"John Morressy - The Protectors of Zendor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Morressy John)

not?"

"Wrong on both counts, my lord."

Lord Ransidine's hand went to his swordhilt as he rose from his place. "Then identify yourself at once!"

"I am a wizard, not a magician, and my presence is requested, not commanded."

Ransidine took a moment to absorb this information. He resumed his seat and then asked, "And this
woman?"

"The lady is a princess, a wizard of considerable power, and my wife. You, I am informed, are Lord
Ransidine, First First Cousin and Protector of Zendor. And now I would like an answer to my question."

Ransidine fixed a cold gaze on the wizard for a time before saying, "The offenses of the Grendoornans....
I could speak until dawn, wizard, and not begin to exhaust the calendar of their crimes. Suffice it to say
that they are rebels, traitors, and renegades. They present a constant danger, and must be exterminated if
Zendor is to enjoy its rightful place among the nations. Your mission, wizard, is to protect the lives of the
brave Zendorans who go off to war in defense of the kingdom. You must use your power to see that not
one falls."

"I'm always pleased to save brave men from death."

"Then do your duty. You will be well paid," said Ransidine, and turned away; but not before taking a long
admiring look at Princess.

I just bet I'll be paid, Kedrigern thought. The aura of knavery hung about Lord Ransidine as unmistakably
as his crimson cloak.
****
When he mentioned his feelings to Princess later that night, her reaction surprised him. "He doesn't seem
treacherous. He's a loud nasty bully, yes, but not treacherous," she said.
"He's treacherous. I can tell. And I don't like the way he was leering at you."

"He wasn't leering, just ogling."

"I know leering when I see it. This is a very bad situation, my dear. We were summoned here on the
pretext that Zendor was in danger. The fact is that Ransidine and his friends are determined to start a war
with Grendoorn. You saw how they tried to provoke the envoy. Durmuk is perfectly willing to let them
do it so long as it doesn't interfere with his meals. Ransidine expects me to use my magic to make certain
that no Zendoran troops are lost. They want me to arrange a massacre! And for no reason!"

"Don't get excited. There must be a reason," she said. "Maybe the Grendoornans outnumber the
Zendorans."

"They don't."

"Then they must have a terrible secret weapon."

"They haven't."