"Julian May - Trillium 3 - Sky Trillium" - читать интересную книгу автора (May Julian)

"It belongs neither to my mother nor to him now," Tolivar declared. He placed
the coronet upon his own head, and sud-denly his slender body and plain small
face seemed transfigured. "The talisman is bonded to me by the star-box, and
anyone who touches it without my leave will be burnt to ashes. I have not yet
fully mastered the Three-Headed Monster's powers, but some day I shall. And
when that time comes I will become a greater wizard than Orogastus ever was."

"Oh, Hiddenheart!" Ralabun wailed.

But before he could continue, the boy said, "Remember your oath, old friend."
Then he removed the coronet from his head and replaced it and the star-box in
their bags. "Now come along. Perhaps we can get home before it begins to rain
again."

Chapter Two

"NOW!" Kadiya cried out. "Take them!"

The huge web woven of tanglefoot fell, the scores of ropes that had supported it
cut at the same moment by the crew of Nyssomu high in the kala trees. It was

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deep night, but a searing bolt of lightning lit the moment of the net's landing on
the floor of the swamp forest and dimmed the orange-glowing eyes of the
startled Skritek war party.

The ambush had been successful. More than forty of the monstrous Drowners,
suddenly trapped in tough, gluey meshes, roared and shrieked amid the rolling
thunder. They tore ineffectually at the web with their tusks and claws, lashing
their tails and wallowing on the muddy ground as they became hopelessly
entangled. Musk from their scaled hides arose in a noxious cloud. It did not deter
their captors from driving long barbed stakes into the soggy soil, securing the
net's edges. Those Nyssomu who were not engaged in the task capered about,
popping their eyes out on stalks in mockery of their ancient foe, cheering and
brandishing blowpipes and spears.

"Yield to me, Roragath!" Kadiya demanded. "Your scheme of invasion and
brigandage is finished. Now you must pay the penalty for violating the Truce of
the Mazy Mire."

Never! the Skritek leader retorted in the speech without words. He was a gigantic
creature, nearly twice her height, and still stood upright with the sticky meshes
clinging to his body. The

Truce no longer binds us. And even if it did, we would never surrender to a puny
human female. We will fight to the death rather than yield!