Shadows Return читать онлайн

,” Seregil said, feigning chagrin as he brushed a hand over his questionable attire. “My friend here is in need of some spiritual solace, after the drubbing we took at the gaming houses. Lost the coats off our backs, as you can see, and saw a bit of fighting.”“But what are you doing way back here?” asked the boy.“Praying,” Alec replied quickly. “I wanted to see Valerius, but it’s so early I thought I’d meditate a bit until he was up.”“Of course, my lord. I hope you’ll pardon my interruption. I’ll tell him you’re here.”Seregil watched him go, then raised an eyebrow at Alec. “You just lied to a priest.”“So did you.”“I lie to everyone. You’re the good Dalnan boy.”“I haven’t been a good Dalnan boy since I met you. All the same…” Alec went to the shrine and softly sang some prayer, the picture of piety.Seregil left him to it, steeling himself to face Valerius. He and the priest had both been Watchers, and had worked together many times over the years, but Seregil’s gut still tightened as he caught sight of the man striding toward them, his black beard and eyebrows noticeably bristling.Valerius had been the high priest of Dalna in Rhíminee for four years now, but it hadn’t smoothed his temper. He went straight for Alec and gave him a sharp cuff on the ear.“That’s for lying inside the precinct, you whelp!”“Ow! Sorry,” Alec said humbly, clasping the side of his head.Valerius knew better than to raise a hand to Seregil, but his expression was enough to make the smaller man take a step back. “All the barking and yelling that just disturbed my morning meditation would be your doing, I take it?”“All in a good cause.”Valerius snorted and folded his arms across his broad chest. A northerner like Alec, he was half a head taller than ei