"Mercedes Lackey - Last Herald Mage 2 - Magic's Promise" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lackey Mercedes)

:If you don't make the time to see her, I'll bite you when you try to saddle
me.:
Vanyel had to smother a laugh. :Woke up again, did you? Why is it
anything about Jisa snags your attention like nothing else does?:
:Because she's adorable - as most six-year-old humans are not. Besides,
she's your daughter.:
:I'm just grateful she doesn't look anything like me,: he replied, sobering.
:If she'd gotten these silver eyes of mine, for instance - or black hair when
both Randale and Shavri are light brown. Don't you dare let that slip to
anyone!:
:Not even another Companion,: she reassured him. :I'm not sure I
understand what the problem could be, though. Shavri won't let Randale
marry her, so should it matter who Jisa's father is?:
:It would disturb some folk, because they're lifebonded. Besides, we don't
want anyone to know that Randale's sterile. If he has to make an alliance
marriage - that could ruin it. And there are damn few people even inside the
Heralds who would understand someone wanting a child badly enough to go
to bed with someone other than her lifebonded.:
Yfandes' mind-voice was hesitant. :Truth, Chosen - in seems to bother
you. :
Vanyel leaned farther back into the chair, scrawling replies to the
invitations with half his attention. It did bother him, and in a way that made him
reluctant to even think about Shavri, sometimes. :It's not that,: he temporized.
:lt's just that I'm worried about them.:
 But the uneasy feeling continued, an uncomfortable unhappiness that he
couldn't define. So he continued hastily, :Poor Shavri; you can't know how
much she wanted that child. That was the only reason we did it.:
:You like her. :
:Of course I like her!: he answered-again, just a shade too quickly. :She
and Randale-theyтАЩre friends; how could I have told them no?: He shied away
from examining his feelings too closely. :Besides, it was never anything more
than a physical exercise for either of us. No more involved for me, certainly,
than dancing. Shavri being a Healer, she could make sure she тАЬcaughtтАЭ the
first time. Neither of us were emotionally involved, or ever likely to be.:
:I suppose that could have been a problem,: she replied.
:Exactly. That's why Shavri and Randale asked me to help in the first
place: I was perfect; a Herald, already a friend, physically able, and not going
to get romantically entangled.:
:Don't you . . . want the child, sometimes?: Yfandes sounded wistful.
Vanyel was a bit surprised.
:Frankly, no. I'm not very paternal. It takes more than seed to make a
father, love. Great good gods, can you see me as a parent? I'd be awful.
Randale has what I lack in that department.: His thoughts darkened, as he
recalled what had been bothering him since he scanned the palace when they
rode in. :'Fandes, I'm worried about them. When Lancir died - truth, I almost
expected Taver to Choose me King's Own. Instead-instead he chose Shavri,
and I'm desperately afraid it wasn't because she was Randale's lifebonded.
I'm afraid it was because she's a Healer.:
There was a long silence on Yfandes' part. Then, :Why haven't you said
something before this?: