"Mindy L. Klasky - Glasswright Journeyman" - читать интересную книгу автора (Klasky Mindy L)

"So now you're calling your king a fool?"

"If he acts like one, that's what I'll call him." Rani tugged at the sleeves of her gown, forcing
her attention back to the formula for silver stain.

Mair laughed. "Treason, and within the palace's very walls."

"Is it treason if it's true?"

"It is treason if you speak against your king. It is treason if you leave him alone in his
apartments and let him be outfoxed by the Holy Father, who was negotiating contracts
before King Halaravilli was born. The church now says that we'll have to pay a delivery fee of
one gold ingot for every shipment of food they bring in."

"An ingot! Why, only an idiotтАФ"

"Mind your tongue," Mair interrupted, laughing. "His Majesty commands you to attend him
in his apartments."

Mair's words shot through Rani, jamming against her spine and stealing away her breath.
"He #sked for me?"

"Directly."

"So, now that he needs me, he can keep a civil tongue in his head."

"Let it rest! You pushed him this morning. You know that you did. Your feelings were hurt
that he sent you out of the room while he spoke privately with the ambassador from the
Pepper Isles."

"He dismissed me like a servant."

"He dismissed you like a friend. Like a trusted comrade who would understand that he
needed to honor a guest who is narrow minded, pompous, and rich." Mair hopped down
from her stool. "Oh, stop frowning at me. You know perfectly well that the king can't take
any chances on tonight's negotiations with the church, especially after he came up short
dealing with the Pepper Isles. He needs more money, and faster. There are more than two
hundred children who have firelung now, and the number of new cases increases every day.
The Touched are going to die if they continue to live in dilapidated tents. The Touched, all of
them, and other castes, too. They need shelter, and food, and clothing. And^if the merchants
don't get trade goods for the summer fairs, it will be even worse come the autumn."

"You don't need to explain the marketplace to me, Mair."

"I'm not explaining it to you. I'm reminding you that your stubbornness can kill. Your stiff
neck will hurt children, mothers, fathers тАФ all of Morenia."

"This isn't my fault!"

"The fire isn't your fault. Anything you do to keep Morenia from rebuildingтАж now that's