"John Meaney - Blood and Verse" - читать интересную книгу автора (Meaney John)

With flood-speed blessed,

To mingle flows in FateтАЩs fine race

At laughing DeathтАЩs behest.тАЭ

SheraтАЩs watching me, with one eyebrow raised.

тАЬIs that a prayer?тАЭ

тАЬKind of,тАЭ I answer. тАЬThat sort of thing.тАЭ

тАЬHere.тАЭ She fumbles at her jumpsuitтАЩs belt, and pulls out a small block of
cleangel. тАЬUse this.тАЭ

тАЬThank. My nameтАЩs Andrei.тАЭ

Shera smiles quietly, as though this pleases her.

I apply the gel, and breathe in sharplyтАФthe stuff has no anaesthetic: do they
think pain must accompany all healing?тАФand her smile broadens.

тАЬHurts, doesnтАЩt it?тАЭ

тАЬNo,тАЭ I answer truthfully, for I have just made the pain go away.

тАЬReally?тАЭ

***

SheraтАЩs jumpsuit is plain grey, with a high collar: functional, so different from
the lady, Elaina, with whom I shared breakfast. And SheraтАЩs limber grace, to me, is
far more powerful and enthralling than the most carefully conceived cosmetic
artifice. Her fingernails are cut short, for work.

тАЬYouтАЩre visiting the Fayre?тАЭ She nods towards ConvenorsтАЩ Hall.

тАЬI thought I might.тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs worth a look.тАЭ

тАЬYou donтАЩt work on the boatтАЭтАФI gesture at the crew, who are discussing
something among themselvesтАФтАЭwith your friends.тАЭ

тАЬNo. IтАЩm a ... civil servant. Taking the day off.тАЭ

тАЬOn vacation?тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩve a report to write.тАЭ Looking out across rain-swept ocean, waves reflected