"Huff, Tanya - We Two May Meet" - читать интересную книгу автора (Huff Tanya)

"Fortunately for the world, I do."
"I can think of someone's death I'd like to be responsible for," Magdelene-one muttered.
"That . . . was close," Magdelene-two gasped, sagging back against the now closed door.
"Too . . . close," Magdelene-one agreed from where she lay panting on the floor.
"As long as your power remains divided, I very much doubt you could stop a second assault," Kali pointed out. "And there will be a second assault, Mistresses. You may count on that as a certainty."
"She has ... a point."
"Two. They're horns."
"She has a point about the two of us not being able to defeat the demonkind a second time," Magdelene-two ground out through clenched teeth. "We have to do something before we're all destroyed. Before we're chopped into pieces and devoured. I'll return to the workshop and attempt to find the strongest spells we can perform with our reduced power."
"Good on you. I'll have a nap."
"No," Kali sighed. "You will both come with me to the tower."
"Kali, lest you forget I ..."
"We," amended Magdelene-one.
". . . are mistress here."
Kali ignored them both and started up the stairs. After a moment, they exchanged identical expressions of confusion, and followed.
"The mirror is not functioning properly," Magdelene-two reminded the demon.
"Yes, Mistress, it is. Ask it other than who divided you from yourself."
After a moment spent working out demonic syntax, and another moment spent jockeying for position, the wizards took turns asking questions to which they already knew the answers. The mirror performed flawlessly.
"Now," prodded the demon, "ask it who is responsible for this division."
Magdelene-one shrugged, leaned past her double and asked.
The mirror continued to show only the reflection of the two Magdelenes.
"See? It's busted."
"No." Kali shook her head. "It is not. Think, both of you, who is strong enough to do this to the most powerful wizard in the world? You did it to yourself," she confirmed as understanding began to dawn. "The mirror has been giving you the correct answer from the beginning."
"We did this to ourselves?"
"Bummer."
"How? When?"
"When? It happened in the night as you slept. How?" Scaled shoulders rose and fell. "I do not know. Only you know."
"I don't know." Magdelene-one flopped down on the pillows. "Do you know?"
Magdelene-two pushed back a straying strand of chestnut hair and shook her head. "I'm forced to admit that I have no memory of doing any such thing."
"But clearly, it was done. And it must be undone before the world is overrun with others of my kind who are less . . . nice." Kali folded her arms. "For reasons only you can know you have brought this division upon yourself. Only you are powerful enough to undo what you have done."
"Granted, but we don't know what we've done."
"It is in your heads, Mistresses. It must come out."
"Eww." One's lip curled. "Look, I have an idea, let's just stay like we are."
"I want you back as a part of me as little as you want me in you," Two snorted, "but we have a responsibility to everyone in the world. We must save them from the encroachment of the Netherhells."
"Why? We've been saving them from that encroachment for a very long time. I say let someone else take the responsibility so I can have some fun."
"You've been having fun!" Magdelene-two reminded her sharply, arms folded over the ruins of her nightshirt. "In fact, you've been having everyone who's come within twenty feet of this house and it's GOT. TO. STOP."
"Bitch."
"Tramp."
"Mistresses, enough. You must pull yourselves together before disaster overcomes us all! There is a man," Kali continued, shooting a warning glare toward Magdelene-one, "a Doctor Bi-neeni, in Harmon, a town three days' travel inland. I have heard he attends to problems of the mind."
"Heard from who?"
"The baker's husband has a nephew whose friend had very good things to say about the man."
"The baker's husband's nephew's friend?" One shook her head in disbelief. "Oh, yeah, that's a valid recommendation."
"Do you have a better idea?" Two demanded.
"Sure. I leave and the demon princes do what they want to you."
"Fine. Two can play at that game."
"It is not a game and no one is playing." Kali's crimson eyes glittered. "If you have no consideration for the peoples of this world, then consider this: the demon princes have vowed vengeance for the death of their brother. They will not care how many pieces you are in when they begin, but I guarantee you will both be in many more pieces when they finish. You may continue arguing and die, or go to Harmon and live."
The only sound in the tower was the soft shunk, shunk, shunk of Magdelene-one stroking a silk tassel.
"Live?" she said at last, glancing up at her double.
"Live," Magdelene-two agreed.
"We have to walk?"
Kali rolled her eyes, white showing all around the red. "You have never been to Harmon, Mistress. You cannot go by magic to a place you have never seen."