"Jay Lake - Will You go On" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lake Jay)

We hauled him back to the Lesser Silk Drawing Room, which was the Hunt
GroupтАЩs nest mostly. It was big enough for all of us to live in, but small enough to
feel like our own, as well as close to the Upper West Red Gallery where we hid our
treasures.

Marta Grande sat on the outsiderтАЩs chest while me and Porter straightened the
leg at Old JamieтАЩs directing. He didnтАЩt scream, but his body tightened and twisted
surely as if weтАЩd wired him to a socket. After it was straight I splinted him with two
legs off a Louis XIV chair Marta Grande had broke up in the White Wool Drawing
Room a couple of weeks back. We wrapped his leg in upholstering from the chair,
too, then I wiped the sweat and blood from his bit lips with one of FilippaтАЩs moon
rags dipped damp in the bathroom sink.

тАЬThank you,тАЭ gasped the outsider. тАЬBlessings on you all.тАЭ

тАЬGet him some water now that he wonтАЩt throw it up,тАЭ growled Old Jamie.
Though I figured our stranger wasnтАЩt the type to spew from pain anyway.

I hunkered down next to him, letting my knees burn like they had since IтАЩd got
big. тАЬWelcome to GodтАЩs house, stranger, and my name is Johnnie.тАЭ

His lips flickered through a weak smile. тАЬIтАЩm Ben, I guess.тАЭ

тАЬBen Eye-gas,тАЭ shouted Marta Grande. тАЬBen Eye-gas!тАЭ The Hunt Group took
it up until they were dancing around Old Jamie, Ben and me.

****

The next day the Hunt Group woke to the sound of workmen nearby. Little
Bitros had had the watch, but strange things could happen to time and wakefulness
when the workmen were about.

We all knew this was sign that we should go prey in earnest, leaving GodтАЩs
invisible servants to their work. This showed respect, and sometimes gifts were
granted us, too.
 But Ben Eye-gas was sprawled on the floor, his leg wrapped in polished
maple and white silk.

I squatted down with him and gathered my hall tiger pelt around my shoulders.
тАЬListen, you canтАЩt really move right now. I got to tell you something important.
DonтАЩt leave the room.тАЭ

тАЬWhy?тАЭ

тАЬHear that hammering and those power saws?тАЭ

He nodded.

тАЬThatтАЩs the workmen. We donтАЩt never see them, and we try to give them