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The Ring of Solomon

The Ring of Solomon

Titel: The Ring of Solomon Kostenlos Bücher Online Lesen
Autoren: Jonathan Stroud
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dead! But in the hands of the priestesses, djinn can be put to better purpose – how do you think the reservoir here in Marib was built, or the walls of the city, for that matter? Each year they help repair the towers, and dredge the water channels too.’
    Asmira said, ‘I know this. They do the queen’s work, just as the men must labour in the fields.’
    The senior guard-mother chuckled. ‘This is so. Djinn are in fact much like men – provided you treat them sternly, and do not give them an inch of room to work you ill, they have several worthwhile uses. But here is the thing. Magic is useful to the guards also, and for one good reason. Our duty, the whole purpose of our being, is to protect our sovereign. We rely on our bodily skills for the most part, but sometimes that alone is not sufficient. If a demon attacked the queen—’
    ‘A silver blade would deal with it,’ the girl said shortly.
    ‘Sometimes, but not always. A guard needs other defences too. There are certain words, Asmira, certain magical Wards and incantations, which can temporarily rebuff a lesser demon’s power.’ The senior guard-mother lifted the necklace so that the sun pendant swung slowly, catching the light. ‘Spirits hate silver, just as you say, and charms like this give force to the uttered spell. I can teach you such things, if you wish. But to do so, we will have to summon demons to practise on.’ She gestured around at the cluttered room. ‘This is why we have special dispensation to learn such techniques here.’
    ‘I’m not afraid of demons,’ the girl said.
    ‘Asmira, summoning spirits is perilous, and we are not magicians. We learn basic incantations, so that we may test our Wards. If we are hasty, or careless, we will pay a dreadful price. Lesser guards do not need to understand these skills and I will not force you to do so either. If you wish, you can leave this room now and never return.’
    The girl was gazing at the little twirling sun. Its light flashed in her eyes like fire. ‘My mother knew these skills?’
    ‘She did.’
    Asmira held out her hand. ‘Teach me, then. I will learn.’
    As she walked back to the inn where she was to spend the night, Asmira stared up between the darkened buildings at the glittering expanse of stars. As she watched, a light streaked in the heavens, flared briefly and went out. A shooting star? Or one of Solomon’s demons spreading terror to other lands?
    Her jaw clenched; her nails dug into her palms. It was another ten days before she would reach Jerusalem – and that was without the sandstorms that might delay the caravan. Ten days! And in twelve the Ring would be turned and devastation brought upon Sheba! She closed her eyes and took a long breath in and out, as she had been taught to do when emotions threatened. Her training worked; she felt herself grow calm.
    When she opened her eyes, there was a man standing in the road in front of her.
    He held a long strip of cloth between his hands.
    Asmira halted, looking at him.
    ‘Softly,’ the man said. ‘No struggling.’ When he smiled, his teeth were very white.
    Asmira heard footfall on the road behind; glancing over her shoulder, she saw three other men hastening close, one of them a cripple, a crutch wedged under his arm. She saw the ropes, the sack held ready, the knives tucked neatly in their waist-bands, the glints of moisture in their smiling eyes and mouths. On the cripple’s shoulder, a small black impling crouched, flexing its dirty yellow claws.
    Her hand moved towards her belt.
    ‘Softly,’ the man with the cloth said again. ‘Or I’ll hurt you.’ He took another step, then sighed, fell backwards. Starlight glinted on the dagger blade protruding from the centre of his eye.
    Before he hit the ground, Asmira had swivelled, ducked beneath a clutching hand and pulled the knife from the waist-band of the nearest man behind her. Dancing aside from the stumbling assault of the third, who sought to loop a coil of wire about her head, she killed both men with rapid blows and turned to face the fourth.
    The cripple had halted a few yards distant, his face slack with blank surprise. Now he gave a long, low snarl and snapped his fingers. The impling beat its wings and launched itself at Asmira with a cry. Asmira waited till it was close, then touched her silver necklace, spoke a Ward of force. The impling exploded in a ball of flame that spiralled away and burst against a wall in a shower of angry

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