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

sleeping companion. The miscellaneous gems scattered from his lofty
turban to the curled-up toes of his shoes, and especially the wide
cummerbund of solid emeralds encircling his waist ... no, those were not
believable bed wear. And no matter how slim he was, that incredible belt
must be excruciatingly tight. It was a wonder he could breathe in it.

His face was thin and intense, his nose aquiline, and his eyes hard as
rubies. He was not very much older than herself. The size of him! Those
shoulders ...

The arrogance! He was enjoying her inspection. Whom had he intended to
impress?

"Your name and station, wench?"

She drew herself up, miserably aware of her ruined leather riding habit,
bloodstained and filthy; aware also that she must be haggard with
fatigue-eyes like open sores, hair in yellow tangles. "I am Queen
Inosolan of Krasnegar. And you, lad?"

Her insolence made fires flicker in his crimson eyes. Her head would
barely reach his shoulder, and that emerald sash alone would buy her
whole kingdom, even if the gems did not go all the way around him.

"I have the honor to be Azak ak'Azakar ak'Zorazak, Sultan of Arakkaran."

"Oh!" Dummy! Had she expected him to be a cook or a barber, dressed like
that? The diamond medallion on his turban was worth a fortune in itself.
Remembering in time that she was wearing jodhpurs, not skirts, she
bowed.

The young giant studied her disapprovingly for a moment. Then he swept
an expansive gesture with a large, red-brown hand and doubled over as if


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to touch his turban to his knees, making Inos wince. Obviously that
emerald cummerbund was not tight at all-his waist really must be that
narrow, and his back was even broader than she had suspected. He flicked
himself upright again as if such gymnastics were no problem at all, but
she could not tell if they were a compliment or a mockery.

Sultan! Rasha had claimed to be sultana, and this lad was far too young
to be her husband. Of course that was assuming that Rasha was what she
had seemed when she had first appeared in the tower-middle-aged and
thick-bodied. There had been an even more revealing glimpse later, when
Sagorn had replaced himself with Andor. Startled by the occult
transformation, Rasha had momentarily become an ugly old woman. The