"Jennifer Fallon - Second Sons 03 - Lord of the Shadows" - читать интересную книгу автора (Fallon Jennifer)

Neris nodded, walked to the bed and sat down, oblivious to the fact that he was soaking the bed
with his wet clothes.
“He betrayed me without so much as a flicker of remorse, Neris.”
Her father’s expression was thoughtful, rather than upset. He was taking the news far better than she
anticipated. Where was the rage? The feelings of grief and torment over Dirk’s unconscionable
betrayal? Tia had felt little else since Omaxin, when she’d heard Dirk inform the High Priestess Belagren
that he was ready and willing to join her.
“Aren’t you going to say something?”
“I’d like some tea.”
“I meant about Dirk.”
“I know. But I’d still like some tea. What did you do?”
“When he betrayed me? I shot him.”
“Well, you never did have much of a sense of humor.”
“Neris! This is nothing to joke about! He sent a message to Reithan. He told him he was going to
tell Antonov the route through the delta.”
“That would be logical.”
“Logical! Are you—” Tia was going to ask: Are you crazy?
As her father’s insanity was a well established fact, it seemed a rather pointless question. “Neris, are
you listening to me? Don’t you understand what he’s done?”
“Better than you, probably.”
“Dirk Provin has betrayed us. He handed your only daughter over to the High Priestess to be
tortured and killed. I thought you’d be upset.”
“I’m a little surprised,” Neris conceded. “But why would I be upset? Anyway, as you obviously
haven’t been tortured and killed, why should I waste time worrying that you might have been?”
Tia cursed under her breath as she moved the kettle over the fire. “I don’t know, Neris. Why would
I think you might be upset? Perhaps because, thanks to Dirk Provin, we’re all likely to be dead in six
weeks?”
“Is that supposed to frighten me? I’ve been trying to work up the courage to kill myself for more
than twenty years, Tia.”
“And that’s all you can say?”
“What else did you want me to say? I’d actually like to say ‘I told you so,’ but I didn’t, so there
wouldn’t be much point, would there? Or I could say ‘Naughty Dirk,’ but you’ve undoubtedly called
him far worse. Or I could say...”
“Just forget it, Neris.”
“Now you’re mad at me. Still, I suppose with Dirk gone, you have to find someone to be mad at.”
Tia rose to her feet, fighting back the urge to take him by his thin, wasted shoulders and shake some
sense into him.
 “We’re evacuating the settlement.”
“That’s probably a wise move.”
“You won’t be able to take much with you, but—”
“I’m not leaving,” he cut in, quite indignantly. “I’m staying right here! I’ll get the best view from up
here. Do you think they can get the Calliope through the delta? I’ve heard she’s a magnificent sight
under full sail.”
“Is that all you care about? Seeing the Calliope?”
“I suppose I’d like to see the other ships, too...”
“There is no Calliope, Neris. Reithan burned it in Elcast when we tried to save Morna Provin.”
“What a shame,” Neris sighed.
Tia wanted to scream at him. “Neris! Concentrate, please! We’re evacuating Mil. You can’t stay
here when we leave.”
“Why not?” He seemed genuinely puzzled.