"Katherine Kurtz - Kelson - The Quest for Saint Camber" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kurtz Katherine)

УAye. And so they might have been, a long time ago- or could have been disguised as dice, once it became dangerous to be Deryni. IТve seen spotted ones, and they work just as well. Notice there are four each of the black and white. That has an esoteric significance, but we wonТt bother with that for now. Most Deryni children begin their formal training with cubes similar to these. Hold out your right hand.Ф
Hesitantly Conall obeyed, flinching involuntarily as Tiercel tipped them from his own right hand into ConallТs. The cubes felt cold and sleek, the white ones yellowed like old ivory but with little of ivoryТs warmth, the black ones more a charcoal grey than true ebon or obsidian.
УNow, close your eyes and tell me the first thing you sense about them,Ф Tiercel said.
УTheyТre colder than they look,Ф Conall ventured, cautiously closing his hand to finger the cubesТ comers and edges.
УGood. What else?Ф
Conall hefted the handful of cubes, considering, then opened his eyes and shifted the four black cubes to his left hand. He stared at them a moment, black cubes in his left hand, white in his right, then cocked his head at Tiercel.
УThereТs something different besides their color.Ф
УYes?Ф
УI-donТt know what it is.Ф
УTry changing them to opposite hands and tell me how that feels.Ф
Dutifully Conall complied; but after a few seconds of concentration, he shook his head and switched them back.
УNo, they definitely feel better this way.Ф
УBetter?Ф
УWell, more-balanced,Ф Conall conceded. УDoes that make any sense?Ф
Raising an appreciative eyebrow. Tiercel nodded. УIt does, indeed. In fact, this may be easier than I dreamed. YouТve detected the polarities. Put the four white cubes on the table, forming a square, all of them touching. Then set the four black ones at the corners.Ф
Conall obeyed, then looked up at Tiercel with a Уwhat-next?Ф expression.
УNow, lower your shields and open your mind to me, to follow what I do,Ф Tiercel said. УSetting wards doesnТt require a great deal of power, but well-focused concentration is essential. ThatТs whatТs hardest for children-and itТs the reason I had you practice centering all winter. Pay attention now.Ф
Setting his right forefinger on the first white cube. Tiercel breathed in deeply and spoke the cubeТs nomen: УPrime.Ф Light flared in the cube as the energy was set and bound, then spread to the other three as Tiercel proceeded to name them as well:
УSeconde.
УTierce.
УQuarte.Ф
Conall had grasped the procedure by the second repetition and glanced eagerly at Tiercel when the first four were complete.
УI can do that,Ф he said confidently.
УVery well, then, you name the black ones,Ф Tiercel said, sitting back with fists braced on hips in good-natured challenge. УJust keep to the same order, starting with Quinte.Ф
УAll right.Ф
Narrowing all his concentration to the cube set diagonal to the white Prime, Conall touched it with a tentative forefinger and spoke its name:
УQuinte.Ф
The light that flared in the cube was an inky green-black rather than white like the first four, but Conall hardly even blinked as he shifted his attention to the black cube next to Seconde.
УSixte.Ф
The second black cube lit to match QuinteТs.
УSeptime ... Octave,Ф Conall continued, activating the remaining two black cubes in rapid succession. УIs that all there is to it?Ф
УHardly,Ф Tiercel replied, though he was grinning ear-to-ear and shaking his head slightly as if in disbelief. УThey want balancing next. Watch how I combine the elements-first, Prime to Quinte, with the intent to bring the pairs of opposites into harmony.Ф
He closed his eyes for just an instant, re-collecting his focus, then picked up the white Prime and brought it down on its black counterpart, speaking the word of power as the two touched with a faint flash and bonded.
УPrimus!Ф
When he withdrew his hand, an oblong, silvery rectoid stood where two cubes had been. Conall gaped.
УNo questions yet,Ф Tiercel said, reaching for Seconde. УJust pay attention. Some magical systems equate the ward components with the Elemental Lords and their Watchtowers, or the Archangels of the Quarters. Some prefer the symbolism of the pillars. All are valid conventions. Watch again, now, while I do Secundus, and then IТll let you have a go at Tertius and Quartus.Ф He quirked a pleased grin at the prince. УGod, IТm glad youТre grown! Teaching this to children can sometimes be so tedious-but I think youТre going to get it right the first time.Ф
УDo you do that often?Ф Conall asked. УTeach children, I mean?Ф
УOften enough. Be still, now.Ф
Tiercel brought Seconde above Sixte, paused to draw a deep breath, then gently brought the white cube down on the black as he spoke its balance mnemonic.
УSecundus! Now you do the other two,Ф he added, as he drew his hand away from a second silvery rectoid.
Conall complied without hesitation or difficulty, looking up expectantly as he drew his hand away from Quartus.
УNow what?Ф
УNow comes the tricky part, because thereТs some very specific visualization involved,Ф Tiercel said. УMay I borrow your signet for a moment?Ф
The ring, richly engraved gold on ConallТs left little finger, bore the Haldane arms as differenced for a second sonТs eldest son: NigelТs bordured and crescent-charged Haldane lion overlaid with a label of three points. Conall removed it without discussion, setting it, at TiercelТs direction, in the central space Tiercel made by moving the four towers a handspan farther apart.
УNow, just watch, this first time,Ф Tiercel said, poising a forefinger above the tower that was Primus. УI want you to observe the effect before youТre involved with it.Ф
As Conall sat back a little with a nod, Tiercel drew another deep breath, his tawny eyes going hooded, and pointed to the four towers in quick succession as he spoke their names.
УPrimus, Secundus, Tertius, et Quartus-fiat lux!Ф
Conall gasped as misty light flared up in a shallow dome over the towers, enclosing the ring, but he immediately leaned closer for a better look.
УIs it solid?Ф he whispered.
УTouch it and find out,Ф Tiercel replied. УGo ahead,Ф he added, at ConallТs hesitation. УIt wonТt hurt you-not set this way, at any rate.Ф