"Patrick Welch - Before & Beyond" - читать интересную книгу автора (Welch Patrick)

send him another student. Hopefully," he glared at Ahlbhenzer, "they won't cause me so many headaches.
Now be gone with you. I have matters of much greater importance to address."

Ahlbhenzer was smiling as he left his lord's quarters. Graduation. He was now a demon of full
standing! He stretched his wings and let out a roar of delight. Fhennezel would surely be summoning him
soon for some assignment or another. Until then, a refreshing dip in the lava pools would be nice.



Cold Spell
Dartallon sat at his bench waiting impatiently for the transformation to begin. Around him, the tools of his
trade were neatly arranged for easy use: clay jars filled with eyes of bat and tongues of newt, flasks of
dew collected during the full moon, vials of quicksilver and dragonтАЩs blood, a miniature casket filled with
dead manтАЩs dust, and a basket full of rare roots and herbs he had personally amassed from every clime.
The standard tools of alchemy.

His attention was focused on the bowl before him. Inside rested a single rocтАЩs egg, painfully (and
perilously) collected the previous eve. Dartallon had prepared the philter and spoken the incantation, now
it should be a simple matter of time until the egg was transformed into gold.

But not this much time, he thought as his stomach grumbled in protest. He had planned on enjoying
breakfast after completing the morningтАЩs work. Now he regretted it. He glared at the recalcitrant egg, still
resplendent in its blue speckled shell. Have I done something wrong? He mentally retraced his steps,
then shook his head. He had performed this simple spell a hundred times and he slammed his fist on the
bench in frustration. There was simply no reason why the egg shouldnтАЩt be gleaming, solid gold by now.

тАЬEnough,тАЭ and he walked to his cooking pot, where his meal of potatoes and leeks was boiling merrily
inside. тАЬAt least you work,тАЭ he addressed the pot. It required no fire, just DartallonтАЩs commands to
function. He dined quickly, almost tastelessly, only enough to satisfy his hunger. Then he returned to his
vigil.

For the first time that morning he smiled. There was no doubt; one section of the egg was noticeably
yellow. Soon the entire egg would be solid gold and his work for the day completed. Perhaps some of
my ingredients have lost their potency, he decided as he glanced at several vials. He would have to
replenish his apothecary, and soon.

He was making a list when he heard a knock at his door. тАЬWho could that be?тАЭ he muttered as he
reluctantly answered the summons. He was greeted by a very irate and wet Gazperan.

тАЬWhy didnтАЩt you answer my call?тАЭ his magician guest asked as soon as they were inside out of the rain.

тАЬCall?тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩve been trying to contact you all morning!тАЭ

Dartallon looked at the deerтАЩs head mounted on a wall. He used it to converse with other magicians. тАЬIt
never spoke. Why are you wet?тАЭ

тАЬBecause it was raining outside and my shield spell wouldnтАЩt work.тАЭ Gazperan stalked to the nearest
chair and collapsed in it. тАЬEver ride a carpet in the wind and rain? I thought it would unseat me the entire