[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

had stolen from Gaveley's den was there.
The artifact seemed to hum, and soon Mynx's head pounded from the beelike drone. Despite the
small space she occupied, the air was cool.
She listened.
" Tis time to halt and gather our strength, little one. Slide down from my back. We shall share wine
and fine cheese from my pack."
"Nothing for me, thank you. Oh, just some wine, please," Kifflewit's lilting voice rejoined. "And,
oh, maybe a little cheese. Don't you have any bread, Phytos?"
The centaur must have had some, for Mynx heard a muffled, "Mmmm, thanks," that told her the
kender had found something that suited his tastes. She could have used a chunk of bread herself, not
to mention wine and cheese. If she remained in the dragon very long, would she starve?
"Hey!" she shouted. "Hey, out there! Kifflewit! Phytos! Help!"
She waited in vain; nobody heard her words.
"Wouldst thou like some more cheese, kender? 'Tis quite a good variety, Qualinesti, full of elven
vigor. I traded a full bag of fine-quality grain for it."
"Mmmm ... Thank you." Kifflewit coughed.
Mynx, annoyed, struck the flat of her hand against the Diamond Dragon. The blow aggravated the
drone into a bell-like tolling that set Mynx's teeth on edge. "Hey, you two!" she shouted. "Help!"
She tried screaming as loud as she could. The artifact took her scream and returned it tenfold, until
Mynx thought she would shout her lungs out from sheer frustration.
All right, so they couldn't hear her. Maybe Mynx could make her presence known some other way.
The kender must realize she was here, but he couldn't be relied upon. Mynx pinned her hopes on the
centaur.
She braced her hands on the sides of the dragon and rocked to one side. The artifact wobbled
slightly. Encouraged, Mynx pushed even harder the other way, and the Diamond Dragon tipped so
far in that direction that Mynx lost her balance on the slippery bottom and tumbled to her knees.
"Blast this thing to the Abyss!" she shrieked, then had to cover her ears again from the resulting
reverberations.
Then a huge hand did that monstrous palm, those fat fingers, those imposing nails really belong to
a little kender? crashed into the pocket, swept under the Diamond Dragon, and carried it and its
occupant out of the pouch and into the light. Mynx leaped to her feet and rocked back and forth
again, harder than before. The centaur had to notice something odd the artifact was moving of its
own volition.
"See what I have, Phytos?" the kender chirped. He wrapped his fingers around it securely. Mynx
fumed, but kept up her strenuous efforts.
Phytos did not look up from arranging the items in his pack. " 'Tis time we continued, little one.
We're not even out of the vallenwoods. We have many leagues ... By the gods!" The centaur's head
was up now, violet eyes staring. "What is that thou holds, kender? It glows like lightning! 'Tis
magic! Is it evil?"
"It was Hederick's, Phytos. He gave it to me, back at the temple."
Phytos clucked. "Did he, kender? And could it be that the High Theocrat is unaware that he gave
thee such a precious bauble?"
Kifflewit faltered. "I... I don't remember." He brightened. "Anyway, I'm keeping it for him. Until he
needs it again."
"Let me see it."
The kender opened his hand. Mynx held her breath. New fingers, slender and strong, cradled the
artifact. The centaur's angular face, with those piercing eyes, came into view. Mynx jumped and
waved, rocked the Diamond Dragon, and shouted Phytos's name until she was hoarse. The slim
fingers closed firmly around the quivering artifact.
"By the gods, kender, the bauble glows so that I am nearly blinded! It seems to tremble with magic.
Put the thing back in thy pocket and keep it safe. If 'tis Hederick's, it may prove useful to us in the
coming war."
"War?" Kifflewit's voice held new interest. He replaced the Diamond Dragon in his pocket. Mynx
slumped to the artifact's bottom, disconsolate.
"Hederick's forces committed an atrocity against my race," Phytos told the kender. "His minions
slew four of my companions. It is highly likely that my tribe will choose to retaliate, little one."
Kifflewit's voice went even more shrill with excitement. "Centaurs, go to war with humans? Wow!
Has that ever happened before, Phytos? Is that..."
"I neither know nor care, little one." The curt reply was followed by a soft, "Come, Kifflewit
Burrthistle. Tis time we left. My glade lies outside the vallenwoods, and we've a way to go."
Inside the Diamond Dragon, which remained inside the kender's pocket, Mynx beat her fists against
her knees and howled.
* * * * *
"The revelations went well tonight, Your Worship," Dahos said.
Hederick grunted noncommittally as he arranged his scrolls in the room of his quarters. He had
summoned the high priest, then refused to speak to him or dismiss him. He'd learned an important [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]