"Raymond E. Feist - Empire Saga 2 - Servant Of The Empire" - читать интересную книгу автора (Feist Raymond E)

that surrounded the slave market. Despite the wayward
currents, the air was hot and thick, reeking of confined and
ullwashed humanity mingled with the smell of river sewage
and rotting garbage from the dump behind the market.

Sheltered behind the curtains of her brightly lacquered
litter, Lady Mara wafted air across her face with a scented
fan. If the stench troubled her, she showed no sign. The
Ruling Lady of the Acoma motioned for her escort to stop.
Soldiers in green enamelled armour came to a halt, and the
sweating bearers set the litter down.

An officer in a Strike Leader's plumed helm gave his hand
to Mara and she emerged from her litter. The colour in her
cheeks was high; Lujan could not tell if she was flushed from
the heat or still angered from the argument prior to leaving
her estate. Jican, the estate hadonra, had spent most of the
morning vigorously objecting to her plan to purchase what
he insisted would be worthless slaves. The debate had ended
only when she ordered him to silence.

Mara addressed her First Strike Leader. 'Lujan, attend
me, and have the others wait here.' Her acerbity caused
lujan to forgo the banter that, on occasion, strained the
limits of acceptable protocol; besides, his first task was to
protect her - and the slave markets were far too public for
his liking - so his attention turned quickly from wit to
security. As he watched for any sign of trouble, he reasoned
that when Mara busied herself in her newest plan she would
forget Jican's dissension. Until then she would not

7

appreciate hearing objections she had already dismissed in
her own mind.

Lujan understood that everything his mistress undertook
was to further her position in the Game of the Council, the
political striving that was the heart of Tsurani politics. Her
invariable goal was the survival and strengthening of House
Acoma. Rivals and friends alike had learned that a once
untried young girl had matured into a gifted player of the
deadly game. Mara had eluded the trap set by her father's
old enemy, Jingu of the Minwanabi, and had succeeded with
her own plot - forcing Jingu to take his own life in disgrace.

Yet if Mara's triumphs were the current topic of discussion
among the Empire's many nobles, she herself had
barely paused to enjoy the satisfaction of her ascendancy.
Her father's and brother's deaths had taken her family to the