"John Morressy - Reflection" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morressy John)

JOHN MORRESSY

REFLECTION AND INSIGHT


WITH SPOT'S HELP, KEDRIGERN wrestled the large awkward bundle carefully into the
cottage as Princess looked on with anxious interest. It was wrapped in heavy
cloths, tied securely, and from the amount of grunting the wizard was doing, it
was of considerable weight.

"Is it very heavy?" she asked.

"Very," he said, putting it down gingerly and taking a deep breath.

"You're lucky you had Spot to help you."

He rubbed his lower back and groaned. "Even with Spot's help, I was tempted to
use a levitation. I should have. My back will ache for a week."

"What is it?"

He smiled and began to untie the cord that encircled the bundle like the strands
of a great web. That done, he turned back the folds of thick cloth, pausing with
his hand on the last one. "You're going to love this. A pity it's promised to a
client, Sigert of the Nine Shallow Ponds. But I'm looking for another, for us."

"What is it?" she repeated, her interest increasing.

He flung back the last cloth and spread his arms in a gesture of revelation,
beaming at her all the while.

"A mirror?" she said.

"That's right, my dear. You've often said that you'd like to have one by the
door."

"Only a little one, so I can check to see that my coronet is on straight, and my
wings aren't all bunched up under my cloak. This one is...it's sort of
elaborate, isn't it?"

"This is no ordinary mirror, my dear."

"I can see that. It's very nice, really," said Princess, leaning closer to the
surface and studying her reflection. "No warps or wiggly places in the glass."

"It's a magic mirror."

She took two steps back and looked at him sharply. "I've had one bad experience
with a magic mirror, and I don't want another. Don't bother getting one for us,
please."