"David,.Peter.-.Sir.Apropos.3.-.Tong.Lashing" - читать интересную книгу автора (David Peter)

down. Furthermore the weight of the bastard sword I kept strapped to my back was
of comfort.
But Sharee put out a hand to the sword-puller and said firmly, "It's all right.
This is Apropos. Apropos, these are old friends of mine."
"Are they," I said, in a tone that I wanted to sound chilly, but instead just
came out as somewhat whiny. "Imagine running into them here."
"This," she said, indicating the mustached one, "is Rex Reggis. He's a weaver.
We received training in the same guild hall, years ago."
"Little Sharee always had a crush on me," said Reggis with the sort of ready
smile that just makes you want to rip off the lips of the smiler.
"You," she corrected him in a very arch tone, "had a crush on me."
"I feel the need to disagree," he said.
"And I feel the need to impale myself," I told them, "but sometimes we resist
urges."
I didn't like the way she was looking at Reggis. Nor did I like the way he was
looking at her. There was something decidedly unsavory about the whole thing,
and I couldn't help but feel that the sooner we were quit of them, the better.
"We were just admiring your drabit," said Rex. "Quite an amazing creature. We
can use him on our quest."
I had been about to launch on a truly sterling string of snide remarks and
cutting insults that would have been among the most memorable ever put forward
in the history of condescending discourse. But Rex's comment tossed it right out
of my head, leaving my initial response as a sort of inarticulate "Hnnch?"
Fortunately I reacquired my ability to speak straightaway, and said, "Quest?"
"They're on a quest," Sharee said eagerly. "Doesn't that sound exciting?"
"Yes," I agreed. "It certainly does. And I have to emphasize here the concept of
'sounds.' As in, is best appreciated second- or third-hand in the telling of it,
rather than the first-hand experiencing of it."
"Oh, come now!" Rex boomed. "A man of your obvious quality and sophistication
would certainly thrive on a good quest!"
I glanced over my shoulder to see just who he might be addressing, and then
realized with dawning disbelief that he was talking to me. I forced a grin,
which was more like gritted teeth, and said, "What's obvious to you appears to
have slipped right past me."
"Apropos, this is no time to be difficult. It's a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity," Sharee told me.
"Here's the thing about once-in-a-lifetime opportunities," I said. "They tend to
shorten the actual lifetime in question."
"I think he's a coward," growled one of the other companions. "A foul character
trait to have."
"I prefer to think of it as an alternative lifestyle," I informed the growler.
"Apropos, listen," said Sharee. "What they seek... it's the mystic tome ofЧ"
"I don't care."
"It can transform anythЧ"
"I don't care! Sharee, what's..." I quickly put an arm around her shoulders and
pulled her a few feet away from the others. Mordant, on her arm, was rudely
jostled by the sudden movement but managed to hold on nevertheless. "...what's
going on here?" I demanded in a low voice. "We had plans..."
She looked at me wide-eyed. "We did?"
"Yes! We were going to..."