"Mercedes Lackey - Brightly Burning" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

headache. There had been no more night horrors, at any rate, and when Lan had no more symptoms for
a week, his mother had ordered him out of bed and back to school.
He knew, he just knew, that his worst fears were about to be confirmed. By this time, the rotten
weather had kept the Sixth Formers from their after-school pleasures for at least a week, and they were
surely exercising their wits at the expense of their schoolmates by now.
He saw ample evidence of that as soon as he entered the gate and stepped into the front court of
the school.
The Sixth Formers had gathered in a group around some hapless victim, while the other possible
targets took advantage of their preoccupation to slink past them and into the front door. Lan did the
same, but couldnтАЩt help glancing at the group as he slipped past, when a burst of laughter followed
LomanтАЩs command of, тАЬJump, Froggy!тАЭ
In the middle of the circle stood the unfortunate Froggy, her eyes bulging more than ever, her
face smeared with a bright green cosmetic that almost matched her woolen cloak.
Lan averted his eyes before she could catch his gaze, and scuttled for the safety of the door. If
the others saw her looking imploringly at someone, they would probably turn to see who she was looking
at, and seize on him as a fresh source of amusement.
Another evidence that the Sixth Formers had gotten bored enough to increase their persecution
sat in the desk right in front of Lan. Owyn sported a sour expression and a pair of feathers in his curly
hair, one over each ear. They did, indeed resemble the false ear-tufts on an owl. Lan resolved to take no
notice of the unorthodox ornaments.
Their teachers certainly seemed oblivious. The lessons went on as normal, with perhaps a little
more attention paid to Lan, to make certain that he had kept up with the rest of the class. No one
commented on OwynтАЩs feathers.
Lan not only proved he had kept up to the satisfaction of the teachers, he was actually able to
relax a little, as he had read a trifle ahead of the rest. Confined to bed as heтАЩd been, with the only
possible amusement being his books, heтАЩd begun to find them more interesting than heтАЩd thought. He still
would rather be roaming the woods around Alderscroft, but reading was better than doing nothing.
тАЬWell, if this is the effect of your little fever, Lavan, I could wish that the entire class would catch
it,тАЭ one of the teachers said dryly. As a nervous chuckle ghosted up from another part of the room, the
teacher glared in that direction and added.
тАЬPerhaps some of you might consider following your classmateтАЩs example and actually study
when you are at home.тАЭ
But as the lunch hour neared, Lan felt more and more nervous. The Sixth Formers had surely
noticed that heтАЩd been gone-had someone told them why? What had they been planning for him? How
could he possibly anticipate what Tyron would demand?
He might not demand anything. He might actually feel sorry for me. I have been sick. He might be
afraid heтАЩll catch whatever I have. Or maybe the Schoolmaster told him to leave me alone until they
know IтАЩm well. . . .
There was nothing for it. When the bell rang for lunch, he left with the rest, and did his best to slip
in unobtrusively. He avoided FroggyтАЩs company as if she had plague, but so did everyone else. The girl
sat all by herself with a ring of empty seats around her, her bright green face hidden by her hair as she
kept her head bowed.
Lan could only feel relief that it was Froggy sitting there alone, and not him.
He embedded himself in a group of Fifth and Fourth Formers and ate quietly, with one ear on the
Sixth Form table. IтАЩm not here, he thought fiercely at them. DonтАЩt even think of me. I donтАЩt exist.
He tried to eat at the same rate as the others, though tension made it difficult to swallow. He
wanted to leave when they did, in the crowd, to put off the moment when Tyron noticed he was back as
long as possible.
But sudden silence at his end of the table, the stares of those across from him, and a heavy hand
on his shoulder told him that all his subterfuge was in vain.