"Tanya Huff - Death Rites" - читать интересную книгу автора (Huff Tanya)

both divisions over to that traitor if he keeps this up. He'll turn a small rebellion into a civil war."

"That is possible, Majesty." The current border of the Seventh Province had been secure for barely a
generation.

"I want this taken care of. Now. Send a message immediately—Second Division can go back to the
garrison, but Arnon's to remain with the siege."

"Punishment, Majesty?"

"Let's just say I'm not happy with him." The Emperor's smile was tight. "If I'm to fix this, I can't have
him wandering all over Jür's battlefield."

"Shall I…"

"No." A raised hand cut Usef's question short. "He's family. I'll deal with it myself."

Marshal Chela of the Sixth Army read the message handed directly into her care by an Imperial Courier
for the third time. His Imperial Majesty wanted to borrow her best assassin. Unfortunately, her best
assassin would be under the authority of the garrison's healers for another few weeks.

"If his… Imper… i… al Majes… ty com… mands…"

"Lie down, Neegan." Chela pushed him back onto the bed with her voice. Not even she would touch an
assassin uninvited. "Even if the healers would let you go, I'm not sure I would. Jolan's already destroyed
three blades—I'm not saying you wouldn't be able to deal with her under normal circumstances, but
you've got a hole in your throat you've barely recovered from."

His lips pressed into a thin line, and one brow rose.

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Chela, who'd known him for twenty years, translated easily. "Then why am I here? I want to know what
you think about my sending Vree and Bannon instead. Granted they're young, but they're good—they
should be, with you overseeing their training—and they'll be unexpected. Jolan resigned her commission
before they were posted, and as far as I know there has never been a team of assassins in the Seven
Armies before." Her smile nearly buried her eyes in curves of flesh. "Also, it's considerably more politic
to send the Emperor an option rather than a refusal."

Neegan held out a thin hand. "Or… ders…"

"Sorry, my eyes only. And theirs if you think they can handle the job."

This expression a stranger could have translated.

"How can you decide if you don't know what you're sending them into?" She lowered her bulk onto the
stool beside the bed. "This much is common knowledge: Commander Jolan's treason has allowed Arnon,