"Joan D. Vinge - Eyes of Amber" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vinge Joan D)

here. She drew her dagger from its sheath beside the demon's amber eye
and stroked the serrated blade of waterstone-impregnated wood. "You
wish me to slit their throats, while they sleep under your very roof?" She
managed the right blend of incredulity.
"No!" Chwiul frowned again. "What sort of fool do youтАФ" He broke off.
"With the new day, they will be returning to the estate by the usual route.
I have promised to escort them, to ensure their safety along the way. There
will also be a guide, to lead us through the bogs. But the guide will make a
mistake . . ."
 "And I will be waiting." T'uupieh's eyes brightened. During the winter
the wealthy used sledges for travel on long journeysтАФ preferring to be
borne over the frozen melt by membranous sails, or dragged by slaves
where the surface of the ground was rough and crumpled. But as spring
came and the surface of the ground began to dissolve, treacherous sinks
and pools opened like blossoms to swallow the unwary. Only an
experienced guide could read the surfaces, tell sound waterstone from
changeable ammonia-water melt. "Good," she said softly. "Yes, very good. .
. . Your guide will see them safely foundered in some slush-hole, and then I
will snare them like changeling phibs."
"Exactly. But I want to be there when you do; I want to watch. I'll make
some excuse to leave the group, and meet you in the swamp. The guide
will mislead them only if he hears my signal."
"As you wish. You've paid well for the privilege. But come alone. My
followers need no help, and no interference." She sat up, let her long,
webbed feet down to rest again on the sensuous hides of the rug.
"And if you think that I'm a fool, and playing into your hands myself,
consider this. You will be the obvious suspect when Klovhiri is murdered.
I'll be the only witness who can swear to the Overlord that your outlaws
weren't the attackers. Keep that in mind."
She nodded. "I will."
"How will I find you, then?"
"You will not. My thousand eyes will find you." She rewrapped the
demon's eye in its pouch of rags.
Chwiul looked vaguely disconcerted. "WillтАФit take part in the attack?"
"It may, or it may not; as it chooses. Demons are not bound to the
Wheel of Change like you and me. But you will surely meet it face to
faceтАФalthough it has no faceтАФif you come." She brushed the pouch at her
side. "YesтАФdo keep in mind that I have my safeguards too in this
agreement. A demon never forgets."
She stood up at last, gazing once more around the room. "I shall be
comfortable here." She glanced back at Chwiul. "I will look for you, come
the new day."
"Come the new day." He rose, his jeweled wings catching light.
"No need to escort rne. I shall be discreet." She bowed, as an equal, and
started toward the shadowed hall. "I shall definitely get rid of your
watchman. He doesn't know a lady from a beggar."



"The Wheel turns once more for me, my demon. My life in the swamps