"Feist, Raymond E & Wurts, Janny - The Empire Trilogy 03 - Mistress of the Empire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

Ayaki laughed. His dark eyes fixed on his mother, filled
with the elation of the moment. 'Actually, I was going to
ask Lax'l if I might try our speed against a cho-ja. It would
be interesting to know whether his warriors could overtake
a troop of the barbarians' cavalry.'

'If there was a war, which there is not at the moment, gods
be praised,' Hokanu said on a note a shade more serious.
'Take care you mind your manners, and don't offend Force
Commander Lax'l's dignity when you ask.'

Tragedy

13

Ayaki's grin widened. Having grown up around the alien
cho-ja, he was not at all intimidated by their strange ways.
'Lax'l still has not forgiven me for handing him a jomach
fruit with a stone in it.'

'He has,' Mara interjected. 'But after that, he grew wise
to your tricks, which is well. The cho-ja don't have the
same appreciation of jokes that humans do.' Looking at
Hokanu, she said, 'In fact, I don't think they understand
our humor.'

Ayaki made a face, and the black curvetted under him
The litter bearers swerved away from its dancing hooves;
and the jostle disturbed young Justin. He awakened with
a cry of infant outrage.

The dark horse shied at the noise. Ayaki held the animal
with a firm hand, but the spirited gelding backed a few
steps. Hokanu kept a passive face, though he felt the urge
to laugh at the boy's fierce determination and control. Justin
delivered an energetic kick into his mother's stomach. She
bent forward, scooped him up in her arms.

Then something sped past Hokanu's ear, from behind
him, causing the hangings of the litter to flutter. A tiny
hole appeared in the silk where Mara's head had been
an instant before. Hokanu threw his body roughly against
those of his wife and foster child and twisted to look in the
other direction. Within the shadows of the bushes beside
the path, something black moved. Instincts honed in battle
pressed Hokanu to unthinking action.

He pushed his wife and younger child out of the
litter, keeping his body across them as a shield. His
sudden leap overturned the litter, giving them further