JК
Faith of the Fallen :: Goodkind Terry
Страница: 571 из 617"
They both fell silent. Ishaq leaned close as he gestured covertly.
"We can't go up there. It's guarded."
"I can." Nicci angrily wiped the tears from her cheeks. Her voice regained the quality of grave authority she had wielded so often, that dark intonation that had passed judgment on countless lives, and sent people to their death. "Wait here."
Both men pulled back at the menace in her eyes.
Nicci straightened her back. She lifted her chin. She was a Sister of the Dark.
She ascended the steps in a measured pace, as if the palace were hers.
It was. She was the Slave Queen. These men were hers to command.
She was Death's Mistress.
The guards approached her warily, sensing that the woman in black was a threat. Before they could speak, she spoke first.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed.
"What are we doing here?" one asked. "We're guarding the emperor's palace, that's what we're doing-"
"How dare you talk back to me. Do you know who I am?"
"Well. . I don't think I-"
"Death's Mistress. Perhaps you have heard of me?"
All dozen men straightened. She saw their eyes take in the black dress again, then her long blond hair, her blue eyes. By their reaction to what they saw, it was obvious to Nicci that her reputation preceded her. Before they could say another word, she spoke again.
"And what do you suppose Emperor Jagang's consort is doing here? Do you suppose I came without my master? Of course not, you idiots!"
"The emperor. ." several mumbled together in shock.
"That's right, the emperor is arriving for the dedication tomorrow. I have come to make my own examination, first, and what do I find? Idiots!
Here you stand, with your thumbs in your ears, while you should be standing to greet His Excellency as he arrives into the city mere hours from now."
The guards' eyes widened. "But. . no one told us. Where is he coming in? We haven't been informed-"
"Arid do you suppose a man as important as Jagang wishes his whereabouts to be known for any assassin in the neighborhood to find him?
And if there are assassins about, here you fools stand!"
All the men bowed urgently.
"Where?" the sergeant asked. "Where is His Excellency arriving?"
"He's arriving from the north."
The man licked his lips. "But, but, which road from the north? There are any number of routes-"
Nicci planted her fists on her hips.
They both fell silent. Ishaq leaned close as he gestured covertly.
"We can't go up there. It's guarded."
"I can." Nicci angrily wiped the tears from her cheeks. Her voice regained the quality of grave authority she had wielded so often, that dark intonation that had passed judgment on countless lives, and sent people to their death. "Wait here."
Both men pulled back at the menace in her eyes.
Nicci straightened her back. She lifted her chin. She was a Sister of the Dark.
She ascended the steps in a measured pace, as if the palace were hers.
It was. She was the Slave Queen. These men were hers to command.
She was Death's Mistress.
The guards approached her warily, sensing that the woman in black was a threat. Before they could speak, she spoke first.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed.
"What are we doing here?" one asked. "We're guarding the emperor's palace, that's what we're doing-"
"How dare you talk back to me. Do you know who I am?"
"Well. . I don't think I-"
"Death's Mistress. Perhaps you have heard of me?"
All dozen men straightened. She saw their eyes take in the black dress again, then her long blond hair, her blue eyes. By their reaction to what they saw, it was obvious to Nicci that her reputation preceded her. Before they could say another word, she spoke again.
"And what do you suppose Emperor Jagang's consort is doing here? Do you suppose I came without my master? Of course not, you idiots!"
"The emperor. ." several mumbled together in shock.
"That's right, the emperor is arriving for the dedication tomorrow. I have come to make my own examination, first, and what do I find? Idiots!
Here you stand, with your thumbs in your ears, while you should be standing to greet His Excellency as he arrives into the city mere hours from now."
The guards' eyes widened. "But. . no one told us. Where is he coming in? We haven't been informed-"
"Arid do you suppose a man as important as Jagang wishes his whereabouts to be known for any assassin in the neighborhood to find him?
And if there are assassins about, here you fools stand!"
All the men bowed urgently.
"Where?" the sergeant asked. "Where is His Excellency arriving?"
"He's arriving from the north."
The man licked his lips. "But, but, which road from the north? There are any number of routes-"
Nicci planted her fists on her hips.