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

Could anyone ever believe anything said around here?

Azak stepped past Inos and moved toward the door-head high, back rigid.
Kade came to Inos's side and took her hand in a gesture that held only
caution and sympathy. Those were not much use.

Rap! He was only a stableboy, yet he had been the only one to stay
faithful. Even when Inos had spurned him in the forest, he had not


file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Da...20Word%202%20-%20Faery%20Lands%20Forlorn.txt (9 of 254) [10/18/2004 4:59:03 PM]
 file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Dave%20Duncan%20-%2...20Man%20Of%20His%20Word%202%20-%20Faery%20Lands%20Forlorn.txt

wavered in his allegiance. He had endured the ordeal of the taiga for
her sake, not once but twice. Her only loyal subject! Monarchs dreamed
of loyalty like that. For Rap, Inos would brave even the fury of a
sorceress.

She had just one arrow left in her quiver, and it might make things
immeasurably worse, because despite what Rasha said, men as well as
women could meet ordeals more terrible than a quick death.

"He knows a word of power!"

Rasha spun around, matronly dignity replacing nymph seduction instantly.
"Who does?"

"Doctor Sagorn!" Inos watched the sorceress stalking back toward her
like a hungry cat. "And Rap has one, too."

"So!" Rasha came very close, smiling dangerously. "So that was why you
were holding hands with a stableboy? I wondered why the smell didn't
bother the royal nose."

Queen Rasha herself reeked sickeningly of gardenia. Rap, Inos suddenly
realized, had smelled of laundry soap, not of horses as he usually did.
Which was irrelevant ...

"His talent doesn't work on people! Just on animals. He's a faun. "

Kade said, "Inos, dear!" in a warning tone.

Still somehow catlike, the sorceress smiled. "But words of power have
side effects. Even one word would naturally make a man more successful
at lechery; he would automatically collect any stray princesses around."

"That wasn't what-I've known Rap all my life! I'd trust him with-"

"More fool you!" Rasha sneered. "Don't ever trust a man, any man.