Мор - ученик смерти

           ITWASCLOUDINGMYJUDGEMENT.

           AskeletalhandappearedontheedgeofMort’svisionandskilfullyspearedastuffedegg.Mortspunaround.

           ’Whathappened?’hesaid.’I’vegottoknow!OneminutewewereintheLongRoomandthenextwewereinafieldoutsidethecity,andwewerereallyus!Imean,realityhadbeenalteredtofitusin!Whodidit?’

           IHADAWORDWITHTHEGODS.Deathlookeduncomfortable.

           ’Oh.Youdid,didyou?’saidMort.Deathavoidedhisgaze.

           YES.

           ’Ishouldn’tthinktheywereverypleased.’

           THEGODSAREJUST.THEYAREALSOSENTIMENTALISTS.IHAVENEVERBEENABLETOMASTERIT,MYSELF.

           BUTYOUAREN’TFREEYET.YOUMUSTSEETOITTHATHISTORYTAKESPLACE.

           ’Iknow,’saidMort.’Unitingthekingdomsandeverything.’

           YOUMIGHTENDUPWISHINGYOU’DSTAYEDWITHME.

           ’Icertainlylearnedalot,’Mortadmitted.Heputhishanduptohisfaceandabsent-mindedlystrokedthefourthinwhitescarsacrosshischeek.’ButIdon’tthinkIwascutoutforthatsortofwork.Look,I’mreallysorry—’

           IHAVEAPRESENTFORYOU.

           Deathputdownhisplateofhorsd’oeuvresandfumbledinthemysteriousrecessesofhisrobe.Whenhisskeletalhandemergeditwasholdingalittleglobebetweenthumbandforefinger.

           Itwasaboutthreeinchesacross.Itcouldhavebeenthelargestpearlintheworld,exceptthatthesurfacewasamovingswirlofcomplicatedsilvershapes,foreveronthepointofresolvingthemselvesintosomethingrecognisablebutalwaysmanagingtoavoidit.