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

тАШTis all a Chequer-board of Nights and Days

Where Destiny with Men for Pieces plays...

The Rub├Бiy├Бt of Omar Kh├Бyyam
(translation by Edward J. Fitzgerald, 1859)
LORD OF THE SHADOWS
 PART ONE

THE WILL OF THE GODDESS




Chapter 1

Neris Veran was waiting as Tia climbed the goat path up to his cave overlooking the pirate
settlement of Mil. His eyes were bright and he was unnaturally alert, a sure sign heтАЩd recently taken
another dose of poppy-dust. He must have been waiting for her since he spied her crossing the bay. It
was raining, but it didnтАЩt seem to bother the madman. His thin shirt was soaked, his ragged, unkempt
hair plastered to his head.
тАЬWhereтАЩs Dirk?тАЭ he asked as soon as she stepped onto the rocky ledge.
тАЬCanтАЩt we go inside, Neris?тАЭ
тАЬWhereтАЩs Dirk?тАЭ he repeated stubbornly. тАЬAnd why is everybody suddenly back in Mil?тАЭ
Tia glanced over her shoulder through the rain at the ships anchored below them. It was an unusual
sight, all the pirate ships in port at the same time. She hadnтАЩt thought Neris would realize it, though.
тАЬLetтАЩs go inside, Neris,тАЭ she insisted. тАЬIтАЩm not going to stand out here in the rain being interrogated
by you.тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs only water,тАЭ Neris said, turning his face upward. He let the rain fall on his closed eyes for a few
moments, and then he looked back at Tia and grinned. тАЬYouтАЩre always complaining I donтАЩt wash often
enough.тАЭ
тАЬCome on, Neris,тАЭ she urged. тАЬYouтАЩll catch your death if you stay out here.тАЭ
тАЬHow do you know?тАЭ
Tia hurried across the ledge. He turned to watch her sheltering in the entrance of the cave, looking
quite irritated. тАЬYou row across here in a downpour and thatтАЩs perfectly all right for you, but if I stand in
it, IтАЩm being foolish! Suppose I want to catch my death? Suppose IтАЩm too cowardly to take my own
life so IтАЩm standing here in the rain, tempting fate, daring her to take me?тАЭ
Tia sighed impatiently. There was no reasoning with him when he started asking questions like that.
тАЬDid you want to hear about Dirk or not?тАЭ she called to him over the steady patter of raindrops,
hoping that would entice him to come in out of the rain. She didnтАЩt wait for his answer. Instead, shivering
a little in her wet clothes, Tia hurried over to the small fire in the cave and began to coax it back to life.
тАЬSo where is Dirk?тАЭ Neris asked her again as he stepped into the cave, shaking his head like a dog,
showering everything within reach with a fine spray of raindrops.
тАЬIn Avacas,тАЭ Tia replied shortly as she tended the fire. тАЬHeтАЩs joined the Shadowdancers.тАЭ
Neris didnтАЩt reply.
 Tia turned to look at him. тАЬDid you hear what I said? Dirk Provin has betrayed us. HeтАЩs joined
Belagren and Antonov. He made a deal with the High Priestess, handed me over to them as part of it,
Neris, just to save his own stupid neck.тАЭ