"James M. Ward - The Pool 3 - Pool of Twilight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ward James M)

"Enough!" Shal said sharply. "Get all of that nonsense out of your system. Self-pity does not become
you, cleric of Tyr."
A look of surprise crossed Tarl's face. "You're right, of course," he said huskily. "I suppose I should be
thankful I'm alive at all. So many of the temple's clerics have per-ished these last years. I have no right to
complain."
The last five years had been hard ones for the good clerics of Phlan. When the hammer was first stolen
by Bane, few had realized how dire the consequences would truly be. The hammer had been the heart of
the temple's power, and, without the holy relic, the temple's protective aura had gradually diminished. The
warding spells woven about its walls were no longer reliable proof against the scourges of unholy magic
sent by enemies of the God of Justice. The clerics of Tyr were dying, one by one. A year ago, Tarl himself
had nearly succumbed. It was only a great strength, and an even greater faith in his god, that had preserved
him. But he did not escape unscarredтАФhe was struck blind. Tarl knew that it was only a matter of time
before the temple's defenses would fail altogether, and on that day all the clerics of Tyr would perish.
Unless Tyr's hammer was returned.
"Never forget, husband," Shal said softly, "you are the same man you always were. Nothing has
changed that."
He found her face with his hands and kissed her soundly. "What good could I possibly have done in my
life to deserve you, Shal?"
"Oh, I can think of a thing or two," she said with a devil-ish smile.
*****
Kern groaned as he dragged himself out of bed.
"How do you ever expect to fight real monsters, Kern, if dream ones can knock the stuffing out of you
so easily?"
Kern shot Listle a withering glance. Between his mother's healing ointment and a night's dreamless rest,
he was almost as good as new. Put the emphasis on almost, he thought with a wince as he shrugged on a
tunic the color of mist. His chest was so sore he felt as if he had been hugged by an over-friendly owlbear.
"By the way, your mother wants to see you."
"About what?" Kern asked. He grimaced as he pulled on his boots.
The elf did a poor job of stifling a giggle. "How should I know?" she asked.
"It's funny," Kern grumbled, "but I always thought elves were supposed to be stately, regal, polite
beings."
"Well, thinking never was your strong point," Listle retorted.
With a glare, Kern brushed past her and headed for his mother's chamber. As he trudged up the tower's
central staircase, he wondered why Shal wanted to see him. She didn't usually invite him into her
spellcasting chamber. In fact, her private laboratory was generally off-limits to everyone except Listle. She
probably wanted to talk about his recurring nightmares, he thought.
 He had dreamed about the beast in the darkness a number of times before, and each time the dream had
been a little clearer and lasted a little longer. He tried to recall the details of yesterday's nightmare, but
already it seemed foggy. He remembered a shadowed nave and a terrible creature. The beast had called
him something. What was it? A title of some sort... Kern shook his head. The memory was too clouded.
The young man had a feeling that his mother and father knew something about the nightmare that they
weren't telling him. They seemed ill at ease every time he told them he had dreamed the same dream.
Were they trying to protect him from something?
He sighed. It wasn't easy being the only son of two of the city of Phlan's greatest heroes. Once, with
the help of Kern's honorary Uncle Ren, Tarl and Shal had defeated an evil dragon that tyrannized half the
city, which in those days was rife with monsters and ruins. And another time, they had helped to rescue
Phlan from an evil Red Wizard named Marcus, who had stolen the city and sealed it in a cavern beneath his
tower. Kern didn't know how he could ever live up to the examples set by parents like that.
"There you are," Shal said as her son stepped into the circular chamber where she studied and practiced
her magical skills. Once the chamber had been used by a powerful wizard named Denlor, a friend of Shal's