"Anthony, Piers - Incarnations 04 - Wielding A Red Sword" - читать интересную книгу автора (Anthony Piers)

act was over, had run away with a handsome drifter, and
a replacement had not yet been recruited. So Mym, whose
act was done before hers, helped her with the preparation
and the conclusion.

He was spreading the salve on her body, making sure
to catch every spot, when they were interrupted by a party
of armed, uniformed officers of the Gujarat law-enforce-
ment staff. "Stand where you are, masked man!" one
snapped at Mym, holding his sword ready. "Identify
yourself."

Mym, of course, was unable to respond, in part because
of the stutter. Had they found him? He had thought he
was free ...

The dancer, knowing his problem, faced the troops. Her




8 Wielding a Red Sword

breasts shone with grease and became more pronounced
as she inhaled. "This is a private dressing room!" she

protested in the local dialect.

The chief officer contemplated her assets. "This is
Kingdom business, woman," he said gruffly. "We are in
pursuit of a party of thuggees. They may have passed this
wayЧand this man is masked."

"This man is my assistant!" she exclaimed, taking a
really significant breath. "He is no thuggee! He has been
with me all day!" She shook herself, and all three officers
struggled not to gape. "He wears a mask so the fumes of
the python won't hurt his face." She snapped her fingers,
and the great snoozing snake woke and lifted its snout,

hissing.
The men backed away. "To be sure," the leader said.

"If you speak for himЧ"
"Of course I speak for him!" she said. "I couldn'tfunc-

tion without him."

They departed, and Mym relaxed. He resumed spread-
ing the salve. "Certainly I spoke for you," Pythia said.