"Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - Rose of the Prophet 02 - The Paladin of the Night" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weis Margaret)

and Sond's rage was effectively punched and pummeled out of him.
Now it was the 'efreet who carried the djinn, and soon a / battered and bloody
Sond was hanging suspended by his feet from die cracked ceiling of the cave.
Dangling head down, his arms and legs bound with cords of prickly green vine,
the d)uin did not give up, but fought against his bondsтАФstruggling wildly
until he began to revolve at the end of his tether.
"I wouldn't do that, Sond," advised Pukah from his seat
18
WEIS AND HICKMAN
THE PALADIN OF THE NIGHT
19
on the rock. "If you do free yourself, you will only come down on your head
and you should certainly take care of what brains you have."
"You could have helped, you bastard son of Sul!" Sond writhed and twisted.
Blood and saliva dripped from his mouth.
Pukah was shocked. "I would not think of attacking our new master!" he said
rebukingly.
Turning from admiring his handiwork, Kaug eyed the young djinn suspiciously.
"Such loyalty, little Pukah. I'm touched."
Sliding down from his rock, the young djinn prostrated himself on the cave
floor before the 'efreet, his head brushing the ground.
"This is the law of the immortals who serve upon the mortal plane," recited
Pukah in a nasal tone, his nose pressed flat against the floor. "Whosoever
shall acquire the physical object to which the immortal is bound shall
henceforth become the master of said immortal and shall be due all allegiance
and loyalty."
Sond shrieked something vile, having to do with Pukah's mother and a male
goat.
Pukah appeared pained. "I fear these interruptions annoy you, My Master. If I
may be allowedтАФ"
"Certainly!" Kaug waved a negligent hand. The 'efreet appeared preoccupied;
his gaze darting here and there about the grotto.
Believing he knew the quarry the 'efreet was hunting, Pukah thought it best to
distract him. He picked up a handful of seaweed, grabbed hold of Sond by his
turban, and stuffed the pale green plant into the djinn's yammering mouth.
"His offensive outbursts will no longer disturb you, My Master!" Pukah threw
himself on his knees before the 'efreet.
"Allegiance and loyalty, eh, little Pukah?" said Kaug. Stroking his chin, he
regarded the djinn thoughtfully. Then my first command to you is to tell me
why you are here."
"We were drawn here. Master, by the physical objects to which we are bound
according to the law that statesтАФ"
"Yes, yes," said Kaug irritably, casting another searching glance around the
cave once more. "So you came here because you couldn't help yourself. You are
lying to your master, tittle Pukah, and that is quite against the rules. You
must be punished." Lashing out with his foot, the 'efreet kicked
Pukah under the chin, snapping the djinn's head back painfully and splitting
his lip.
'"The truth. You came here in search of Nedjma. And the .third member of your
party. What was her reason for coming?"