"Dave Duncan - A Man Of His Word 2 - Faery Lands Forlorn" - читать интересную книгу автора (Duncan Dave)

legionaries would be breaking down the door by now? "You must save
them!"

Rasha spun around. "Must? You say must to me, child?"

"I'm sorry, your Majesty! But I beg of you please save them!"

"Why should I?" inquired the sorceress, smirking. "Because they'll be
killed!"

"Better than what you'd have got, dearie, if I'd left you there! You
know what gangs of men do to pretty girls?"

"No!" Inos had never even considered such a thing. Imperial legionaries?
A band of raiding jotnar, certainly, but not the imperor's army! It had
been Rap who had been in danger, and the goblin, also-not her! "Not
that!"

"Yes, that! " the sorceress said, her mouth twisting in an expression
Inos could not read. "I know more about men than you'll ever guess at
it, sweetie girl. Believe me, I know!"

Inos was still a couple of steps up, staring down at her in horror.
Possibly the sorceress thought she was not being believed, because she
suddenly discarded about twenty years, to become again the gem-bedecked,
sylphlike maiden who had so bewitched Rap, her flesh glowing hot and
tantalizing through garments of mist.

She smiled mockingly up at Inos. "All men have to do is die, and they
have to do that eventually, don't they? That's nothing compared to what
a woman might get. What do I owe them? What does any woman owe a man,
ever?" She glanced past Inos, apparently at Azak. "Well, Wonderstud?"

Receiving no answer, she chuckled and turned away, sauntering toward the
great bed with her hips swinging, ruddy flesh and ox-blood hair shining
through garments that seemed to have become flimsier than ever, over a
body even more voluptuous.

Inos had heard of women who dressed like that and behaved like that-had
heard of them mostly in whispered tales in the castle kitchens. She had
never expected to see a queen do such things.

Shakily she descended the last couple of steps, fighting back tears,
trying to scrape some last trace of strength from the bottom of her
personal barrel. Her knees trembled with exhaustion. Her head told her
that the sultana's palace was rocking gently, like a ship, and that was
not very likely. Soon she would simply fall over. Oh, Rap! Rasha must be
a very powerful sorceress, but she might be crazy, also. Was her hatred
of men genuine? Had she endured the sort of experience she had hinted
at?