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

day her pudgy little fist could hold a stylus.
He leaned back in his chair. "Well, then, Domina," he said. "What is it that you need me to do?"
"They told me you were quite the direct man," said Perada. She sounded amused. "I see that they
were right."
"Deal with me honestly, and I deal honestly in return. But until I know what you want from me,
there's nothing else I can say."
"What I want," she said, and for the first time hesitated, as if marshaling her arguments. "You've
made a name for yourself, Captain Metadi, and not merely on Gyffer and Innish-Kyl-the newsreaders on
Galcen talk about you as well. They say you are something more than a successful pirate-"
"Privateer," he corrected. "I bear letters of marque and reprisal."
A whole sheaf of them, in fact, from the Citizen-Assembly on Gyffer and a host of other sources,
including the Galcenian Council and the Highest of Khesat-and Veratina Rosselin herself, by way of
House Rosselin's ambassador on Perpayne. But if the young woman across from him didn't know that,
Jos Metadi wasn't going to tell her. Knowledge was power, and it was never a good idea to give away
power to somebody with whom you were trying to strike a deal.
"My apologies, Captain," Perada said, her expression unruffled. "Privateer. And something more.
If the newsreaders don't lie-and I have excellent sources who say that they do not-you have proven
yourself able to meld independent raiders into a fleet and carry the war to the enemy."
"Enemy?" Jos shook his head. "No. Enemies are personal. None of this is personal with me. I
take prizes-rich ones-and I take them for the goods and merchandise they carry. If your sources are any
good, they should have mentioned that I don't fight warships if I can help it."
"You fight when you must, and you win when you fight." Her voice remained composed. "I have
decided. You are the man who will return with me to Entibor and, once there, make a warfleet for me." тАв
The certainty of it nettled him. "You've decided, have you?"
"You will be amply rewarded."
"I have enough money," he said. "And if I want more, I know how to get it. I don't need to cramp
my style by putting myself under anybody else's command." He stood up. "I'm sorry, but there's no
advantage for me in taking your offer. Now, if you'll excuse me-"
"No," said the Domina. "I have not given you leave."
"I didn't ask," he said. "I'm a free citizen of Gyffer, and nobody's subject. Which means I come
and go as I please, and right now it pleases me to go."
"Wait!"
He paused, one hand on the door. "I told you, I don't want money."
"Money isn't the only reward." Her blue eyes were very bright. She reminded him of a gambler
just before the last card went down. "Name your price, Captain. I can meet it."
"Sorry," he said. "But I don't play cards with somebody else's deck."
He pressed the lockplate to open the door. Nothing happened. He turned back to the Domina.
"I hope you're the one who set the door to lock behind us," he said. "Because otherwise, I think
we've got a problem."

Ser Hafrey gave the Domina and the merchant-captain plenty of time to begin their discussion
before he made any move to leave. He checked the lockplate on the private room first, to make certain
mat all was in order, then moved toward the outer door.
As he did so, he ignored the other man in the room. As Minister of Internal Security for Entibor,
Nivome do'Evaan of Rolny shouldn't have come on this journey in the first place. He should have stayed
behind on Entibor to make ready for the Domina's accession. But the Rolnian had insisted; had, in fact,
exerted the considerable political power of his office to force himself onto the mission.
Perhaps it was better to keep Nivome busy close at hand, where his schemes for advancement
could be watched and countered, rather than leaving him to work his machinations in the palace
undisturbed. Nevertheless, Hafrey found the minister's self-interest distasteful-and felt, therefore, no