"Elgin,.Suzette.Haden.-.Ozark.-.01.-.Twelve.Fair.Kingdoms" - читать интересную книгу автора (Elgin Suzette Haden)

"And hung it in a cedar tree? In a life-support bubble?" Her
brown eyes dancing. Patience of dark was clearly trying not to
imagine Jubal's favorite Mule being cleaned and fed and
curried up in the cedar tree; and losing the battle.

"It would of been safer," I said. "/ might of been busy
enough not to take it for anything more than a prank; and they
would of had still more time to make nuisances of them-
selves—and undercut the confidence in our security staff—
before the Jubilee."

"Responsible, that's but eleven weeks away!" Patience
broke in, the laughter in her eyes fading. "That's mighty little
time."

"All the more reason to talk less and do more," I said.
"Here's what I propose."

I would take our best Mule, from Brightwater's champion
line, called Sterling and deserving of her name. I would make a
brief and obvious fuss around the city in the way of putting
together suitable outfitting for a journey of a special kind. I
would let the word of the Quest be "leaked" to the comset
networks. And then, I would do each Castle in turn, staying
only just long enough at each to make the point that had to be
made. Responsible of Brightwatel; touring the Castles on a
Quest after the source of magic put to mischief and to
wickedness—just the thing. Just the thing!

"Even Tmaseeh?" asked Jubal dubiously.

"Even Tinaseeh. Certainly."

"It's a nine-day flight by Mule from here to Tinaseeh," he
said. "At least. And you do a Quest, you do it by foot or by
Mule, Responsible, no getting out of that. Nine days, just that
one leg of the trip."

"As the crow flies," I acknowledged. Not that it would of

Twelve Fair Kingdoms 15

taken me nine days, but there was no reason to let Jubal Brooks
know more than he needed to know. "I will not head straight
for Tinaseeh across the Oceans of Remembrances and of
Storms, dear Uncle. I am touring the Twelve Kingdoms on
solemn Quest, please remember. First I will go to Castle
McDaniels. Then a short flight to Afkansaw, a mere hop across
die channel to Mizzurah, on over to Kintucky, and then—and
onty then—to Tinaseeh. Then Oklahomah, quick around it,