"Mickey Zucker Reichert - The Books of Barakhai 02 - The Lost Dragons of Barakhai" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reichert Mickey Zucker)

tipped her head to regard them all through one shockingly blue eye.
Startled at finding a horse in the quadrangle, Collins gasped. "What the hell did you bring her for?"
Despite his accusatory question, Collins found himself smiling at Falima. For reasons he could not
explain, he had thought of her often in the year since he had last seen her. It had taken her a long time to
forgive his crimes of ignorance; but, once she had, he found her a brave and loyal ally. He stroked the
silky nose and scratched behind her ears. She rested her chin on the sill, sighing heavily.
"Bring her?" Zylas paced a circle on Collins' pillow. "Do you think I could stop her?"
Collins could not answer. He knew the one-way portal allowed anyone to pass from his world to
theirs, but only animals could move in the opposite direction. He had no idea whether they had to be in
beast shape when they approached the portal or whether the simple act of passing through it made the
change for them. In Barakhai, they had essentially no control over the switch. It happened at the same
time each and every day: Zylas at the equivalent of noon and midnight, Falima at 6:00. Presumably, Zylas
could have chosen a time when he held rat form and Falima human to sneak through the portal; but that
would prove difficult. While a human, Falima would have the mental and physical wherewithal to prevent
Zylas' leaving without her. While a horse, she only needed to follow him. And, despite a few brief visits to
Collins' world in the past, Zylas might not realize the problems inherent in bringing a full-grown horse into
an urban setting. Where he came from, all horses served as guards and lived in the most civilized areas.
Unconsciously, Collins adopted the high-pitched, singsong speech pattern most adults use when
speaking to babies and animals. "Can you talk in animal form now, too?"
Zylas answered for Falima. "Not yet. Overlap's not good enough."
Collins remembered that "overlap" referred to the ability to recall animal times in human form and vice
versa. Zylas, he knew, had what the old dragon called near-perfect overlap.
Zylas paced the mattress, and Korfius' eyes followed his every movement. "That crystal you liberated
allowed Prinivere to make more translation stones, but Falima tends to drop hers when she lapses intoтАж
full horsiness."
 Collins yawned, suddenly remembering what time it was. "It's great to see you guys, but it's the
middle of the night, and I've got classes in the morning. Why don't we all get some sleep andтАж " The
ridiculousness of his own suggestion penetrated his sleep-fogged brain before he could even get a reply.
"But not in the quad. A horseтАж would be noticed." And I'll get thrown out on my ear. This definitely
breaks my lease.
"Indeed." Zylas bowed his ratty head. "That's why we need to talk in Barakhai. Come with me,
please."
"Barakhai!" Collins found himself shouting and lowered his voice. "I can't go back there." He still bore
the scars of two falls: the first down the kingdom steps with soldiers and servants stabbing and beating at
him, the second a desperate leap from the parapets. Collins had tossed torches at the king's most faithful,
including Carrie Quinton, an adviser from his own world, and the king's brother. It seemed impossible
that he would not get arrested the moment he set foot in Barakhai, sentenced to another hangingтАж or
worse. Worse? What could be worse than strangling to death? It surprised Collins just how swiftly
the answer came to his mind. The possibilities for a slow, agonizing death seemed infinite.
Zylas balanced on his back paws. "You have to, Ben. We need you."
Collins did not agree. He studied Falima, suddenly wishing he had worn more to bed. The physical
therapy from his injuries, and the healthy habits it started, left him with some muscular definition to a once
too-skinny chest. He had grown a few more chest hairs, bringing his total to ten; and he had honed his
arms and legs so he no longer resembled a scarecrow. Collins found himself hoping Falima had noticed
the positive changes that had occurred over the past year. "I'd feel a lot better if you asked me. This
time." He made a direct and scathing reference to Zylas' previously luring him into Barakhai and danger
without giving Collins the least hint of what he was about to get involved.
Zylas' heady red eyes turned liquid. He clamped his front paws together and lowered his head.
"Please?"
"No."