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

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Mayne joined his father in leaving the questioning room, knowing as well as the king did that they had all
the answers they were going to get. The assassinтАЩs screams hadnтАЩt been pleasant to listen to, but the
manтАЩs extreme pain and fear had shown that he hadnтАЩt been lying about who had paid him to attack
Lethan. And it was definitely Lethan the man had been afterтАж
тАЬWhatтАЩs this?тАЭ Mayne heard his father say, the words making him leave his thoughts for the world around
him. The first thing he saw was a group of guardsmen carrying someone who was unconscious and
bleeding from the mouth, and then Nallis and Lethan were striding forward from behind the procession.
тАЬFather, Mayne, you wonтАЩt believe it,тАЭ Lethan called out as soon as he and Nallis were close enough.
тАЬThis time it was Nallis who was attacked, and in a worse way than I was. First they tried to poison him,
and when that didnтАЩt work they fell back on trying to use a dagger. We wanted to tell you sooner, but no
one seemed to know where you were.тАЭ
тАЬWe were here, listening to the first assassin being questioned,тАЭ King Rodick responded, now frowning
at the unconscious servant who was just beginning to stir. тАЬHow many of the guard did it take to stop this
one?тАЭ
тАЬThe guardsmen came into it only after the man was stopped,тАЭ Nallis answered, and for some reason he
and Lethan were both wearing wide grins. тАЬAdair did it again, first by noticing the poisoned plate IтАЩd
been given, and then by sending flying the plate she was holding. The plate she threw hit this one right in
the mouth and hard enough to knock him out, not to mention taking out some of his teeth.тАЭ
тАЬNallis and I have been trying to figure out a way to decide which one of us gets her as a wife,тАЭ Lethan
put in as soon as Nallis finished his tale. тАЭAdair may argue a lot, but when it comes to doing the right thing
she doesnтАЩt hesitate at all. She went pale after the attempt on me, but this time she didnтАЩt seem bothered
at all.тАЭ
тАЬI donтАЩt like the sound of this at all,тАЭ King Rodick said while Mayne clamped his jaw shut on the words
he wanted to say to his brothers. Adair was his wife, and it looked like Lethan and Nallis would have to
be told about that sooner than he and his father had expected.
тАЬWhat is it you donтАЩt like, Father?тАЭ Lethan asked as their father stared at the assassin who was now
coming back to himself even more. тАЬIf youтАЩre talking about the assassination attempts, I have to say that
IтАЩm not terribly happy about them myself.тАЭтАЬThe attempts are bad enough, but what I really donтАЩt like is
the thought I just had,тАЭ King Rodick answered, finally turning to look at his two sons. тАЬIs there any
chance at all that Lady Adair was able to stop these two attempts because sheтАЩs involved with them in
some way? Just think about it: two murderous attempts, and itтАЩs a woman who stops them both?
DoesnтАЩt that strike you as highly unlikely?тАЭ
All amusement was suddenly gone from Lethan and Nallis, and Mayne had no trouble understanding
why. What their father had suggested was so disturbing that for a moment Mayne stood silent in shock,
but then the shock was gone and Mayne shook his head.
тАЬNo, Father, it isnтАЩt possible that Adair could be involved with whoever is behind the attacks,тАЭ Mayne
stated, never more sure of anything in his life. тАЬI think youтАЩre forgetting that given her own choice in the
matter, Adair would be just about anywhere else than here. Not only did she have to be bribed to come,
sheтАЩs spent most of her time alone since she got here. And she also doesnтАЩt know anyone in the palace.
How would she know who to offer gold to, assuming she actually had enough gold to offer, which I
seriously doubt she does.тАЭ
тАЬMayneтАЩs right, Father,тАЭ Lethan said while their father continued to look concerned. тАЬIt was perfectly
clear that Adair had gotten to the atrium a number of minutes before I did, and just as clear that she
wasnтАЩt expecting anyone else to show up. She couldnтАЩt have gone there knowing I would show up, not
when I havenтАЩt spent time near the atrium in months. The assassin must have followed me there.тАЭ
тАЬThe assassin admitted following Lethan there, Father,тАЭ Mayne added, remembering the screamed out
words that his father might have somehow missed. тАЬHe said it while he was desperately trying to think of
things that would stop the questioning, so itтАЩs hardly likely that he lied.тАЭ
тАЬAnd there really wasnтАЩt time for Adair to arrange the second attempt,тАЭ Lethan pursued. тАЬI escorted her