"Charles Ingrid - The Sand Wars 06 - Challenge Met" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ingrid Charles)

"So soon?"

Baadluster controlled his emotions by fisting his hands, nails digging into
his sweaty and itchy palms. "It's been twelve days."

The emperor leaned back in his chair. He was slight and, as he aged, was
becoming wizened. The yellow-white sun of Malthen never tanned but
always freckled him, in the garish way given to some redheads, and his
emerald eyes contrasted sharply with his complexion as his stare pinioned
Vandover. "And what will we have when he re-emerges? Will we have a
tool we can use?"

He inclined his head. He would have given his soul to hear the flow of
communications Pepys controlled—to be able to manipulate the worlds of
the Triad Throne and even the free and far-flung worlds of the Dominion
simply through the networks Pepys held contracts on. No communication
occurred that did not pass through the filter of the Triad Throne. Emperor
Regis, who ruled before Pepys, had been good at wielding these reins, but
Pepys was incredible. Vandover contained his fervor. "You will have a loyal
fighting machine."

"Will I? One hopes. And what of Amber?"

"She holds vigil." Vandover's face hardened in an expression his emperor
could not help but catch—and interpret. The words were forced through
pasty-white lips which slowly regained a more natural color.

"There," Pepys said quietly, abandoning his mocking tone, "is a woman,
despite what you think of her." But he knew well, even better than
Vandover himself, what the man thought of her. He paused, listening to
something coming in, his thoughts momentarily abstracted. Then he looked
back at Vandover.
 "If it worked," he said, "we have saved my throne."

"May I suggest that we are finished with milady's value to us?"

"We need her as long as I need Jack."

"You can tell him you have sent Amber elsewhere. Malthen is, for all
purposes, in a state of siege. We have troops keeping the agra lanes open for
food transport. Otherwise, the Walkers are doing a good job of pressuring
us."

Pepys blinked, a predatory hooding of his brilliant eyes. "I would not
believe us if I were Jack."

"You're his emperor."

"A free man has no emperor. Amber may be the only hostage we have to
keep Storm in line." Pepys stroked one of the fiber leads in his com net.