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

I stepped even an inch out of line in public IтАЩd live to regret the mistake. If theyтАЩd threatened to kill me
instead I wouldnтАЩt have minded, but they were always very careful not to kill me. I was all ready to leave
my fatherтАЩs house after paying a few тАж debts, but suddenly I was packed off here instead.тАЭ
Adair put her hand to the other girlтАЩs arm, offering compassion without messing up the gesture by trying
to use words. Life hadnтАЩt been pleasant for Adair in her fatherтАЩs house, but at least she hadnтАЩt been
physically hurt.
тАЬWell, isnтАЩt this a cozy grouping,тАЭ another voice came, and this time it was Dinra speaking with Aleena
right behind her. тАЬAll the lower life forms congregating together for mutual support, correctly counting the
chance of a lifetime lost. But you silly little fools are overlooking an important point. Aleena and I can
only marry one of the princes each. The third prince will have to choose one of you as his bride, the poor
man. That makes things much more interesting, doesnтАЩt it?тАЭ
тАЬSorry, Dinra, but your тАШgreat revelationтАЩ isnтАЩt going to make any of us decide to join your group,тАЭ Lisni
drawled, her very obvious amusement wiping the smirk from DinraтАЩs face. тАЬMost of us donтАЩt want to be
chosen as a bride, but even if we did weтАЩd rather pass on the chance than have to endure your company
even for the rest of the week. The prize just isnтАЩt worth that high a cost.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩll be sorry you said that, Lisni,тАЭ Dinra growled while Adair joined Nossa and ElminiтАЩs soft laughter.
тАЬMy father promised that IтАЩd have one of the princes for my husband, and when I do I intend to spend
my time making you and your mongrel friendsтАЩ lives even more miserable than they are right now. You
wait and see if I donтАЩt!тАЭ
And with that Dinra flounced away, an outraged Aleena right behind her again. Adair studied the two as
they walked away, a disquieting thought having just come to her.
тАЬYou know, itтАЩs only just now come to me that something isnтАЩt right here,тАЭ Adair said, drawing the
attention of the other girls. тАЬTwo dukes of this kingdom are demanding that their daughters be married to
two of the kingтАЩs sons, and all the king does to show how independent he is is insist that the daughters of
the rest of his dukes also show up? Am I the only one who thinks that that makes no sense?тАЭ
тАЬActually, now that you mention it, no,тАЭ Lisni said while the other two girls frowned. тАЬIf we had a weak
king I could see him making a silly little gesture before agreeing to what was demanded, but Rodick isnтАЩt
weak. HeтАЩs strong enough to command our fathers to send their daughters and know he wonтАЩt be
refused, so what are we really doing here?тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt know about the rest of you, but IтАЩm the daughter of one of those two dukes,тАЭ Nossa said,
disturbance now showing in her light eyes. тАЬMy father told me that all I had to do was be my own sweet
self with the princes, and IтАЩd end up happily married. I considered that wishful thinking on my fatherтАЩs
part until I heard about his and Duke LemishтАЩs demand, but now I donтАЩt know what to think. Is King
Rodick really going to stand still for two of his vassals telling him what to do?тАЭ
тАЬAnd if he isnтАЩt going to stand still for the demand, what is he going to do instead?тАЭ Elmini added,
showing they all felt the same. тАЬPossibly make a big show of his sons getting to know all of us before
telling Dinra and Nossa that theyтАЩre out of luck? I really do want to be out of my fatherтАЩs house, but
moving in with a husband wasnтАЩt the way I intended to leave.тАЭ
тАЬDo any of you think your father may have made a deal with King Rodick?тАЭ Lisni asked, looking around
at all of them. тАЬIтАЩm sure my father didnтАЩt, otherwise he would have told me. He and I have always gotten
along really well, and heтАЩs never lied to me even to protect my feelings. On top of that, everyone knows
that my father is completely loyal to the king. So if there have been deals made, that would mean -тАЬ
тАЬThat would mean my name, ElminiтАЩs, and AleenaтАЩs are the only ones on the list of brides!тАЭ Adair
finished before Lisni could, rage rising up inside her. тАЬNo wonder my father was so generous when he
bribed me to come to this lousy place! He knew damned well IтАЩd never be back to collect on his
promise! Well, too bad for him and his friend the king. I now know exactly what IтАЩm going to do.тАЭ
тАЬAdair, I donтАЩt like that look in your eyes,тАЭ Lisni said, worry clear in her voice and expression. тАЬIf the
king is in the middle of trying to make an important point, heтАЩs not going to enjoy having you ruining
things.тАЭ
тАЬWell, either heтАЩll get over it or heтАЩll have me executed,тАЭ Adair said, distantly surprised she wasnтАЩt