"Jean Lorrah - Savage Empire 04 - Flight To the Savage Empire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Lorrah Jean)

"Are you all right?" he asked with a smile. Something in his deep voice sent a shiver down her spine.

"Except for a few bruises, yesтАж thank you," she heard herself reply. "It's a miracle we weren't
crushedтАФ"

Recognition finally lit his eyes. "You're the Reader I met in the stadium this afternoon, aren't you?" he
asked softly. "MagisterтАж?"

"Astra."

"I'm sorry for the way I acted today," he said. "I was upset at the death of ClaviusтАж and at what his
death has cost me. Later I realized you had to have been telling me the truth about the white lotus."

Astra said nothing, surprised at the unexpected apology.

"I'd like to talk with you," he said. "Can I escort you to wherever you're going?"

"My errandтАж wasn't important," she stammered. Thanks to the quake, Morella would be putting her
place back together now, in no mood to answer questions. "It can wait until tomorrow. I must get back
to my AcademyтАФReaders will be on call to locate people buried in the earthquake damage and to treat
the injured."

She turned to head back up the passagewayтАФand found the wreckage of the scaffolding blocking her
way.

"Allow me, Magister!" Zanos said as he swept her up in his arms. Startled by his boldness, she was still
groping for words of protest after the gladiator had easily carried her over the debris and set her on her
feet.

"Do you always give such 'help' to people?" she asked disapprovingly.

"Only to my friends." He smiled as he took her arm and began to lead the way. "I'll come with
youтАФthere may be other places like this. I'll help you back to your Academy, and you tell me how
Clavius got that white lotus. He certainly didn't have money to pay for it."
As they walked, Astra collected her thoughts. "You didn't give me the chance this afternoon to tell you
exactly what I found. There was only a trace of white lotus in Clavius' blood. If he used the drug
regularly, he could not have had any in the past few days."

Zanos nodded. "Everybody in the stadium was watching the match, but I was concentrating on Clavius.
He had a habit of dropping his guard when he got overconfident. But his actions just before he died
could have been like those of someone craving white lotusтАж"

"Like an addict who had been deprived of it," Astra mused, "and was just beginning to become

irrational. Yes, that would make senseтАж provided Clavius was taking only small amounts."

"I don't think he was 'taking' it," Zanos insisted. "I've been in the games for a long time, Magister.
Athletes are sometimes stupid enough to take drugs they think will help them win. Painkillers, to
participate despite an injury. Stimulants. But white lotus is not something a gladiator would take