"Stasheff, Christopher - Warlock 04 - The Warlock Enraged" - читать интересную книгу автора (Stasheff Christopher)

"Papa," Gregory piped up, "Thou dost know that elves
do 'company us..."

"Yeah." Rod grinned. "Nice to know you're not alone."

"Truth. Yet I've thought to have them ask for word from
their fellows in the North...."

"Oh?" Rod tried not to show it, but he was impressed.
Three years old, and he'd thought of something Tuan and
Rod had both overlooked. "What did they say?"

"The goodwives no longer call warnings to the Wee Folk
ere they empty garbage out upon the ground," Gregory's
eyes were large in his little face. "They no longer leave
their bowls of milk for the elves, by their doors. Each house
now hath cold iron nailed up over its door, whether it be
an horseshoe or some other form, and hearths go unswept
at eventide."

Rod felt a chill and glanced at a nearby tree, but its leaves
were still. "Well, I guess no housewife there is going to
find sixpence in her shoe. What are the elves doing about
it?"

"Naught. There is some spell lies o'er the plowed land
there, that pushes against all elfin magic. They have turned
away in anger, and flitted to the forests."

Rod struck the pot a few more times, in silence.

"Is this coil in the North so light as thou hast told us,
Papa?" Gregory finally asked.

Rod reflected that, for a three-year-old, the kid had one
hell of a good vocabulary. He put down his hammer and
faced the child squarely. "There's no real evidence, yet,
that it's anything major."

"But the signs..." Magnus murmured.

"Are not evidence," Rod answered. "Not firm evi-
denceЧbut I'm braced. That's why we're travelling in dis-
guiseЧso we can pick up any rumors, without letting people
know we're the High Warlock and Company."

"Thou dost not wish our presence known, for fear the
evil folk will hide till we've gone by?" Magnus asked.

THE WARLOCK ENRAGED 21