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.A last-second rescue by a brother I'd only metthe day before.it was the sort of thing a bard could easily spin into a heroic song.Frowning, I thought back to King Elnar and my fellow lieutenants, all dead now, their ensorceledheads smashed to pulp.If only the story had a happy ending.Aber had taken a blanket from the bed and now handed it to me."Get out of those wet things and dry yourself off," he said."I'll bring you another set of Mattus'sclothes.As soon as you're up to it, you must see Dad.He's worried sick about you.""Thanks," I said gratefully.Aber returned in short order with shirt, pants, and undergarments, plus my valet.Horace lookedhalf asleep and I guessed Aber had dragged him from bed to help me.It didn't take them long to get me changed and cleaned up.I found myself moving slowly; after allI'd been through, the lateness of the hour, and the effects of the brandy, my arms and legs felt like leadweights, and my head began to pound.I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and pass out for thenext day or two.Aber had a spare pair of boots, but they proved several sizes too small.Horace went out andsoon returned with a larger pair-I didn't ask where he'd found them, but I suspected he swiped themfrom another of my brothers.Not that I cared at this point."You'll do," Aber said finally, looking me up and down."Just try not to collapse.""I feel better," I lied."That's just the brandy.You look terrible.""Could be." I took a deep breath and turned toward the door, swaying slightly.Time to visit ourfather, I thought.I couldn't put it off any longer.I said as much."Do you want me to go with you?" Aber asked suddenly, steadying my arm."No need," I said."He'll want to see me alone.We have a lot to discuss.""You're right, he never wants to see me.But still." He hesitated."I know the way," I said with more confidence than I felt. "Are you sure?""Yes."Til just wish you luck, then." He glanced at Horace."Go with him," he said, "just in case.""Yes, Lord," Horace said.He stepped forward, and I leaned a bit on his shoulder."Thanks," I said to Aber, "for everything.""You don't know how lucky you are!""Sure I do." I grinned at him."Go on, get out of here.Dad's waiting."Horace helped me into the corridor, where I took a deep breath and forced myself to stand onmy own two feet.I thought I could make it successfully downstairs on my own.I didn't want the otherservants to see me limping and leaning on Horace-rumors of some personal catastrophe would be allover Juniper before daybreak.With Horace trailing, I made my way unerringly downstairs and through the maze of corridors,past two sleepy looking guards, and straight to Dworkin's workshop.I didn't bother knocking, but pushed the door open and went in.Dworkin had been seated atone of his tables tinkering with a four-armed skeleton."What happened? Where have you been?" he demanded, leaping forward."You just-vanished!"I swayed a little, and Horace leaped forward to steady me.I leaned on his shoulder as he helpedme to a chair."That will be all," I told him."Yes, Lord," he said, and he bowed and hurried out.Slowly I told my father everything that had happened to me: my sudden unexpected appearanceat the battlefield north of Kingstown, the heads of King Elnar and his lieutenants and how they hadbetrayed me, my flight from the hell-creatures, and how I discovered the town had been burned."Aber saved me," I said."He made a trump to check on me, then used it to bring me back here.""Then it worked," he said, awed."The jewel really does cany a true image of your pattern.Youare now attuned to it, and it to you.""I don't understand."He smiled kindly."You traveled to Ilerium on your own, drawing on the pattern within you.Youcan master Shadows now."I felt stunned."It worked? Really?""Yes!""Like the Logrus?""Yes!"I sighed with relief, "Good.""The very nature of Chaos lies in the Logrus," he said."It is a primal force, alive and vibrant.It isincorporated into the very essence of the Lords of Chaos, from King Uthor on down to the smallest childwho shares his blood.""Including you," I said."And everyone of your blood.except me." "That's right.""But why not in me?""Oh, I know the answer to that now," he said with a laugh, "but we must save it for another day.Come, I have abed in one of the back rooms for when I work too long here.Lie down, sleep.You will be thebetter for it tomorrow."I still had a thousand questions-how had I transported myself to Ilerium without a Trump? Did Ineed the ruby to work magic? Would it take me to any Shadow world I could envision, even ones I'venever been to before?-but I didn't have the strength to argue.Rising, I followed him through severaldifferent rooms than the ones I'd seen before, all equally cluttered with magical and scientific devices, untilwe came to one with a small bed pushed up against the wall.A pair of mummified lions sat on top of thecovers, but he tossed them into the corner and pulled back the blankets for me."In you go, my boy."Without bothering to undress, I threw myself down.Dreams came quickly, full of weird images of burning patterns encased in ruby light, talkingheads, and Dworkin cackling as he loomed over me, pulling strings like a mad puppeteer
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Tematy
IndexJohn Ringo Ghost 01 Ghost
John Norman Gor 04 Nomads of Gor
John Norman Gor 01 Tarnsman of Gor
John Norman Gor 23 Renegades of Gor
John DeChancie Castle 07 Castle Spellbound
John Norman Gor 12 Beasts of Gor
John Dalmas Farside 01 The Lion of Farside
Marcin Wolski Eurodzihad(1)
Smith Lisa Jane ÂŚwiat nocy 01 Dotyk Wampira(2)