"Rawn, Melanie - Dragon Star 2 - Dragon Token" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dragon Stories)

nervously.

"Don't worry. They'll be able to refuse without insulting Halian. They'll alsoЧmy lady, is it only fatherly pride, or am I right in assuming that my son is a potentially brilliant scholar?"

Cluthine blinked her startlement. His hand on her wrist prevented her from looking around to see who belonged to the approaching footsteps. "UmmЧyes," she said blankly.

"Cousin," said one of Halian's bastard daughters, and it was safe for Cluthine to turn her head. "Surely you could find a more suitable companion than this criminal."

Rialt stretched his lips from his teeth. "And a pleasant day to you as well, Lady ... uh ... LadyЧ"

"Salnys," Cluthine supplied in a loud whisper, eyes sparkling as her kinswoman tensed with fury.

"Yes, of course. Lady Salnys." Rialt widened his smile. "How are you and your younger sisters today?"

Honestly unsure of her name, he knew very well that she was not the eldest of the three. She sucked in an outraged breath and for a moment he thought she would compromise her dignity by slapping him. Instead, she decided not to have heard him, and stalked off.

Cluthine stifled a giggle. "I have so many relatives that I wish weren't!"

"I sympathize, but can't agree. Your connection to Halian is proving very useful to us, Thina."

"I hope so. What were you going to say about Prince Tilal?"

"Only that he'll also have to refuse whatever spot Chiana has picked out for his army to camp in. It's sure to be a trap."

"Their scouts must have seen the Vellanti host by now."

"Yes. But there are other things they need to know."

"Such as?"

"Where Chiana's own troops are placed within the walls. And from what I saw this morning on my stroll, it's not something that would be obvious to a Sunrunner taking a look at the place. Arms are hidden inside houses and shops or in carts on the streets. Soldiers are disguised as gatherings of family, or farmers from the same part of the countryside. I wouldn't have seen any of it if I hadn't known what to look for."

"So we must get word to Prince Tilal and Lord Ostvel. But how?"

"I'm working on it," he promised herЧeven though he hadn't a clue.

His third encounter was equally well-planned, though the lady didn't know it. Mevita had noted that Lady Aurar went out riding most days, even when it rained. The same groom accompanied her each time. From him, through roundabout means, Mevita learned that about ten measures south of Swalekeep, Aurar always left her groom behind and went on a long gallop.

Aurar was beautiful in the way her aunt Chiana was beautiful: proud, autumn-colored, attractively sultry when she chose. She did not choose with Rialt. She barely deigned to acknowledge his existence. That afternoon he compelled her to by dropping an inkwell so it spattered her riding boots.

"Clumsy idiot!"

"Your pardon, my lady. The cobbles are slickЧ"

"Damn you, this is the finest dragonhide! You've ruined it! What are you doing with an inkwell in the stables anyhow?" she demanded, furiously scrubbing at the stains with a parchment snatched from his grasp.

"I was making an inventory of the fodder, my lady, so that if we must withstand a siege. ..." He trailed off with a shrug.

"A siege? What nonsense!"