"Jennifer Fallon - Second Sons 03 - Lord of the Shadows" - читать интересную книгу автора (Fallon Jennifer)

aplenty here who laughed and played in the murky shallows, and even a small schoolhouse manned by a
thin, tall woman who smiled at her errant charges like an indulgent grandmother. Herds of goats roamed
the hills above the settlement, tended by boys too young to be apprenticed to the sea. A smith with a
well-built forge wielded her hammer with a rhythm that echoed off the cliffs, filling the whole settlement
with its metallic song. The lives of these people were so unremarkable, so normal; it was easy to forget
they were outlaws.
The reputation of the pirates of Mil had never really been romantic nor particularly noble. Until he
was captured on Elcast, Johan Thorn and the pirates of Mil had been little more than a legend to
MishaтАФvicious brigands who plundered shipping around the Bandera Straits and the Tresna Sea,
attacking anything with sails, particularly if it was Senetian, able to stay afloat long enough for the pirates
to throw their lines across. To find such common, everyday things as goats and fishing nets here made it
somehow seem less real. Misha had to remind himself of the danger he was in. He could not risk
seduction by the air of domestic harmony that permeated this place.
The Baenlanders seemed in no hurry to decide his fate. Master Helgin told him there were other
things going on in the settlement, more important even than having the Lion of SenetтАЩs heir as a guest.
He finally received word he was to meet officially with his captors for the first time almost a week
after he arrived in Mil. They werenтАЩt supposed to be his captors. Misha had come here willingly enough,
but he wasnтАЩt so foolish to think the Baenlanders would welcome their worst enemyтАЩs eldest son into
their midst without a great deal of suspicion. Still, he was only lightly guarded. And there was nowhere
for him to run to, even if he could. Generally, the villagers gave his small hut a wide berth and Petra
cooked his meals. The only other sign he was a prisoner was the guard outside the hut wearing a sword
and a sullen scowl, to remind Misha of the futility of trying to escape.



Helgin arranged for two sailors to carry Misha to the longhouse the pirates used as a communal
meeting place. The men said little on the short trip from the shack to the longhouse, merely placing him
in a chair near the table at the other end of the hall and leaving him alone. There was no guard left to
watch him. Misha could barely walk. Where would he run to?
A few moments after the sailors left, two girls entered the hall carrying trays of food. Apparently, the
Baenlanders thought this was going to be a long meeting. The smaller of the two girls was dark-haired
and petite and looked to be about fourteen. Her taller, more voluptuous friend was as fair as the smaller
girl was dark. The girls looked at him curiously as they placed the trays on the table, but said nothing.
Misha smiled at them, hoping he appeared friendly. Master Helgin had just given him another dose
of poppy-dust, so he wasnтАЩt shaking, nor in danger of having a fit and scaring the girls witless. The
blond girl frowned at him, but the dark-haired one seemed more receptive.
тАЬAre you really the Crippled Prince?тАЭ she asked.
тАЬMellie!тАЭ the blonde hissed. тАЬCome away from him!тАЭ
Misha met her eye evenly and nodded. тАЬThatтАЩs what they call me.тАЭ
She looked him over with a critical eye. тАЬYou look all right to me.тАЭ
тАЬMellie!тАЭ
тАЬOh, donтАЩt be such a bore, Eleska!тАЭ Mellie scolded, before turning back to the prince. тАЬWhatтАЩs
wrong with you?тАЭ
Misha smiled. Nobody had ever asked him that question so bluntly before. тАЬMy left side is
withered.тАЭ He decided not to volunteer the information he was also a poppy-dust addict. That was
something heтАЩd still not come to grips with himself.
тАЬWhy?тАЭ
тАЬI had a stroke when I was a baby.тАЭ
тАЬI didnтАЩt know babies could have strokes.тАЭ
тАЬI can assure you they do,тАЭ he replied with a thin smile.