"Asaro, Catherine - Skolian Empire 6 - Quantum Rose" - читать интересную книгу автора (Asaro Catherine)

He moved his mask aside and spoke to the man holding Kamoj. "Let her go, Azander."

"Sir, she took your breathing skin off," Azander said.

Lionstar waved the mask. "CuriosityТs nay murder. GoТn. Drive us home."

"Yes, sir." As Azander backed out of the coach, he gave Kamoj a hard look. She recognized the warning. If she hurt Lionstar, Azander would see that she paid for it.

Within moments they were rumbling along the road again. Seated next to Kamoj, Lionstar leaned back and closed his eyes, holding the new mask over his face, with the metal cylinder at his side. She wondered if he really believed she had taken off his other mask out of curiosity, or if he suspected what Azander almost said, that his new bride had tried to murder him.

Sitting up again, Lionstar took out his bottle and fumbled with it, trying to open it one-handed. Finally he dropped the mask in his lap and used both hands to open the bottle. He drank deeply from it, his throat working as he swallowed.

When he finished, he handed Kamoj the empty bottle. "Put top backТn." Then he put his mask over his face again, holding it with one hand.

Kamoj replaced the top, wondering if he always drank this much. Maybe that was why he didnТt care that he lived in the ruins of a palace.

The new mask covered only his mouth and nose, giving her a view of his eyes. They were large, and a remarkable color, dark violet. Red and violet, actually; they would have been beautiful if they hadnТt been so bloodshot. Even stranger, though, were the pupils. Rather than vertical slits, his were round. Although odd, the effect wasnТt unpleasant. In fact, it had a sense of "rightness" that puzzled Kamoj, an inexplicable familiarity.

Right now those unusual eyes were watching her. Lionstar pulled aside his mask. "WhyТd do it?"

She knew what he meant. "I wondered what you looked like."

"You could have just asked."

"IТm sorry. I didnТt know it would hurt you."

He nodded. Then he lay his head back and closed his eyes. After a moment the mask fell out of his hand and into his lap.

"Governor Lionstar." Kamoj shook his shoulder. "Your breathing skin." When he opened his eyes, blinking at her, she gave him the silver mask. He tried pressing it into place, with no more success than she had managed earlier. He squinted at it, then flipped the metal skin over and tried again. This time it stayed in place, leaving his face a smooth sheen of silver, with black ovals for eyes.

"ТS better," he mumbled. He laid his head back and the ovals closed, taking away that last vestige of humanity.

III
Pacal
Scattering Kernel

They rode for an hour, Lionstar sleeping while Kamoj sat in bored silence. Finally the coach rolled to a stop. Azander opened the door and took in the scene, Lionstar dozing, Kamoj holding the empty bottle. The stagman didnТt look surprised.

Leaning inside the coach, Azander shook LionstarТs shoulder. "Prince Havyrl. We be home."

Kamoj blinked at the archaic title. Prince? Of what?

LionstarТs eyes opened, black on silver. "What?"

"Home," Azander repeated. "You and your bride."

"Bride?"

"Yes, sir. Your bride."