"Greg Keyes - Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone 3 - The Blood Knight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Keyes J Gregory)

He shrugged and shrugged again, as if trying to shake something off his back.
"No, indeed," he said wryly. "I can see that you won't do that. The knife you thrust
into my heart was a distinct clue that you didn't take kindly to my proposal."
"How fortunate for you it no longer beats, your heart."
He leaned back and closed his eyes. "Must you always quibble about such
things?" he said. "Who is alive, who is dead? You think you are better off merely
because you have a beating heart. How pretentious of you.
"AndтАФif I must say itтАФhow ungenerous."
"You are entirely mad," Muriele opined.
Robert grinned and opened his eyes again.
"That, at least, is a familiar complaint. But please allow me to return to my original
point, won't you. In fact, I wasn't renewing my own propositionтАФone stabbing from
you is quite enough for me. No, you shall marry Berimund Fram Reiksbaurg, the heir
to the throne of Hansa. And I shall marry his sister Alfswan. Between us, we will
secure my throne."
Muriele laughed bitterly.
"I think not, Robert," she said. "I've rejected Berimund's offer once already."
"Not really," Robert pointed out. "Actually, your son Charles rejected that
proposal because, after all, he was king at the time and the prerogative fell solely to
him. Of course, Charles is a half-wit, and you were entirely in control of his actions.
"But he isn't king any longer," Robert continued. "I am. And as per my
prerogative, I have given your hand to Berimund. The wedding will take place in a
month's time."
The air seemed denser suddenlyтАФalmost like water. Muriele fought the urge to lift
her head above the floodline.
Robert could do this thing. He would do it, and there was absolutely nothing she
could do about that.
"It will never happen," she finally managed, hoping she still sounded defiant.
"Well, we shall see," Robert responded cheerfully. Then he turned. "Lady Berrye,
is something the matter?"
Muriele followed Robert's gaze and noticed that Alis did look suddenly pale. Her
eyesтАФno, her pupilsтАФseemed very large.
"It's nothing," Alis averred.
"I forgot to ask," Robert said, turning his wrist to include them both. "Have you
had a chance to reflect upon the musical performance we were subjected to last
wihnaht? The lustspell presented by our dear Cavaor Ackenzal?"
Muriele forced a smile.
"How that must nag at youтАФto have yourself revealed for what you are, in front
of the entire kingdom, and be helpless to stop it. I daresay Leovigild Ackenzal is a
genius."
"I see," Robert mused. "Then you are of the opinion that the villain of the piece
was supposed to represent me?"
"You know he did, and so does everyone who saw it. How did Ackenzal manage
it? I wonder. Certainly you and the praifec must have kept close watch on him,
monitored his script, his score, his rehearsalsтАФand yet still he showed you for
fools."
"Well," Robert said, "I think the praifec was even more troubled by the
performance than I was. In fact, he felt it necessary to question Fralet Ackenzal very
closely. Very closely indeed, along with many of the performers."
"That was foolish," Alis said softly, rubbing her forehead.