"Douglas Niles - Druidhome 2 - The Coral Kingdom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niles Douglas)

even if we could swim to the bottom of the ocean."
"I have heard in the past of other ways," Tavish noted. This time no one interrupted. "It is said that the
elves once waged war under the sea, using ships enchanted with powerful magic that not only journeyed
below the surface but also kept their crews alive, breathing air."
"Even so, they must have been helpless beyond the hull of their vessel!" objected the prince.
"Ah, but there a wizard's spell magic can come to the aid of his crew. Enchanted by water-breathing
spells, elves could sally forth from their galleys, driving the creatures of the sea before them. In this way, it
is said, the elves eventually gained mastery of the surface of the sea for all air-breathing creatures."
"Look out!" Brandon cried, springing to Alicia's side before anyone else reacted. A sudden movement
nearby drew their attention, and the companions whirled to face one who had not been there a second
before.
"Greetings," said Princess Deirdre wryly. She gestured at the craters left by Keane's meteor shower, the
singed grass where the wall of fire had roared. "Did the celebration get a little too wild?"
"Great timing," Alicia snapped. "We could have used your help a few minutes ago."
The dark-haired princess said nothing. She wore a plain woolen traveling cloak, with a large bundle
strapped to her back. The outline of the flat mirror, through which she had watched the entire fight, was lost
in the shapeless bulk of the mass.
Robyn's eyes flashed, and for a moment, she fixed Deirdre with a harsh stare, an expression her
daughter ignored. After a moment, the queen's face softened, shadowed once more by grief.
No one stopped to explain what had transpired to the newcomer, however, and Deirdre didn't bother to
ask. Instead, they turned their attention back to the discussion that had been interrupted.
"Now?" persisted Alicia. "Is such a voyage under the sea possible today?"
"There you'll have to ask the elves," Tavish said with a sigh. "And it's most unlikely that they'll tell you
much!"
"But we can try, can't we?" asked the princess, suddenly excited by the possibilities. "There are elves
right here on Gwynneth! The Llewyrr, in Synnoria."
"Indeed," her mother noted with a wry smile. "Have you ever been to Synnoria? Has anyone
hereтАФanyone within the borders of CorwellтАФbeen to Synnoria?"
"Yes, my queen," came the unexpected reply, from Lord Pawldo. "You haveтАФand so have I."
Robyn laughed, and the sound broke some of the tension. "Yes, beneath blindfolds, our ears masked by
the sound of a harp!" Her face grew wistful at the memory. "Yet even then our presence was not desired
by the Llewyrr. And the passes into the valley, remember, cannot be seen by humansтАФnot even with aid of
a sorcerer."
"That doesn't matter!" Alicia declared forcefully. She regretted her tone immediately, but surprisingly,
her mother merely nodded and waited for her to continue.
"I'll start out first thing in the morning! I'll circle every side of that mountain range if I have to until I find
a way in or they come out to get me!"
"I'm with you, my princess!" declared Lord Hanrald, grinding his fist into his palm, wishing he held a
sword that he could brandish.
"And I!" Brandon was quick to pledge his axe.
Unconsciously the princess found herself looking at Keane. She saw an expression of unabashed dismay
cross the mage's face.
Indeed, to the wizard, the difficulties of the task loomed paramount. Keane had no faith in their ability to
find a path into Synnoria. It was known to be impervious to most forms of detection and orientation spells.
And even if they did manage to find their way to the hidden land, he very much doubted that the elves
would willingly aid them. Not that they could be of much help, he noted in his silent tally of insurmountable
obstacles. He didn't believe for a moment that the secret to sailing a ship under the sea could be discovered
in a landlocked mountain kingdom. But finally Keane spoke.
"What time do we leave?" the magic-user asked with a sigh of resignation.