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

to us in building the new world Quar is destined to rule. Your master and his
spahis we left there, also. Soon, bereft of their families, broken in spirit,
weak in body, they will come to us and bow before Quar."
A strangled sound from Sond was expressive of defiance.
Kaug gazed at the elder djinn sadly. "Ah, he will never leam gratitude, that
one. You are intelligent, Pukah. The
12
WEIS AND HICKMAN
winds of heaven have switched direction. They blow, not from the desert, but
from the city. The time of Akhran is dwindling. Long did Majiid call for his
djinn to come to his aid, but there was no answer."
Glancing through his fingers at Send, Pukah saw that the older djinn had
ceased struggling. Tears flowed from Sond's eyes, dripping into the puddles of
sea water on the floor beneath him. Pukah turned his head from the distressing
sight.
"The Sheykh's faith in his Cod is beginning to weaken. His djinn will not come
at his command. His wife and children were taken captive. His eldest sonтАФthe
light of his eyesтАФis missing and all assume him to be deadтАФ"
Pukah lifted a strained face. "Khardan? Dead?"
"Isn't he?" Kaug's eyes stabbed at him?
"Don't you know?" Pukah parried the thrust.
They stared at one another, mental swords clashing, then KaugтАФfelling
backтАФshrugged. "The body was not discovered, but that means tittle. It is
probably in the belly of a hyenaтАФa fitting end to a wild dog."
Lowering his head again, Pukah endeavored to gather up tyis widely scattered
wits. "It must be true! Khardan must be dead! Otherwise, he would have called
on me to come to Iris aid!"
"What are you mumbling about, little Pukah?" Kaug nudged the djinn with his
foot.
"I was ... er ... remarking to myself that I am most fortunate to be your
slaveтАФ"
"Indeed you are, little Pukah. The Amir's men were going to burn your basket
and sell that lamp but IтАФrecognizing them as the dwellings of fellow
immortalsтАФwas quick to rescue you both. Only to be set upon in my own homeтАФ**
The 'efreet glowered at Sond.
"Forgive him, Master. He thinks with his pectorals." Where is Asrial? Pukah
wondered. Much like Kaug, he was darting glances here and there in an effort
to locate her. Has she heard? A sudden thought occurred to him. If she has,
she must be frantic with worry.
"IтАФI don't suppose, Kind Kaug, that you could reveal to me the fete of my
mastтАФformer master'sтАФwives?" Pukah asked warily.
"Why do you want to know, little Pukah?" Kaug yawned.
"Because I pity those who must try to console them for
THE PALADIN OF THE NIGHT 13
the loss of such a husband," Pukah said, sitting back on his heels and
regarding the 'efreet with a face as bland as a pan of goat's milk. "The Calif
was deeply in love with his wives and they with him. Their sorrow at his loss
must be terrible to witness."
"Now, as a matter of feet, it is a great coincidence, but Khardan's two wives
have disappeared as well," Kaug said. Leaning back in his chair, the 'efreet