"Peter W. Prellwitz - Shards Universe - Promise Tide" - читать интересную книгу автора (Prellwitz Peter W)

тАЬUmmmmтАжтАЭ

тАЬAre you a Pisces?тАЭ

That last question turned off the switch the retreg had turned on. They all stared at me, as if seeing me
for the first time. As the two races were fairly similar, it was likely.

I was taller than most women, and thin. My eyes were very pale, and my fingers were half again as
long as a humanтАЩs. My hair looked normalтАФa trait from my human motherтАФbut I grew it just long
enough to cover the gills on each side of my neck. I wore shoes, preferring them over sandals when in
public, because they hid the webbing.

The crowd pressed in closer to look. I felt red creeping up my neck. This had happened before, but
only rarely. IтАЩd led a fairly quiet life so far. Quiet in the public eye, that is.

тАЬI know you,тАЭ someone announced from within the curious mass. тАЬYouтАЩre Deborah Mariner, Hundar
KnowlerтАЩs granddaughter!тАЭ

This started a new surge of babbling. I heard most of the comments, some true, others not. I could turn
into a mermaid. I had inherited the riches of the now extinct Pisces race. I lived on a diet of fish and

file:///K|/eMule/Incoming/Peter%20W.%20Prellwitz%20-%20Shards%20Universe%20-%20Promise%20Tide.html (14 of 187)23-12-2006 20:54:24
Peter W. Prellwitz - Shards Universe - Promise Tide (v1.1)


plankton. I could speak to all aquatic mammals. My life was extremely private. Though only one-
quarter Pisces, I was supposed to have all the traits of a full Pisces. I had been preserved by the race to
begin mothering it again.

тАЬWhat?тАЭ I said at the last one. IтАЩd not heard that one before. тАЬThatтАЩs ridiculous! IтАжтАЭ

тАЬMiss Mariner would prefer her privacy now,тАЭ Stanworth boomed in a voice that was quiet, yet shook
people to the bottoms of their feet. When he spoke like that, not even completeтАФand completely rude
тАФstrangers could argue. He turned toward me, speaking in the same deep baritone, but so softly it
reminded me of a warm, safe fire. Despite my height, he was taller, standing two meters to my one
point eight.

тАЬIтАЩll take care of this, Miss Deborah,тАЭ he said for the umpteenth time in my life. тАЬYou and Miss Chrissy
head back to the chalet.тАЭ

тАЬDid you see where Chrissy went?тАЭ

тАЬSheтАЩs waiting for you as planned.тАЭ

тАЬOkay.тАЭ I looked around at the mess. тАЬI had placed an order. And I suppose I should pay for the
damage that weтАжтАЭ

тАЬIтАЩll see to it.тАЭ

тАЬThanks, Stanworth.тАЭ I stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the cheek. тАЬYouтАЩre the best!тАЭ