"Mercedes Lackey & Ellen Guon - Freedom Flight" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

certain of it. We are finished here. I will return to K'Tithrak Mang
tonight. You will give up this grudge of yours. And to ensure that there will
be no repetition of thisтАФsceneтАФI require that you bring me concrete proof
of deceit before you make any further accusations."

Jahkai flattened his ears and lowered his muzzle submissively; his tail
dragged on the ground, completely limp. Though his eyes were still full of
hate when he looked at Ralgha, the Thrak'hra lord was certain that he
would not dare disobey the Prince's orders. He held his rank on sufferance
alone, and many hated him. They would be glad to see him fall.

The Prince glared down at Jahkai. "The Lord Ralgha may return to his
usual duties." The Prince glanced at Ralgha. "What are your standing
orders, Lord Ralgha?"
 Ralgha brought his head up, at full attention. "My ship leaves for the
N'Tanya System tonight, my lord," Ralgha said. "We are to join the strike
force departing for the Terran frontier."

The Prince nodded. "You will bring honor to your hrai, I am certain of
it. Fight well, Ralgha."

"My lord." Ralgha bowed his head, his tail curled down in a gesture of
respect and submission; careful not to spoil his show of appropriate
behavior by displaying the shock the Prince's last statement had given
him. He cannot know, Ralgha thought. All of my hrai, down to my littlest
siblingтАж dead now, these last five years. I have no family now, no way to
share the honors I have won in combat. No one, nothing worth living
forтАж

My only joy has been fighting the humans. Killing as many of them as
I can, for the glory of the Empire. Taunting them in battle, ignoring
them as they call us "kitten" or "cat"тАж I wonder what a cat is?тАж and
then rejoicing in my victory, hearing their death-screams. Winning
honor for my hrai,for my family name.

Now that is meaningless. Without my hrai...

Prince Thrakhath nodded once to Jahkai, and left the room. Ralgha
began to follow him, but was stopped by a guard's claws on shoulder.

"You may not leave yet, Ralgha," Jahkai hissed in a low voice.

Had the lowborn learned nothing? If Ralgha had been younger, more
given to impulse, Jahkai would have been dead at that moment. The
chemicals of anger and fear still sang in his blood, and made his ears ring.
"I am not one of your hirelings, Jahkai, or a human slave. Do not presume
to give me orders. I am a lord of the Empire. Hinder me, andтАж" Ralgha
smiled, showing teeth. "And I will rip out your throat, Kilra'hra scum."

"Fine words from a suspected traitor," Jahkai spat.