"Lawrence Watt-Evans - Ethshar 9 - The Spriggan Mirror" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watt-Evans Lawrence)

The Spriggan Mirror
A Legend of Ethshar
Chapter One

Gresh was yawning, still not entirely awake, when the bell jingled and the just-unlocked door of his shop
opened behind him, letting in a swirl of cold air. He blinked once more, flexed his shoulders, and started
to turn.
“Don’t you ever sleep?” his eldest sister’s voice demanded.
Gresh finished his yawn, finished his stretching, finished his turn, and then replied, “Good
morning, Dina. I slept well, thank you—and you?”
“You certainly didn’t sleep very much,” Dina retorted. She was standing in the doorway, hands
on her hips, glaring at him. She wore her wizard’s robe, which generally meant she was on business. “I
was trying to reach you until at least an hour after midnight. Twilfa didn’t know where you were, but
wherever you were, you were still awake...”
“And having a lovely time, I might add,” he interrupted. He smiled broadly at her, then glanced at
the shop curtains he had been about to open and decided not to move them just yet. Dina’s presence in
her robe often implied a commission, and that might well mean traveling. If it required an immediate
departure he would just need to close up shop again. He leaned back against his counter.
“I’m sure you were,” Dina said. “Are you planning to see her again, whoever she was, or just
add her to the long list of pleasant memories?”
“Well, I don’t think you’ll be acquiring a new sister-in-law in the immediate future—but you
didn’t come here to inquire about my love life, Dina. I take it you were trying to use the Spell of Invaded
Dreams to contact me last night?”
“Yes, of course.”
“And it always leaves you in a foul temper when a spell doesn’t work, even if it’s not your fault. I
apologize for the inconvenience. What was it you wanted to tell me?”
“I need the blood of an unborn child,” Dina replied. “I thought I needed it urgently, since the spell
was already started when I discovered I’d run out, but it seems to have dissipated safely after all, since I
couldn’t find you to get more.”
“You didn’t check beforehand?” Gresh asked, shocked. “You didn’t make sure you had all the
ingredients ready? Gods, Dina...!”
“I checked,” she protested. “Of course I checked! I had one vial left.” She held up two fingers
perhaps an inch and a half apart, indicating the size of the vial in question. “Then a spriggan spilled it on
the cat.”
“Oh.” Gresh grimaced as he pushed himself upright and began fishing in his belt-purse for
something. “My sympathies. Spriggans do get into everything, don’t they?”
“Yes, they do. The little monsters are attracted by magic, you know—especially wizardry. Locks
and spells can’t keep them out. I hate the stupid things!”
“I, for one, don’t blame you a bit,” Gresh said, pulling out the key he had sought. “They’re a
nuisance, no doubt about it.” He turned to look at the magically-sealed iron door of the vault room that
young Twilfa could not open unassisted. “How much did you need? And how were you planning to
pay?” Then he paused and looked at Dina. “Blood of an unborn child? Was that for the Greater Spell of
Transmutation?”
“Yes. Not that it’s any of your business.” She stepped into the shop, pushing the door partly
closed behind her, then crossed her arms over her chest.
“You’re sure it dissipated safely? Isn’t that a high-order spell?”
“Of course it is,” she said, marching forward. “You let me worry about it, Gresh. I’m just here
for the blood.”
“Yes, well, I have a reputation to maintain...”
“As a supplier of goods and ingredients, not as a confounded babysitter,” she said. “I’m ten