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Mistrals Kiss :: Гамильтон Лорел
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“A choice between becoming guards and what?” I asked. I was almost afraid of the answer. She’d been carrying Mortal Dread. I prayed that she hadn’t executed them. She would be forsworn before the entire court. And I needed Andais on the throne until she confirmed me as her heir.
“The queen has bid Ezekiel and his helpers to wall them up alive,” said Mistral.
I blinked at him. I couldn’t quite follow it all. My first thought was to protest that the queen was forsworn; then I realized she wasn’t. “They’re immortal, so they won’t die,” I said, softly.
“They will know terrible hunger and thirst, and they will wish to die,” Mistral said, “but no, they are immortal, and they will not die.”
I looked past him to my aunt. “Tricksy you,” I said. “Very damn clever.”
She gave a little bow from the neck. “So glad you appreciate the delicate reasoning of it.”
“Oh, I do,” and I meant it. “You’ve broken no oath. In fact, technically, you’re doing exactly what Nerys gave her life for. Her clan, her house, her bloodline will live.”
“That is not living,” Mistral said.
“Did you really think that the princess had enough influence with me to save them from their fate?” asked Andais.
“Once I would have gone to Essus, to ask his help with you,” Mistral said. “So I sought the princess.”
“She is not my brother,” Andais snarled.
“No, she is not Essus,” Mistral said, “but she is his child. She is your blood.”
“And what does that mean, Mistral? That she can bargain for Nerys’s people? They have already been bargained for, by Nerys herself.”
“You are pixieing on the spirit of that bargain,” Rhys said.
“But not breaking it,” she said.
“No,” he said, and he looked so sad. “No, the sidhe never lie, and we always keep our word. Except our version of the truth can be more dangerous than any lie, and you’d better think through every word of any oath we give our word to, because we will find a way to make you regret you ever met us.” He sounded more angry than sad.
“Do you dare to criticize your queen?” she asked.
I touched Rhys’s arm, squeezed. He looked first at my hand, then at my face. Whatever he saw there made him take a deep breath and shake his head. “No one would dare to do that, Queen Andais.” His voice was resigned again.
“What would you give for a sign that life was returning to the gardens?” Doyle asked.
“A choice between becoming guards and what?” I asked. I was almost afraid of the answer. She’d been carrying Mortal Dread. I prayed that she hadn’t executed them. She would be forsworn before the entire court. And I needed Andais on the throne until she confirmed me as her heir.
“The queen has bid Ezekiel and his helpers to wall them up alive,” said Mistral.
I blinked at him. I couldn’t quite follow it all. My first thought was to protest that the queen was forsworn; then I realized she wasn’t. “They’re immortal, so they won’t die,” I said, softly.
“They will know terrible hunger and thirst, and they will wish to die,” Mistral said, “but no, they are immortal, and they will not die.”
I looked past him to my aunt. “Tricksy you,” I said. “Very damn clever.”
She gave a little bow from the neck. “So glad you appreciate the delicate reasoning of it.”
“Oh, I do,” and I meant it. “You’ve broken no oath. In fact, technically, you’re doing exactly what Nerys gave her life for. Her clan, her house, her bloodline will live.”
“That is not living,” Mistral said.
“Did you really think that the princess had enough influence with me to save them from their fate?” asked Andais.
“Once I would have gone to Essus, to ask his help with you,” Mistral said. “So I sought the princess.”
“She is not my brother,” Andais snarled.
“No, she is not Essus,” Mistral said, “but she is his child. She is your blood.”
“And what does that mean, Mistral? That she can bargain for Nerys’s people? They have already been bargained for, by Nerys herself.”
“You are pixieing on the spirit of that bargain,” Rhys said.
“But not breaking it,” she said.
“No,” he said, and he looked so sad. “No, the sidhe never lie, and we always keep our word. Except our version of the truth can be more dangerous than any lie, and you’d better think through every word of any oath we give our word to, because we will find a way to make you regret you ever met us.” He sounded more angry than sad.
“Do you dare to criticize your queen?” she asked.
I touched Rhys’s arm, squeezed. He looked first at my hand, then at my face. Whatever he saw there made him take a deep breath and shake his head. “No one would dare to do that, Queen Andais.” His voice was resigned again.
“What would you give for a sign that life was returning to the gardens?” Doyle asked.