickly as it had sprouted, the arc of energy in Elezar's hand winked
out of existence. His face softened. He rotated his palms upward in Delithan's direction.

"Caspar has grown so bold as to attack me in what all the princes acknowledge as my strength,"
Elezar said softly, his sudden outburst back under control. "It is a foolish boldness for him to
do so and I will not reply in kind. There may yet be the thrill of battle for you against his
djinns of lightning, Delithan, but as long as I am your prince, it will be a time of my own
choosing. Now take your clutch brethren into the void as I have commanded and escort him here
without incident."

Delithan's shield disappeared before it completely formed. He hesitated a moment and then dipped
his head

14

in acquiescence. Stooping to clear the archway, he turned back the way he had come. "A djinn lives
to fight," he rumbled as he left.

"Caspar," Astron blurted as Elezar turned back to face him. "Caspar of the lightning djinns.
Though his numbers are large and mighty, he would not dare to challenge you without due cause.
None of the other princes would permit it. They would rally to your aid and against all he has no
chance."

"His attack is not one of djinn against djinn," Elezar said. "Instead it was something quite
unexpected, although, of course, I showed no surprise." Elezar paused. His eyes flared. "He has
posed a riddle, cataloguer, a riddle to test the prince most noted for cunning of all those who
rule.

"The stakes are familiar, the ones I have accepted from demons with far keener minds. If I answer
correctly, then Caspar and all who follow him are mine to do with what I will. If not, then I and
my domain are his."

"A riddle?" Astron said. "Then surely there is no threat at all. The likes of Caspar could not
formulate a puzzle that would long give pause to one such as you, my prince. And if you wereтАФwere
too busy to answer yourself, then many in your domain would have sufficient wit to formulate the
solution."

Elezar ignored Astron's words. "You were telling me of the laws that govern the realm of men. What
of the metalaws which He behind them?"

"Of the three of them I know far less," Astron said. He felt his stembrain again begin to stir.