"Will McDermott - Magic the Gathering - Odyssey Cycle 03 - Judgement" - читать интересную книгу автора (McDermott Will)

details underneath the inkblot.
The mer began to rub the map lightly to clean away the black area. Underneath was a complete
topographical survey map of the chasm and the surrounding area, just as Veza had promised in her note.
Whether by design or by accident, the empress's mer had given Laquatas a more detailed map of the trench
than even his own squid engineers had been able to produce.
Laquatas scanned the survey lines closely. Much of the detail was lost on the mer, for he was no
cartographer. But one feature-a system of underground canals marked on the inland portions of the map-he
instantly recognized.
The mer empire had long used subterranean canals to spy upon and stage raids within the towns of the
dry landers. Some of these water-filled canals went as far inland as the foothills of the Pardic Mountains.
Laquatas had never seen the canals shown on Veza's map before. They must be long forgotten and rarely
used, although it appeared they connected to the entire subterranean system. More importantly, one of the
canals marked on Veza's map came quite close to the cliffs of Onara.
"Loqar's Folly?" muttered Laquatas. "I would call this Veza's Folly, for you have given me the key to
my cell, you stupid girl. The key to my ultimate victory over you and your empress."
Turning to the door, the ambassador yelled, "Talbot!" The door opened, and a merman swam into the
room. Not as tall as the former ambassador, and with horns and scales tinted a metallic greenish-blue
instead of Laquatas's more regal silvery-blue, Talbot was, nevertheless, one of the few noble mermen left in
the seas surrounding Otaria. He had come to the rebellion very early on and had risen quickly to sit at
Laquatas's right hand.
"Yes, Lord Laquatas."
'Talbot," said Laquatas as he pointed at the canals on the map, "I believe your old friend Veza has
given us a valuable gift-a permanent route out of this Norda-forsaken pit."
"Really?" said Talbot, cocking his head to look both at the map and at Laquatas. "That is very unlike
her."
"I agree," said the mer, smiling. "And we shall definitely repay her for her many kindnesses as soon as
we find a way to access the canals on this map. I want you to take the map and a team of squid engineers
out to the cliffs of Onara to determine if we can open up a tunnel to the canals."
"Yes, my lord," replied Talbot as he took the map and rolled it up. "Shall I dispose of this refuse for you
as well, sir?"
"Simone?" asked Laquatas. "Heavens no. We owe this fine subject our debt of gratitude. She has
shown us the route to freedom. No. Simone will be my guest for dinner tonight as a reward for her loyal
support."
As Talbot left the room, Laquatas grabbed the chain draped across Simone's shell and pulled her
lifeless body over to his table, letting it settle onto the map. Changing form into a legged mer once again,
Laquatas sat in his chair and mentally called for Burke. As commanded, the strong, yet viscous creature
extended and slid an arm up into Simone's shell, breaking open the carapace, so Laquatas could feast on the
succulent pink flesh underneath.
*****
"In honor of the great service you have given to us, Veza, we would like to give you a little gift,"
purred Empress Llawan as her tentacles undulated around the arms of her throne.
That is not necessary, my Empress," replied Veza kneeling before the throne, her legs covered by a
long, shimmering gown. The tailless mermaid could almost feel the stares of the nobles in the gallery upon
her. Try as she might, she had been unable to change back into her tailed form since Burke had broken her
ankle during the battle, and she knew she had become the talk of the court.
Now, surrounded by the denizens of the deep-the cephalids, the crabs, the prawns, the sharks-all the
noble houses of Empress Llawan's underwater kingdom, she felt very much alone. Not only was she the
lone mer in the empire, but she wasn't a proper mer at all. She had no tail! Polite applause from the
gathered nobles startled Veza from her reverie.
"Veza?" called Llawan.