"Ann Maxwell - Fire Dancer 3 - Dancer's Illusion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Maxwell Ann)

The illusionists stood eagerly by the downside door. They had no luggage, having
escaped Loo with no more than their lives. When the door retracted, they stepped eagerly
onto the ramp.

Kirtn and Rheba stood quietly for a moment, letting their bodies respond to the alien
planet. The gravity was slightly heavier than DaemonтАЩs had been, but the difference was
not enough to be tedious. All of the Equality planetsтАФindeed, all of the planets inhabited
by Fourth PeopleтАФwere functionally identical in such gross characteristics as gravity and
atmospheric content. Where one Fourth People could survive, all could survive.

The degree of comfort in which Fourth People could survive changed markedly from
planet to planet, however. Loo had been too cold for Senyas tastes, Daemen too barren,
and Onan too chaotic. Yhelle felt to Rheba as if it would be too hot and far too humid.

Kirtn grunted as though agreeing with her unspoken thoughts. Sweat sprang beneath his
weapon harness and brief shorts. Within moments, his whole body was wet. Even the
gold mask surrounding his eyes was dark.

тАЬYou wonтАЩt need my robe to keep warm here,тАЭ said Kirtn, glancing down at his fire
dancer. тАЬAnd I donтАЩt need my fur.тАЭ

тАЬI could skin you,тАЭ she suggested, lips straight in an effort not to smile.
 тАЬPromises, promises. By the Inmost Fire,тАЭ he sighed, тАЬI wonder what an illusion of
coolness is worth here.тАЭ

A thoughtful look crossed RhebaтАЩs face. She held her hands near his face and
concentrated. Her hands pulsed with subdued gold, but no flames came. Instead, a cool
sensation came to him as she sucked heat out of the air around him.

тАЬHowтАЩs that?тАЭ she asked.

He smiled and hugged her. тАЬNice.тАЭ

She concentrated again, trying to keep the heat at bay. He blew gently on her lips,
teasing and distracting her. тАЬDonтАЩt tire yourself out keeping me cool. IтАЩll survive.тАЭ

тАЬBut youтАЩll shed,тАЭ she said flatly. She held up her hands. Tiny coppery hairs stuck to her
moist skin. тАЬYouтАЩre shedding already!тАЭ She made a sound of mock disgust. Every spring
on Deva, she had teased her mentor about his unsavory habits. тАЬSenyasi never shed.тАЭ

тАЬReally?тАЭ whistled Kirtn, pulling a long gold hair off his shoulder harness. тАЬWhatтАЩs
this?тАЭ

тАЬAn illusion,тАЭ she said serenely. тАЬWeтАЩre on Yhelle, remember?тАЭ

Kirtn looked around. The spaceport with its scarred apron and downside connectors
looked like every other Equality spaceport he had seen. Cleaner, perhaps. Certainly
cleaner than DaemenтАЩs had been. But for a planet of illusionists, the landscape was
disappointingly mundane. Only later did he realize just how subtle YhelleтАЩs first illusion
really was.