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

тАЬNever saw him before, far as I know,тАЭ Lethan answered after glancing over to the unmasked assassin
where he stood chained with the guards all around him. The manтАЩs face looked badly bruised, and the
vagueness in his gaze said he was still dazed. тАЬBut not knowing him is hardly a surprise. I donтАЩt number
many assassins among my circle of friends.тАЭ
тАЬWell, weтАЩll be finding out if you number people who hire assassins among your friends,тАЭ Mayne said,
completely aware of how hard his voice had turned. тАЬYou havenтАЩt by any chance insulted someone lately,
someone touchy as well as wealthy? I canтАЩt quite picture you doing that, brother, but itтАЩs a question that
needs to be asked.тАЭ
тАЬAnd it would be a very good question, except for the fact that I havenтАЩt even exchanged harsh words
with anyone for months,тАЭ Lethan said, shaking his head a bit. тАЬThere shouldnтАЩt be anyone who hates me
enough to send an assassin after me, so I really donтАЩt understand why this happened.тАЭ
тАЬMaybe it wasnтАЩt Lethan the assassin was really after,тАЭ Mayne heard, and he looked down to see Adair
looking up at both him and his brother. Her color had already come back, and she seemed steadier than
Lethan did. тАЭDonтАЩt forget that you three brothers look quite a lot alike. Maybe the assassin was after
one of you other two and simply mistook his target.тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt like the sound of that, but unfortunately itтАЩs perfectly possible,тАЭ Mayne agreed, cutting off
LethanтАЩs trying to laugh off the suggestion. тАЬPeople who donтАЩt know us personally do get confused about
which of us theyтАЩre talking to, Lethan, so weтАЩd better look into the possibility. I canтАЩt think of anyone I
offended either, so weтАЩd better check with Nallis.тАЭ
тАЬIf it turns out that I went through this because of something Nallis did, I may end up killing the fool
myself,тАЭ Lethan grumbled. тАЬBut in all honesty, I donтАЩt expect us to get anywhere with that line of inquiry.
Our brother is usually as careful as we are about not offending people, Mayne, so where will we look if
Nallis isnтАЩt to blame?тАЭ
тАЬLetтАЩs not worry about dead ends until we run into them,тАЭ Mayne answered, very aware of the way
Lethan had turned away to hide his disturbance. He discovered that Adair was looking at Lethan with
sympathy, apparently fully aware of how bothered MayneтАЩs brother was, and that gave Mayne an idea.
He touched AdairтАЩs shoulder to get her attention, nodded his head in LethanтАЩs direction, then moved his
hand in the air in a circle, hoping that Adair got his message before he spoke to Lethan again.
тАЬRight now, brother, we need to consider Lady Adair,тАЭ Mayne said briskly.
тАЭSheтАЩs just been through a terrible time, and really needs to be accompanied to a place where there are
friendly people rather than assassins. While you do the accompanying, IтАЩll help out with questioning the
assassin to see if thereтАЩs anything he knows.тАЭ
тАЬYes, of course, IтАЩd almost forgotten about Adair,тАЭ Lethan said with what seemed like badly hidden relief
as he turned back to them. тАЬIтАЩll see her to a place of safety while you take care of the assassin. If you
learn anything, Mayne, please let me know as soon as possible.тАЭ
Mayne nodded to show that heтАЩd do just that, and then he got something of a surprise.
тАЬThank you for your consideration, Lethan,тАЭ Adair said as she let him help her to her feet, a weary smile
on her face that hadnтАЩt been there a moment ago. тАЬAs much as I like this spot, being somewhere else
right now sounds like a much better idea.тАЭ
Lethan immediately became very involved with helping her along, but not before she glanced at Mayne
sideways in a very direct way. That glance said Adair was playing fragile in order to help distract Lethan,
the very thing Mayne had asked her to do. Lethan was still shaken by what had almost happened, but
Adair seemed completely recovered - not to mention ready to play the damsel in distress.
Mayne turned to watch the two leave the area, wishing that could be him Adair clung to rather than
Lethan. But it was Lethan who needed someone clinging to him right now, so Mayne couldnтАЩt very well
complain. But later heтАЩd want to thank Adair for helping out, which ought to give him a chance to be
alone with her. Yes, this could work out really wellтАж
The guardsmen were now forcing the assassin out of the area and toward the hallway, so Mayne
followed right after the group. But he had to work really hard not to whistle a happy tune while he
walkedтАж