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

finding the mirror. But the Guild would pay?
When the Wizards’ Guild said “any price,” that meant rather more than when anyone else said it.
The Wizards’ Guild had entire worlds at their disposal.
But of course, the witch might not have meant it literally. She could not be a member of the Guild
herself and might have misinterpreted what the Guildmasters had actually said. There might be limitations
of which she was unaware.
Still, to have access to the Guild’s own coffers—he would be rich! Really rich, not just as well
off as he was now. Or perhaps he might be paid with more than money....
That assumed, of course, that Karanissa was telling the truth. Twilfa had not yet returned with
Tira, so he had no way of verifying the story.
It also assumed he could indeed retrieve the missing mirror, but he had confidence in his own
abilities—far more confidence than he had in Karanissa’s account of herself.
He considered trying to stall Karanissa, by asking her questions until Tira arrived—after all, he
would need more information from her before setting out to find this mirror—but he decided against it.
This was probably not going to be a quick and easy errand. He would undoubtedly talk to her a good
many times, with and without Tira.
He would probably need to talk to her husband, as well, but first he wanted to do a little
preliminary planning.
“It will take me some time to make preparations,” he said. “I will need to speak with your
husband and to do some research.”
“Of course,” Karanissa said. “Whatever is necessary.” She rose.
“Bring your husband and his other wife here this afternoon, and we will settle the details,” Gresh
said, rising as well.
She bowed an acknowledgment.
He showed her to the door, then stood in the doorway watching her walk away down the street
toward Eastgate Market.
She was a handsome woman, no question about it, and if her story was true, she was a woman
with an incredible history. The task she had set him was going to be a challenge—stupendously
profitable, he hoped,—but a challenge.
In fact, he had no idea at all, as yet, of how he would do it.
That did not worry him. He would find a way. Various possibilities were already stirring in the
back of his mind.
The Spriggan Mirror
A Legend of Ethshar
Chapter Three

Gresh sat at his kitchen table across from Twilfa and Tira, stroking his short-trimmed beard. “She said
they’d tried wizardry, theurgy, demonology, warlockry, science, and ritual dance. She didn’t mention
witchcraft, but since she’s a witch herself I think we can take that for granted.”
“Then why did you want me here?” Tira asked.
“To see whether she was telling the truth,” Gresh replied. “Whether she’s really a witch and really
as old as she claims.”
“But you let her go!”
“She’ll be back this afternoon.”
“You want me to stay here all day? Gresh, Dar and I have our own customers to attend to.”
Gresh sighed. “Are any of them coming today?”
“I’m not going to tell you my entire schedule.”
“I won’t keep you, then, but can you please come by this afternoon? Naturally, I will pay you for
your time.”
Tira frowned.