"Mary Kirchoff. Kendermore ("Dragonlance Preludes I" #2) (angl)" - читать интересную книгу автора

animal doctor, or even an apothecary. What makes you think I'd have
such a thing?"

"Well, to be honest, you weren't my first choice. I couldn't
find anything that looked like my bone in those places -" he pulled a
wad of string, four pointy teeth, and a small vial with blue liquid
from inside his cape - "though I found some other things I've been
needing. But there was no one around to ask about bones."
"Won't any of the bones around your neck do?" Phi-
neas asked, suppressing a shudder.

"If they were finger bones, sure," Trapspringer said irritably,
"but they obviously aren't."

Now that he knew what the kender wanted, Phineas regained his
composure and opened a cupboard. He removed a flat-edged wooden tray
carefully, so as not to dump its contents of numerous thin, white
bones.

He picked up the largest of the bones and cupped it tenderly in
his hand.

"Well, this must be your lucky day, Mr. Trapspringer. I just
happen to use minotaur finger bones in the preparation of one of my
most potent and expensive health elixirs. In fact, I have here the
finger bone of a minotaur that was also a werewolf, one of the rarest
and most exotic creatures in the world. Lycanthropy is a strange
thing. There are those who say it can't affect creatures like
minotaurs, but right here we have the proof. Quite an indispensible
item. Being a collector yourself, you must know that such a bone as
this is very valuable. But, if it means so much to you - saving your
life and all - I'd be willing to part with it. I ask only that you
reimburse me for my cost." He held the bone up for Trapspringer's
inspection and sucked in his breath.

"It's marvelous!" Trapspringer cried, elated. He picked up the
bone gingerly and cradled it in his palm.

"I couldn't possibly pay you what this is worth," he lamented.
"But I would gladly give you my most valuable possession in trade!"
The kender reached into the depths of his cape.

Phineas's eyes lit up with greed as he watched Trapspringer's
hand create waves in the rich velvet of his cape. When the kender's
hand emerged, he pressed a folded, old parchment sheet into the
doctor's outstretched palms. A bank note! What else could it be?
Phineas nearly leaped out of his skin with excitement. At last he had
met up with a rich kender! He forced himself to not appear too anxious
or gauche.