"Hall Of Mirrors" - читать интересную книгу автора (Zelazny Roger)

"Merlin told me something about them," I said, "after he effected my
release at the Courts. But I don't believe I've ever met one."
I rolled up my left sleeve.
"Cut me. I bleed," I said.
As he studied my arm, his gaze appeared more than a little serious. For
a moment, I thought he'd actually take me up on it.
"All right," he said then. "Just a nick. For security purposes."
"I still don't know who I'm talking to," I said.
He bowed.
"Sorry. I am Luke of Kashfa, sometimes known as Rinaldo I, its king. If
you are who you say you are, I am your nephew. My dad was your brother
Brand."
Studying him, I saw the resemblance. I thrust my arm farther forward.
"Do it," I said.
"You're serious."
"Dead right."
He drew a Bowie knife from his belt then and looked into my eyes. I
nodded. He moved to touch my forearm with its tip and nothing happened. That
is to say, something happened, but it was neither desired nor wholly
anticipated.
The point of his blade seemed to sink a halfinch or so into my arm. It
kept going then, finally passing all the way through. But no blood came.
He tried again. Nothing.
"Damn," he said. "I don't understand. If you were a Pattern ghost, we'd
at least get a flare. But there's not even a mark on you."
"May I borrow the blade?" I asked.
"Sure."
He passed it to me. I took it in my hand and studied it, I pushed it
into my arm and drew it along for perhaps threequarters of an inch. Blood
oozed.
"I'll be damned," Luke said. "What's going on?"
"I'd say it's a spell I picked up when I spent a night in the Dancing
Mountains recently," I replied.
"Hm," Luke mused, "I've never had the pleasure, but I've heard stories
of the place. I don't know any simple ways to break its spells. My room's
off toward the front." He gestured southward. "If you'd care to stop by,
I'll see what I can figure out about it. I studied Chaos magic with my dad,
and with my mother, Jasra."
I shrugged.
"This is my room right here," I said, "and I've a chicken and a bottle
of wine on the way up. Let's do the diagnosis in here, and I'll split the
meal with you."
He smiled.
"Best offer I've had all day," he said. "But let me stop back at my
room for some tools of the trade."
"All right. I'll walk you back, so I'll know the way in case I need
it."
He nodded and turned. We headed up the hall.
Turning the corner, we moved from west to east, passing Flora's
apartments and moving in the direction of some of the better visitors'