"Gordon R. Dickson - Dragon Knight 02 - The Dragon Knight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dickson Gordon R)

тАЬMe?тАЭ said Jim. тАЬUnusual?тАЭ

A sense of sudden cunning overcame him.

тАЬDifferent, me?тАЭ he said. тАЬDifferent, how?тАЭ

Angie propped herself up on one elbow just under the blankets, and stared at him with her intense blue
eyes. Her dark hair was tumbled by sleep, but still very attractive. He felt a momentтАЩs sharp awareness of
her trim, naked body only inches away from him. But this emotion was wiped away a second later by
apprehension.

тАЬI donтАЩt know exactly how,тАЭ Angie said. тАЬI just have this feeling that there was something different and
you were going-why are you practically out of bed?тАЭ

тАЬOh? Am I?тАЭ Jim hastily pulled himself completely back under the furs. тАЬWell, I just thought IтАЩd go down
and get them started on breakfast and in fact I was thinking of-тАЬ he crossed his fingers under the cover of
a particularly fine bearskin- тАЬbringing you up a tray.тАЭ

тАЬOh, Jim,тАЭ said Angie. тАЬThatтАЩs so like you. But it isnтАЩt necessary. I feel marvelous, I canтАЩt wait to get
up.тАЭ

She had put her hand on his arm under the covers; and he responded to her touch-and then was struck
with sudden horror at the thought that his smooth skin suddenly might develop scales under her fingers.

тАЬFine! Fine!тАЭ he yelped, popping out from under the furs and beginning to pull on his clothes. тАЬIтАЩll go
down and get them started on breakfast, anyway. You come along as quickly as you can; and maybe
weтАЩll have it there waiting for you.тАЭ

тАЬBut Jim, thereтАЩs not that much hurry-тАЬ Jim did not hear the rest of it because he was already out of the
door, closing it behind him and moving off down the corridor, still dressing as he went-not for decencyтАЩs
sake, since decency had a rather lower rating in these medieval times he now inhabited-but because the
stone-walled corridor following the inner curve of the keepтАЩs walls was chillingly cold.

At a safe distance from the solar bedroom door, he stopped, caught his breath, and then spoke to thin
air.

тАЬAccounting Office!тАЭ he said. тАЬWhy did I change into a dragon?тАЭ

тАЬYour account has been activated,тАЭ responded the bass voice about on a level with his thigh; causing
him, as usual, to start, even though he knew what to expect.

тАЬActivated? What does that mean?тАЭ

тАЬAny account of which the owner is still alive and able to make use, but has not for at least six months, is
always activated,тАЭ said the Accounting Office, rather primly.

тАЬBut I still donтАЩt understand what тАШactivatedтАЩ means!тАЭ Jim protested.

тАЬThe explanation is self-explanatory,тАЭ replied the Accounting Office.