"Joanna Wylde - Dragon's Mistress" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wylde Joanna)

тАЬOh, no, I donтАЩt want to know,тАЭ she whispered. He came and knelt before her, tilting her chin up
with on finger. He leaned forward and gently kissed her, then sat back on his heels.

тАЬItтАЩs too late, Dani,тАЭ he said quietly. тАЬI think you already know that.тАЭ

тАЬWhy did you tell me?тАЭ she asked. To her surprise, the horror was passing. In its place was a new
emotion, anger that he would drag her into this. Her voice grew stronger. тАЬIs it because I dared to come
here and spy on you? Are you out to destroy the Guild, in addition to committing treason against the
Emperor? WeтАЩre not part of your Empire, we donтАЩt want anything to do with this. Take care of your own
problems.тАЭ

тАЬOh, itтАЩs a Guild problem, too,тАЭ he said.

тАЬHow do you figure that?тАЭ she asked, her voice cold with disgust. тАЬWeтАЩre neutral. We donтАЩt need
your crap.тАЭ

тАЬNo, youwere neutral,тАЭ he replied. тАЬUntil 25,000 licensed Pleasure Guild workers were killed when
the Emperor liquidated the planet of Kelvani. The action took place without warning, and they werenтАЩt
given the option of using their diplomatic immunity to escape.тАЭ

She gasped, shaking her head in disbelief.

тАЬI didnтАЩt hear anything about that,тАЭ she said. тАЬIf that was true, I would have known. The Guild takes
care of their own. Our Council wouldnтАЩt just let the Emperor get away with killing our people.тАЭ

тАЬThey donтАЩt intend to,тАЭ he said, his expression growing fierce. тАЬDonтАЩt you realize that even the Guild
isnтАЩt strong enough to confront the Emperor directly? Neither are the nobles of the Empire. Do you think
we like seeing him do things like this? Our civilization has flourished for a thousand years, and now one
crazed idiot is going to bring it crashing down around us. The Saurellians arenтАЩt going to stop him. They
don't want to break the truce. ItтАЩs up to us.тАЭ

тАЬWho is тАШusтАЩ?тАЭ she asked suspiciously.

тАЬThe nobles and the Guild,тАЭ he said. тАЬWhy do you think youтАЩre here?тАЭ

тАЬI thought I was here to pleasure you,тАЭ she said quietly. He gave her a mocking look. тАЬWell, to spy
on you then.тАЭ

тАЬKarya sent you because she believes we can trust you,тАЭ he said quietly. тАЬYouтАЩre uniquely qualified
to help us. YouтАЩve been in Saurellian space, and you have contacts there. We know youтАЩve already
helped at least one Imperial slave escape. DonтАЩt bother to deny it,тАЭ he said, holding up one hand when
she started to protest. тАЬDani, youтАЩve been very careful, but we know youтАЩre smart and youтАЩre loyal to the
Guild. YouтАЩre also the perfect go-between for the Saurellians and us because no one will suspect you.
You arenтАЩt a Guild functionary, you hold no office and you have no power. In short, youтАЩre not important
enough for the Emperor to suspect you.тАЭ

Dani snorted at his description.

тАЬNo, donтАЩt be offended,тАЭ he continued. тАЬThatтАЩs what makes you perfect for this role. Karya has had