"Lawrence Watt-Evans - Dus 3 - Sword Of Bheleu" - читать интересную книгу автора (Watt-Evans Lawrence)

CHAPTER FOUR

Saram was the first to speak after the Forgotten King's abrupt departure.
"What was that all about?" he asked.
"I don't know," Garth replied. His thoughts seemed muddy and vague and
laced with a lingering annoyance.
"What happens now?" Frima asked.
The overman had been staring at the steps the old man had just ascended;
at the sound of the girl's voice he turned to face her.
"It would seem," he said, "that you're free now. As I told you, I have
no use for you; I brought you here only because the old man told me to bring
whatever I found on the altars, and you were on Sai's altar. I thought that my
taking him literally might convince him to be less cryptic in the future. It
appears it hasn't quite worked-but that's not your concern. I delivered you to
him, and he rejected you, so I have no further need for you. You're free to do
as you please."
"Will you take me back to Dûsarra, then?"
"I hadn't planned to."
"Oh, but you have to! I can't go back myself; it's not safe, and I don't
know the way!"
"Do you really want to go back? When we left, there was a plague loose
in the city."
"Oh." She was immediately less enthusiastic. "That's right, the White
Death was in the marketplace, and the city was on fire. Maybe I don't want to
go back. What should I do, then?"
"That's up to you." Garth rose. "I have affairs of my own to attend to,
and I want to get out of here before the Baron sends his soldiers after me-if
he hasn't done so already."
"You can't leave me all alone in a strange town!"
Garth hesitated. "I can't very well take you to a military camp, either.
How would I explain a human's presence? Besides, I can't keep looking after
you forever. At least here in Skelleth you're among your own species."
Saram interjected, "I could look after her for a while, I suppose."
The overman was startled. "It is not necessary; she's not your concern."
"I don't mind."
Garth looked from Saram to Frima and back. Was he missing something
here? Had the former guardsman taken some sort of interest in the girl? He had
noticed them speaking to each other, though he had not heard what had been
said.
What sort of an interest could it be, though? He knew that he didn't
understand humans very well, but what sort of attachment could have been
formed so quickly? No, more likely the man was just curious about the
Dûsarran, or wanted to do Garth a favor-doubtless expecting the debt to be
repaid later. There was nothing wrong with that; Garth already felt he owed
Saram something, as the man had been of assistance in the past.
"Very well, then. Perhaps you can find her some more suitable clothing;
she's been complaining about what I gave her, and I would like to have my
tunic back."