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

You know you get depressed when youтАЩre tired, fool. Don't let it sink you. тАЬOh,
that. Any time, Tran. You know I don't like Sovvan-night celebrations, I can't
handle the memorial services, and I don't like to be alone, either. Standing
relay duty was as good as anything else to keep my mind off things.тАЭ
He was grateful when Tantras didn't press the subject. тАЬThink you can
make it to your room all right?тАЭ the other asked. тАЬI said you don't look good; I
mean it. Falling asleep in the tub like that-it makes me wonder if you're going
to pass out in the hall.тАЭ
Vanyel produced something more like a dry cough than a laugh. тАЬIt's
nothing about a week's worth of sleep won't cure,тАЭ he replied. тАЬAnd I'm sorry I
won't be able to stand relay for you this year, but I have the Obligatory
Familial Visit to discharge. I haven't been home in- gods, four years. And even
then I didn't stay for more than a day or two. They're going to want me to
make the long stay I've been promising. There's a letter from my father
waiting for me that's probably reminding me of just that fact.тАЭ
тАЬParents surely know how to load on the guilt, don't they? Well, if you're
out of reach, Randale won't find something for you to do-but is that going to
be rest?тАЭ Tantras looked half-amused and half-worried. тАЬI mean, Van, that
family of yours-тАЭ
тАЬThey won't come after me when I'm sleeping-which I fully intend to do a
lot of.'' He pulled on his old, clean clothing, reveling in the feel of clean, soft
cloth against his skin, and started to gather up his things. тАЬAnd the way I feel
right now, I'd just as soon play hermit in my rooms when I get there-тАЭ
тАЬLeave that stuff,тАЭ Tantras interrupted. тАЬI'll deal with it. You go wrap
yourself around a decent meal. You don't look like you've had one in months.тАЭ
тАЬI haven't. They don't believe in worldly pleasures down there. Great
proponents of mortification of the flesh for the good of the spirit.тАЭ Vanyel
looked up in time to catch Tantras' raised eyebrow. He made a tragic face. тАЬI
know what you're thinking. That, too. Especially that. Gods. Do you have any
idea what it was like, being surrounded by all those devastatingly handsome
young men and not daring to so much as flirt with one?тАЭ
тАЬWere the young ladies just as devastatingly attractive?тАЭ Tantras asked,
grinning.
тАЬI would say so-given that the subject's fairly abstract for me.тАЭ
тАЬThen I think I can imagine it. Remind me to avoid the Karsite Border at all
costs.тАЭ
Vanyel found himself grinning back-another real smile, and from the heart.
тАЬTran, gods-I'm glad to see you. Do you know how long it's been since I've
been able to talk freely to someone? To joke, for Lady's sake? Since I was
around people who don't wince away when I'm minus a few clothes?тАЭ
тАЬAre you on about that again?тАЭ Tantras asked, incredulously. тАЬDo you
really think that people are nervous around you because you're shaych?тАЭ
тАЬI'm what?тАЭ Van asked, startled by the unfamiliar term.
тАЬShaych. Short for that Hawkbrother word you and Savil use. Don't know
where it came from, just seems like one day everybody was using it.тАЭ Tantras
leaned back against the white-tiled wall of the bathing room, folding his arms
across his chest in a deceptively lazy pose. тАЬMaybe because you're as
prominent as you are. Can't go around calling the most powerful Herald-Mage
in the Circle a 'pervert,' after all.тАЭ He grinned. тАЬHe might turn you into a frog.тАЭ
Vanyel shook his head again. тАЬGods, I have been out of touch to miss that