Cast In Flight. Michelle Sagara

Чтение книги онлайн.

       Chapter 5

      The table was silent for a good five minutes. This was almost miraculous for a house that contained Kaylin and Mandoran. Kaylin was willing to swallow words; she was too ill at ease to speak without thinking, and her thoughts were so tied up in the Aerian problem she didn’t have any left over to waste on not offending Barrani.

      You will not offend me. No one but Kaylin could hear Nightshade’s voice, a reminder—probably deliberate—that they were bound by his True Name. She started, flushed and met his gaze. His eyes were much greener, but given his seating, not green.

      You have this thing about dignity and proper respect. All of you do, except Mandoran, Kaylin replied.

      I was long considered overly tolerant among my own kin.

      How many of those that believed this are still alive?

      His eyes widened. She’d surprised him. And amused him; the two expressions chased across his face, easing the lines of tension slightly. A few. At least one of them is at this table now.

      He could only mean Teela. Kaylin’s gaze swiveled toward her, and veered at the last minute. Too late. This amused Nightshade, as well. It had never been Kaylin’s life’s ambition to amuse Lord Nightshade.

      “I hear,” he said gravely, “that you had an eventful morning.”

      She nodded, glaring at Mandoran. Mandoran shrugged his lazy, bored shrug. It was too long, too indolent, and too graceful to properly be the fief shrug that he was trying to copy. “Annarion was worried.”

      “Don’t try to shift blame,” Bellusdeo said. “You were bored.”

      “Well, I was until the street cracked,” Mandoran replied with an unrepentant grin. “Pursuit was interesting, as well. Everything else has been a letdown.”

      Nightshade glanced at his brother, who was glaring at Mandoran silently, but not, Kaylin was certain, wordlessly.

      “Annarion said only that there had been an attack, a possible assassination attempt. Did he not refer to Lord Bellusdeo?”

      Mandoran snorted. “No. I’d understand it if someone tried to kill her.”

      Maggaron was destroying cutlery in the sudden tension of his grip. His very large grip. No one spoke.

      Interesting. Who was the target? Nightshade asked Kaylin.

      She really hated Mandoran at the moment.

      And that is interesting. You lie even when no one else can hear you.

      Someone can always hear me, she shot back.

      I have been somewhat occupied of late. Your Helen does not trust me at all. She is willing to tolerate me, but only for Annarion’s sake. She does, however, bear obvious fondness for him. I am therefore guarding myself on two fronts, and even this conversation is likely to annoy her immensely.

      He was probably right.

      I cannot hear your thoughts when you are in your home.

      You can hear them now.

      Yes, and that is unexpected. I am not certain why she allowed my words to reach you. Perhaps she hoped that it would make the rest of the discussion less awkward.

      What discussion?

      He chuckled, although his face was perfectly composed. You did not answer my question.

      Not mine to answer. She thought of Moran—just a brief flicker of awareness of how little Moran wanted to be the subject of any discussion. And of course, that stray thought was enough.

      But she hadn’t expected the stillness that spread out from Lord Nightshade. She’d thought him still and composed when he sat; she’d thought him still and composed during the opening salvos of what promised to be a less-than-comfortable dinner. He was frozen now, for one long minute that threatened to spiral out of control, taking what little sound and light there was entirely out of the room.

      “What,” Nightshade said, “are you doing housing the lllumen praevolo? Have you lost your mind?”

      * СКАЧАТЬ