"Briggs, Patricia - Sianim 2 - Steal the Dragon.text" - читать интересную книгу автора (Briggs Patricia)

ears.

He shook his head, but shrugged. "It doesn't matter, I suppose, what your story
is. My name is Tris. When you need me, anyone in Tallonwood can tell you where
to find me." With that odd statement he blew out the candle and left the room.

Rialla stared stupidly after him. Healers, she supposed, ought to be a bit
eccentric, but this one seemed to push it to an extreme.

Cautiously Rialla opened the door and checked the hall. Seeing no one, she
continued up the stairs to the suite of rooms that she shared with Laeth.

IT WAS LATE WHEN LAETH RETURNED TO HIS ROOMS. HE was pale
and seemed shaken by the attempt on his brother's life.


Without a word, Rialla helped him take off the formal, close-fitting dining jacket.
She hung it up and silently offered him a cup of warmed brandy, then perched on a
fragile table, ignoring the knickknacks that sat on either side of her, and waited for
him to speak.

Just as he opened his mouth, the door shook with a series of impassioned
knocks. Rialla slipped back off the table and stood near a wall looking discreet, like
a good slaveЧnot that the woman who entered when Laeth opened the door had
any interest in Rialla.

"Laeth, you must leave. They think that you were the one who attempted to kill
Karsten. They say that you'd have the most to gain from his death." Marri was very
much a Darranian lady. She reminded Rialla of a frantic butterfly: beautiful and
useless.

Laeth looked at Marri, and not even Rialla could read his face. He shook his
head slowly. "There are many people that stand to gain by Karsten's death, lady. He
is threatening to unite Darran with a country full of abominations. The Eastern
miners are worried that he's going to cede mining territory back to Reth; the slavers
are worried because he's threatening their livelihood. Indeed, unless someone saw
you come in here, there is no reason to believe that my motive for killing my brother
is stronger than anyone else's."

Marri shook her head at him with apparent exasperation, her dark eyes flashing
with anger. "Plague it, Laeth. Don't give me that lordly sneer, it doesn't suit you. No
one saw me come here."

Laeth bowed his head and said politely, "Accept my apologies, madam. Pray feel
free to leave if my sneer offends you."

Marri closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There were white lines of anger
along her aristocratic cheekbones. "Will you listen to me, you mule?" Rialla bit back
a smile, and decided that she might like Marri after all.