"Naomi Kritzer - Turning the Storm" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kritzer Naomi)

Felice even smelled like an aristocrat: clean, despite his long walk, with a very faint
whiff of perfume. His tunic was made out of a delicate fabric that caught the light oddly,
covered with a well-tooled padded leather vest. His hands carried the light calluses of a
gentleman-fencer, like GiovanniтАФexcept Giovanni did some real work these days.
Back in camp, I dismounted and passed the horses off to Vitale, the youngest of the
Lupi. He'd joined us when we'd liberated that first slave camp after Ravenna. I'd tried to
send him off to Doratura or one of the other resettled towns, but he'd stubbornly followed
us across the wasteland until I shrugged and said that anyone so determined was clearly
old enough to make himself useful. "Take Forza and Stivali," I said to Vitale. "And tell
Michel we need him right away."
Vitale vanished into the camp, and Giovanni and I stood awkwardly, facing Felice. I
wanted a private moment with Giovanni, to ask him the significance of the password and
how secret it really was, but I needed Michel to take custody of Felice first. Fortunately,
Michel arrived almost immediately, still tying his sash. He was rumpled, and I suspected
he'd been napping. "Michel," I said. "This is Felice, allegedly one of the reformers from
Cuore. Take him to the generale's tent; they'll be with him shortly."
Michel picked up his cue, and saluted without addressing either of us as "Generale."
"Please follow me," he said, and led Felice off toward my tent.
I turned to Giovanni. "What was it he said to you?"
"It's a passwordтАФ"
"I guessed that. How secure is it? Couldn't he have found it out some other way?"
"We can trust him," Giovanni said confidently. "He's been sent by Beneto's
commanders. I'm just surprised it took them this long. We ought to have a contact with
the main Reform organization."
"Really." I stared off past Giovanni's shoulder. An argument was brewing between two
of my men over whose turn it was to dig latrine trenches. "Hey!" I shouted, and they both
jumped to give me a guilty stare. "It's both your turns. Fight over it and you'll be filling
them in, too." I turned back to Giovanni. "Well, let's go see what he wants, then." I caught
Vitale as he passed by. "Send Lucia to my tent when you get a chance. I don't want
Isabella, not yet. Try to get Lucia alone."
Giovanni beamed as we entered the tent. My tent was larger than Rafi's tent in
Ravenna had been, but not a whole lot higher; we didn't have much in the way of real tent
poles. Felice sat cross-legged on a cushion, looking around dubiously at the rough
accommodations.
"Welcome to the Lupi encampment," Giovanni said. "I am Generale Giovanni, and this
is Generale Eliana."
I nodded to Felice, returning his aghast look with a predatory smile. "Charmed," I said.
Felice closed his mouth with a snap, but his eyes were still wide. "Really? I'd pictured
youтАФ" he studied me, his lips partedтАФ"differently."
"Were you expecting me to be taller?" I asked. I glanced toward the tent flap,
wondering how long it would take Lucia to arrive. "Male?"
"No, no, no. Of course we knew your, ah, basic description. Older, I'd say. I guess I'd
assumed you'd be older."
"Hmm." I decided to let him stop flailing. "I suppose you're expecting us to bring you
up to date."
"That would be helpful, yes."
Lucia came in and sat next to me. "This is Felice," I said. "He claims to be a reformer
from Cuore."
"Do you know him, Giovanni?" Lucia asked.
"No," Giovanni said.