"Dave Duncan - Tales of King's Blades 5 - The Jaguar Knights" - читать интересную книгу автора (Duncan Dave)

the lady.”

Wolf resisted an urge to tell his sovereign lord he was out of his mind.Why should anyone storm one of
the most formidable strongholds in all Eurania to carry off a woman guarded by three Blades and a
gar-rison of men-at-arms, knowing the loss of life this must entail? Even if Celeste’s stunning beauty had
survived four years of imprisonment, that would be carrying rape to improbable extremes, and why else
should anyone want that trollop? She had no land, no rich relatives, no impor-tance. Nevertheless, the
report had come from Grand Master, and for al-most a year now Grand Master had been Durendal,
Lord Roland. Any Blade would accept Durendal’s testimony if he said the sea was wine.

“My brother’s ward was kidnapped, yet he is still alive?” That was truly incredible. “I said so!” Athelgar
was staring at him very hard. “Does this news surprise you?”

Wolf hastily adjusted to the idea that he had been summoned to an-swer a charge of treason. He looked
to Vicious for support and saw sus-picion there, too. His path and Celeste’s had crossed in the past; his
brother shared her captivity at Quondam. He struggled to view the grotesque news through Athelgar’s
snaky eyes.

Fortunately he need only speak the truth. “It amazes me. Your Majesty, I swear that I had no prior
knowledge of any plan or plot to rescue Lady”—he saw warning signs—“I meanabductLady
Celeste.The news dumbfounds me. I do not know who could, or would want to,

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remove her from Quondam, nor who could achieve it. Surely Your Grace cannot question my loyalty?
Even if my binding would allow me to engage in armed rebellion against your royal peace—which I do
not believe it would—I should never involve my own brother in so dastardly a plot.”

“The evidence is not yet clear,” the King said narrowly.“We are not certain who injured your brother,
nor which side he was supporting.”

“I swear I know nothing about this, sire!”

“Grand Inquisitor?”

The one on the right said, “The witness speaks the truth.” They never hesitated and never spoke at the
same time, but nobody knew how they did it.They did not just take turns.

The weather in the chamber changed for the better.

“We are relieved to hear it,” the King said, without looking much pleased. “Then you will wish to hurry
to your brother’s side, Sir Wolf, and we will have you investigate this crime for us.”