"Edghill,.Rosemary.-.Empty.Crown.Trilogy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Edghill Rosemary)

Ruth hoped it wouldn't stick now.

"She's back from the dead and ready to party! Ruth! You here?"

Naomi called cheerfully.

Ruth could see the reflection of Naomi's voice in Melior's eyes. And
to their mutual surprise it was Melior who moved, sliding away from one
confrontation into another. Ruth barely had time to register his
absence before she was moving herself, following him. She looked past
his shoulder into Naomi's eyes.

Naomi's face was utterly still, entirely calm.

"Are you all right, Ruth?" she said.

Ruth stared at her, as dumbstruck as if she hadn't been hoping all
night that Naomi would come back. Melior stepped aside so that Naomi
could see her clearly.

"Speak, Ruth. Your friend desires to know if I have harmed you."

"He's an elf," Ruth blurted out, and the rest of her strange stasis was
swamped in a burning sea of humiliation. "I mean, he was mugged,
Naomi."

"Right the first time," Naomi said.

"And the second," Melior said. "I was 'mugged,' if that is the word
for being assaulted by priggers and cutpurse varlets."

And that was why you decided to take up cross-dressing. Ruth could
almost hear the words, but Naomi didn't say them.

"Well," said Naomi, "maybe we can help. Right, Ruth?"

Ruth swallowed hard. "Right."

Naomi heard the story of how Ruth had found him. She heard Melior's
story-which, now that Ruth had a chance to hear it over a second time
and while being told to someone else, consisted of little more than his
name and the statement that he had been mugged and his sword stolen.

After he had told Naomi that much, Melior retreated into the bedroom
and emerged a few minutes later in his white undertunic, buckskins, and
boots. Naomi looked at his clothes, and at Ruth's face. She did not
ask any further questions.

"Looks like the first thing you need is some more inconspicuous