"Jeffrey Lord - Blade 19 - Looters of Tharn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lord Jeffery)

Krimon sighed. "Mazda has spoken." His tone of voice indicated he rather wished Mazda hadn't.

An occasional spear or arrow banged off the machine's armor at intervals for about five more minutes.
Blade spent the time getting himself a drink of water and watching the screens. He decided against putting
on any clothes. Mazda had come naked the first time; he would return naked.

Time passed. One by one people reappeared. As cautiously as mice, they peered out of the windows
and doors, crept out to lurk behind bales of grain, flattened themselves on the roof. Blade noticed that in
front of the King's House was a pile of teksin blocks, and on top of the pile a short flagpole with a
banner. The banner was dark green, and bore a flaming sword in gold-the huge Pethcine sword Blade
had carried in the Great War and taken back to England with him.

Finally Blade stood up and went to the hatch. "Krimon, I think we've got our audience. Will you follow
me and speak for me?"

Krimon bowed and replied formally. "I will speak for Mazda."
 "Good." Blade pressed the button to open the hatch. The heavy steel disk swung open. He clambered
through the opening onto the rear platform, then drew himself up to his full height. Krimon followed him.

A buzz of voices rose as Blade appeared on the platform. It rose higher as Krimon appeared. Then the
neuter took a deep breath and somehow managed to come out with a full shout, a shout that echoed
around the courtyard.

"Behold, oh people. Behold-Mazda has returned to us!"

Silence fell as suddenly and completely as if all the watchers had dropped dead on the spot. Blade
raised both hands over his head and turned from left to right through a half-circle, letting everyone get a
good look at him. The silence continued.

Then brief whispers sounded off to the right. After them came soft, slow footsteps. In one of the low,
dark doorways a woman appeared. She was tall and gray-haired, and still had a good deal of what must
have once been great beauty. She carried a long teksin knife in one hand. Blade recognized it as one of
the knives used to hamstring the horses of the Pethcine chariots in the Great War.

The woman approached Blade, knife held in front of her with the grip of an experienced knife-fighter.
She moved slowly and carefully, her eyes roaming searchingly up and down Blade's body.

"You call this one Mazda, Krimon?" she said.

"I am Mazda," said Blade. He spoke quietly. Any raising of his voice might seem like blustering and
arouse more suspicion.

The woman brought the point of the knife close to Blade's genitals. Her wide gray eyes met his, watching
for a reaction. Blade stared back, keeping his face more expressionless and calmer than he felt inside.

"It seems he is no neuter with false manhood pasted on," said the woman at last.

"Did ever a neuter grow as he has?" said Krimon coolly, with a gesture that took in all of Blade's
massive physique.