"Sharon Green - [ebel 01 - Rebel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Green Sharon)

things start to happen, you really want to be well out of it.тАЭ
тАЬI can see you arenтАЩt any happier about this nonsense than I am,тАЭ Lisni said, now studying Adair rather
than their former opponents. тАЬMy father apologized for sending me here, and thanked me in advance for
not making a fuss. The king has decided to make a point before giving in to political pressure, so we all
have to be part of the show.тАЭ
тАЬNot all of us,тАЭ Adair countered, swallowing the flash of jealousy she felt. LisniтАЩs father obviously talked
to her like a real human being, unlike AdairтАЩs fatherтАж тАЬAll I agreed to was the part about coming here,
without the word тАШfussтАЩ being mentioned even once. As I said - тАЬ
Adair was about to repeat her suggestion about Lisni walking away, but that was the moment the king
chose to show up. Some fool with a staff banged loudly on the floor to get everyoneтАЩs attention, and then
King Rodick and his sons the princes were being announced. Adair had just enough time to take three
quick steps away from Lisni, and then everyone in the room was either bowing or curtsying to the king
and his sons.
Everyone, that is, but Adair. She stood negligently holding her cup of juice, completely upright, and it
took only seconds for someone to notice.
тАЬAre you deaf, girl?тАЭ the man with the staff demanded after straightening from his own bow, his frown
downright menacing. тАЬYou curtsey to your king right this minute!тАЭ
тАЬBut he isnтАЩt my king,тАЭ Adair answered the man easily, seeing from the corner of her eye that Rodick and
his sons had stopped walking toward the tables. тАЬHeтАЩs made sure that only the men in this realm have any
rights, so heтАЩs their king, not mine. He didnтАЩt even bother to send his commands directly to me, only to
my father, so if he wants to be bowed to he can look to my father again. Looking in my direction will be
a waste of time.тАЭ
A shocked silence seemed to hold everyone in the room, the men still bent over bowing and the women
in deep curtsies. But rather than looking down, all those people were staring at Adair, and the weird sight
was enough to make Adair have to fight to keep from laughing.
тАЬIf you live in this kingdom, and you do, then IтАЩm your king whether or not you admit it,тАЭ King Rodick
said in a surprisingly mild voice after gesturing the man with the staff to silence. тАЬWith that in mind, Lady
Adair, IтАЩm due a sign of respect from you even if you donтАЩt like the idea.тАЭ
тАЬLeft to my own devices I would have been out of this kingdom by now,тАЭ Adair pointed out, countering
RodickтАЩs contention with very little effort. тАЬThat means I donтАЩt live here, but even if I did I still would give
the same nothing I get from the man in charge. Giving respect when you donтАЩt get any in return is stupid,
and thereтАЩs enough stupidity going around that I donтАЩt have to add to it.тАЭ
Now there was flinching to be seen along with the shock, a respectable amount of it coming from the
three princes. Everyone seemed to be waiting for the king to explode, just as Adair had expected the
same before now. The kingтАЩs volatile temper was known to everyone in his realm, but for some reason
there was no sign of it tonight.
тАЬYou raise an interesting question, Lady Adair,тАЭ King Rodick said after a very long moment, the stare
resting on her more contemplative than angry. тАЬYou and I will have to discuss the matter at greater length
later, but right now thereтАЩs a meal to be eaten. Come and join us at table, my friends.тАЭ
Those words let everyone straighten up, a couple of the women needing help to keep from falling. There
was shock again in the sudden whispering to be heard all over the room, and then Lisni was beside Adair
again.
тАЬI think he may have decided to have your food poisoned,тАЭ Lisni murmured, her amusement perfectly
clear even so. тАЬNo wonder you warned me awayтАжтАЭ
тАЬAdair, are you crazy?тАЭ Nossa demanded in a hiss as she joined them. тАЬHow could you say that to the
king?тАЭ
тАЬI wanted to see if he was allergic to the truth,тАЭ Adair returned, surprised to realize that Nossa also
fought with amusement. тАЬAny minute now he ought to break out in a rash.тАЭ
тАЬAnd then youтАЩll be needing to break out of a dungeon cell,тАЭ Nossa stated, shaking her head. тАЬI canтАЩt say
I disagree with what you told him, but IтАЩd never have had the nerve to speak the words myself. Will you