"Sheri S. Tepper - The True Game 2 - Necromancer Nine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tepper Sherri)

"There is no reason to believe you will not have great pleasure with your husband," I said. Privately,
I thought it unlikely unless he had been taught by Trandilar, until I remembered that Trandilar herself had
been taught by someone. "Don't cry, Sylbie. This is foolishness!"
"You don't understand," she cried. "They will marry me off to someone I don't even know.
Someone old, or bald, or fat as a stuffed goose. Young men don't get wives with settlements as good as I
have, or so my mother says. They have not the wherewithal. Only old men have enough of the world's
wealth to afford a wealthy wife. Oh, Peter, I shall die, die, die."
She was such a pretty thing, soft as a kitten, warm as a muffin. I was moved to do something for
her, saying to myself as I did so that the occasion for doing helpful things should not pass me by again
while I mumbled and mowed and made faces at the moon. So much I had done when Himaggery asked
my help. I would not be so laggard in the future.
"Shh, shh," I said. "Be still. If I fix it so that you may marry whom you will, will you leave off crying?
Sylbie, tell me you will stop crying, and I will work a magic for you.
There were kisses, and promises, after which I went off to see the master of that place, a great fat
pombi of a merchant Duke with more Armigers around him than any Gamesman needs if he is honest. It
was not easy to get to see him. I needed all the Necromancer's guise to do it. He greeted me coldly, and
I resolved therefore to make the matter harder on him than I had intended.
"I am told that Necromancers have tried heretofore to rid Betand of its spectre," I intoned. "Without
success. I come to do what others have not done, if the price be to my liking."
He shifted in the high seat, staring over my shoulder in the way they do. He would not meet the eyes
behind the death mask, as though he were afraid I would take out his life and transmit it to another realm
before time.
"What price would you ask?" His voice was all oil and musk, slippery as thrilp skins.
"One request. Not gold nor treasure. Merely that one of the people of Betand shall be governed
according to my will. For that person's lifetime." I made my voice sinister. He would assume I wanted
torture and death as my portion, being of that kind which would sooner kill anyone than give a woman
joy. I know his kind-or Trandilar knew them. Yes. Perhaps that was the way of it.
"One of my people?" He oozed for a moment, thoughtfully. "Will you say which one?"
"Not one close to you, Great Duke. I would not be so bold. Merely an insignificant one who has
attracted ... my attention."
He glanced at his counselors, seeing here a nod, there a covert glance. "What makes you believe
you can do what others have not?"
I shrugged, let a little anger play in my voice. "If I do not, you will not give me my price. If I do, you
will pay me. Or I will return worse thrice over. Is this reason enough?"
At which he gave grudging agreement. I insisted it be put upon parchment, signed before witnesses
with the Gamesmen oath. I trusted him as far as I could kick him up a chimney.
Sylbie and I spent the day together. When evening came I went into the center of the city and called
up Dorn, explaining the problem of Betand. There was deep, mocking laughter in my head, a sound as
though I had my head in a bell which someone struck softly. When he had done laughing,I became his
student once again. "Inside out." He showed me. "What we would have done, inverted, so, tug, pull, twist
so that it becomes this shape instead of that. Oh, this would be good sport if we were drunk. See, over
there, under and through, down and over, and under once more-there is your unborn, Peter. It will be
born in nine months in any case. Are you sure you want to let it rest? Ah. Well then, down and over and
through once more, dismissing it thus: Away, away into time unspent. A way, away into life unused. Be
still. At peace. In quiet. And done." Indeed, when I let Dorn go and walked forth into the streets there
was only stillness, peace, and quiet.
So I went to the Duke and waited with him while his counselors wandered about listening to the
stillness. Even then he would have cheated me if he could, saying that none knew whether my Talent
would hold. I told him we would let my Talent summon up something else as a demonstration, and he
agreed to payment.