"Sheri S. Tepper - Shapeshifter 03 - Wizard's Eleven" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tepper Sherri)

proper dress of a Shifter includes a beast-head helm and a fur cloak, so I had

had a pombi-head helm made up, all lolloping red tongue and glittering eyes,

with huge jowls and ears-fake, of course. A real pombi head would have weighed

like lead. My fur mantle was real enough, however, and welcome for warmth on the

chill day which found me midway between the Bright Demesne and the town of

Xammer. I was mounted on a tall black horse I had picked for myself from
Himaggery's stables, and Chance sulked along behind on something less

ostentatious. We were on our way to visit Silkhands the Healer, not at her

invitation and not because of any idea of mine.

Chance was sulking because he had recently learned of a large exotic beast said

to live in the farNorthernLands, and he wanted me to Shift into one so that he

might ride me through the town ofThispnear the Bright Demesne. It seemed there

was a widow there ...

I had said no, no, too undignified, and wasn't Chance the one who had always

urged me to be inconspicuous? To which he had made a bad-tempered reply to do

with ungrateful brats.

"If she had seen you mounted on a gnarlibar, Chance, she would never have let

you in her house again. She would have felt you too proud, too puissant for a

plumpish widow."

" 'Twould not be too warlike for that one, Peter. She's widow of an Armiger and

daughter of another. Great high ones, too, from the telling of it."

"But she has no Talent, Chance."

"Well. That's as may be. Boys don't know everything." And he went back to his

sulks.

Whoops, Peter, I said to myself. Chance is in love and you have been

uncooperative. Thinking upon the bouncy widow, I could imagine what Talents she