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

"This is serious, Pukah!" Asrial said softly. "One life has been lost over
them already. And my poor Mathew ..." She covered her face with her hands.
"Pukah, you are a low form of life. A worm, a snake is higher than you." The
djinn gazed at the angel remorsefully. "I'm sorry. Go on, Asrial."
"He ... the slave trader . . . called Mathew over to the white palanquin in
which the trader always traveled. He handed my protege1 a crystal globe
decorated on the top and bottom with costly gold work. The globe was filled
with water and inside swam two fishтАФone gold and one black. The
trader ordered Mathew to keep them hidden from the guards. There was a poor
girl standing there, watchingтАФa slave girl. The trader told Mathew to witness
what would happen if he betrayed him and he ... he murdered the girl, right
before Mathew's eyes!"
"Why did he choose Mathew to carry these fish?"
Asrial blushed faintly. "The trader mistook my proteg┬г for a femaleтАФ"
"Ah, yes," muttered Pukah. "I forgot."
"The guards would not search the women in the caravan-not their persons, at
leastтАФand so Mathew was able to conceal the fish. The slave trader said that
he would take them back when they went into town. But then your master rescued
Mathew and carried him away. And with him, the magical fish. ..."
"How do you know they're magic? What do they do?" Pukah asked dubiously.
"Of course they're magic!" Asrial snapped irritably. "They live encased in a
crystal globe that no force on this world can shatter. They do not eat. They
are not bothered by heat or cold." Her voice lowered. "And one spoke to me."
"That's nothing!" Pukah scoffed. "I've talked to animals. I once shared my
basket with a snake who worked for my former master. Quite an amusing fellow.
Actually, it was the snake's basket, but he didn't mind a roommate after I
convincedтАФ"
"Pukah! This is serious! One fishтАФthe gold oneтАФtold me to come with you to
find the Lost Immortals. The fish referred to Mathew as the Bearer . . . and
she said he was in dreadful danger. In danger of losing not only his life but
his soul as well!"
"There, there, my dear. Don't get so upset. When we get back, you must show me
these wonderful fish. What else do theyтАФ Oh, Sond! Where have you been?"
The elder djinn swam through the murky water, his strong arms cleaving it
aside with swift, clean strokes. "I went ahead to Kaug's dwelling, to look
around. The 'efreet's gone, apparently. The place is deserted."
"Good!" Pukah rubbed his hands in satisfaction. "Are you certain you want to
continue on, Asrial? Yes? Actually, it's well that you are coming with us,
beautiful angel, because neither Sond nor I may enter the 'efreet's dwelling
without his permission. Now you, on the other handтАФ"
"Pukah, I need to talk to you." Sond drew the young
12 WEIS AND HICKMAN
djinn to the far side of a large outcropping of rock covered with hollow,
tubular plants that opened and shut with the flow of the water, looking like
hundreds of gasping mouths. "Well, what is it?"
"Pukah, a strange feeling came over me when I drew near Kaug's dwellingтАФ"
"It's the stuff he cooks for his dinner. I know, I felt it, too. Like your
stomach's trying to escape by way of your throat?" "It's not anything I
smelled!" Sond said angrily. "Quit being a fool for once in your life. It's a
feeling like . . . like . . . like I could enter Kaug's dwelling without his