"Debra Doyle & James MacDonald - Mageworlds 04 - The Gathering Flame" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doyle Debra)

from well above the eyebrows to halfway down her cheeks. Her mouth looked young, though;
surprisingly young, for the aura that surrounded her.
Iron, thought Errec. This one is iron.
He wondered if the two gentlemen standing with her realized it. They were both older than she
was, but seemed to have little else in common beyond a firm conviction that being here at all was a very
bad mistake. One of them-a large man, dark and heavily muscled, with strength and training apparent
even beneath his fashionable clothing- stood on the far side of the room, his back against the wall, in a
position that afforded a clear view of both doors. Whatever this one's title might be, Errec decided, his
work was the selective application of violence in the lady's interest.
The other man was slight and grey-haired, dressed in plain dark clothing cut out of good cloth.
He stood at the lady's left shoulder and gazed about with a quizzical air, as if he'd never been in a place
like the Double Moon until this evening. An old family retainer, was Errec's conjecture, keeper of the
young noblewoman's reputation ... or at least, considering where they all currently were, of her virtue.
In spite of Waycross's bad name for violence, the three carried no obvious weapons. That meant
they assumed power-and people with so much unconscious surety of their own power, often had it.
Errec stepped across the threshold. The heavy door swung shut behind him. "Captain Metadi will
be with you soon."
The woman nodded. Ice-blond hair in an elaborate set of curled braids swayed with the motion.
Her eyes behind the mask were a bright, startling blue. She said nothing.
Errec was aware of the younger man's assessing gaze: was this one potential trouble, the
bodyguard was wondering, or was he a person of neither threat nor consequence? A spacehand's
coverall didn't argue for much by way of wealth or position, and-like the woman and her escorts- Errec
Ransome didn't carry any obvious weapons.
He ignored the two men and spoke to the woman directly. "What is the nature of your request
for Captain Metadi?"
The bodyguard's dark face grew even darker. "That is a matter for Her Dignity to discuss with
the captain himself."
"I'm Metadi's copilot," Errec said. "I'll learn about the whole business soon enough."
The bodyguard folded his arms across his chest and set his jaw. "Her Dignity wishes it this way."
The door to the private.room opened again as they spoke.
"You can tell Errec anything you can tell me," said a familiar voice. As always, Jos Metadi's
words had a strong down-home Gyfferan twang, even when he was speaking careful Galcenian. "He'll
need to know anyway, if the 'Hammer's going to be part of it."
The lady spoke for the first time.
"Leave us," she said. Her voice was clear and well bred, with an accent that Errec didn't
recognize. Her blue eyes swept from the bodyguard to Errec and back. "What I have to discuss with
Captain Metadi, I will discuss with him alone."
Her other escort, the older man who stood at her shoulder, looked distressed. "My lady-"
"You too, Ser Hafrey," she said, over his protest. Then, turning again to Metadi, she went on. "I
have hired a room, Captain, for three hours' time. I'm told that's the usual span you linger with a woman
here."
Metadi shrugged. If he was surprised-and to Errec, who was as familiar with his moods and
expressions as anybody living, he didn't seem to be-it didn't show on his face. "Sometimes more,
sometimes less," he said. "It depends. Lead the way."
The woman stood, her long skirt rustling with the movement, and crossed the room to the inner
door. With her hand on the lockplate, she paused.
"Wait for me outside," she told her escorts. "I'll join you afterward. Now, Captain-"
Jos moved to follow her, catching Errec's eye as he did so. "Same thing," he said; and added, in
the thick portside Gyfferan that served as the 'Hammer's business language, "See if anybody on the
street knows what's going on here, would you?"