"Dave Duncan - A Man Of His Word 1 - Magic Casement" - читать интересную книгу автора (Duncan Dave)

"But who? There's no one in the kingdom."
"Then Angilki, perhaps?" It was a dry, elderly voice. "Or Kalkor? Those are the
obvious choices."
Now Inos could guess what was being discussed. She gasped, and for a moment
considered marching straight in through the door and announcing that she had no
intention of marrying either Duke Angilki or Thane Kalkor or anyone else for
that matter. So there! Only the packet of silk stopped her.
"No, no, no! " her father said loudly, and Inos relaxed a fraction. "Either of
those two, and the other would start a war."
Or I shall! she thought.
An infuriating silence followed, one of those pauses when meanings pass without
words, in smiles or nods or shrugs, and the speakers are not even aware that
they have stopped speaking. But eavesdroppers are. It was not regal--it was not
even polite--to eavesdrop. Inos knew that. But she told herself firmly that it
was not polite to talk about someone when they were not there, either. So she
was perfectly entitled to listen to...
"I never met Kalkor. " That was her father again, farther away.
"You can live without the experience, my friend."
Friend? She knew of no one who addressed the king that way.
"Bad? "
"Rough!" The stranger chuckled quietly. "Typical jotunn... winter-long drinking
parties, probably wrestles she-bears for exercise. Sharkskin underwear, I
shouldn't wonder."
"That one's out, then!"
Inos certainly agreed with her father on that.
"Angilki's too old for her," he said. "It will have to be a neutral. But you're
right about Kinvale. Next year, perhaps. " The stranger spoke quite softly, so
that she had to strain to hear. "You may not have that much time, friend."
Then another pause, but not so long.
"I see! " Her father's voice, curiously flat and expressionless.
"I am sorry."
"Hardly your fault! " The king sighed. "It was why I sent for you-your skill and
your honesty. Honesty and wisdom. And I knew you would not hold back the truth."
Another pause. "Are you sure?"
"Of course not." Inos heard footsteps on bare planks, receding. Then the
stranger, from farther away: "Have you tried this? "
"No! " That was her father's monarch voice.
"It might tell you."
"No! It stays shut!"
"I don't know how you can resist."
"Because it causes trouble. My grandfather discovered that. It has not been
opened since his time."
"Thinal saw one like it once," the visitor muttered. "It stayed shut, also. For
the same reasons, I suppose." She had no idea what they could be talking about.
They seemed to have moved to the far side of the room, near the south window.
She strained to hear the voices over the thumping of her own heart.
"Even if I am right... about you... then there might be hope... if we two were
to cooperate. "
"No, Sagorn, my friend. I have always refused and I always shall, even for that.
Don't think I don't trust you." The stranger-Sagorn?-sighed. "I know whom you do