"Karl Edward Wagner - Cold Light" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wagner Karl Edward)

words for simple minds to grasp, I'll remind you that sorcery has
its laws and limitations. As you know, I've made no pact as yet
with any patron god—if I had I wouldn't be wasting your sort! 9
my time riding around with
"Without direct demonic aid, I have to resort to the pure
science of sorcery. That means in general that I require lengthy
and arduous preparations to weave any powerful spell. The fact
that I have no bit of hair, piece of nail, any fragment of Kane's
body—not even an item intimate to his person for that
matter—to serve as a focus for my magic eliminates most
possibilities for any sort of really potent spell. I've never even
seen Kane, and we're no more than reasonably certain that he's
the man inside the old villa. Add to this the fact that Kane is
himself a sorcerer of considerable ability—a man who can
probably block most of my spells through his own knowledge.
Now then, tell me where that leaves me!" I
"All right! I apologize," conceded Alidore with little grace. "So
where does that leave us? What do you have in mind?"
Cereb Ak-Cetee went on with a sneer in his eyes. "I know a
fairly simple spell to induce stupor. I can diffuse it to include
anyone within the villa, which will seriously weaken its influence.
And Kane may bear some counter-charm against such minor
sorceries for all I know. In fact, he can probably resist its effects
to an extent purely through force of will, granting he's had
extensive occult training. But regardless of whether he can resist
it or not, unless he's completely protected the spell is going to
slow him down considerably, even if it doesn't lay him out
altogether. I didn't mention this spell earlier, because I had
assumed he would be too great an adept to fall under its
influence. Now I'm not so sure—I doubt if he's made any sort of
preparations to guard against attack, in fact. Anyway the spell
can soon be cast, and if it doesn't work we're no worse off than
before."
"Cast your spell, Cereb," Gaethaa ordered eagerly. "If it can
silence that crossbow and nothing more, it can drop Kane right
into my hands!"
Kane watched the spot where his attackers had taken cover
carefully, the closing darkness limiting his vision far less than for
another man, "They seem to have given up the fire arrow idea for
now. Guess that means a concerted attack before long. Anyway
we seem to have all the fires put out."
 He caressed the crossbow stock appreciatively. Kane had had
it crafted according to his design, and he prized it highly. "There's
a good weapon, though I doubt if many men could draw it with
nothing more than this lever. Still the thing takes too long to cock
and fire—though that fast shot proved its worth once again.
Thoem! If I just had that archer's bow, I could pick off every last
one of them before they could cross the clearing!"
He addressed Rehhaile. "What are they doing now?"
Rehhaile's face was tight with concern under the soot—she