JК
The Floodgate :: Каннингем Элейн
Страница: 180 из 212Seeing the futility of solitary battle, she fell into position with Matteo and Iago and dropped into the rhythm of battle.
"Get back, Tzigone," Matteo panted out as he deflected one darting attack after another. "You're not trained for this."
"Who is?"
He darted her a quick, exasperated look. "Just go!"
"I called them," she responded grimly.
Matteo could not have argued even if he'd wanted to. As the iron weapons slowed the dark fairies' movements, their numbers became more apparent. Dhamari's spell of summoning had let more than a score of the fey monsters slip through the veil.
Suddenly the weird music stopped, and the Unseelie attackers drew back. They milled uncertainly about. Tzigone's heart leaped with sudden hope, but Matteo let out a heartfelt, barnyard epithet.
Her head whipped toward him. "What?"
Matteo backhanded a streak of blood off his forehead. "I've seen this formation," he said, "but not in battle."
Even as he spoke, the dark fairies began to circle. Their song erupted in a keening, triumphant frenzy. Like small, fey wolves, they closed in for the kill.
Chapter Twenty-One
A brilliant light poured into the clearing, sending the dark fairies whisking off into sudden, eye-searing flight. Matteo shielded his eyes with one hand and glanced toward the source. His shoulders rose and fell in relief as he recognized Basel Indoulur's ship. The battle over, he dropped to both knees at Themo's side.
At first glance it appeared that the big jordain's wounds were not so bad-spiteful, superficial cuts such as he himself had sustained. The dull, haunted look in his friend's eyes suggested otherwise.
Crimson silk rustled as Basel dropped to one knee beside him. "How can I help?"
"The Unseelie folk can mark a mortal like a vampire," Matteo said. "Themo needs to be healed and cleansed, or he may never be more than you see him now. Have you a priest with you?"
The wizard shook his head. "We'll take him to the nearest temple." As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the edge of the clearing, when Tzigone stood with her chin tilted stubbornly high, nearly toe to toe with a very irate Iago. The jordain appeared to be railing at Tzigone, blaming her for what happened. For once the girl held her tongue. Matteo, knowing her quirky sense of honor, understood that she already felt the weight of her miscast spell.
Basel quickly placed himself between the angry jordain and his apprentice. "Board Avariel, Tzigone," he said calmly. "Get the others."
Iago spat.
"Get back, Tzigone," Matteo panted out as he deflected one darting attack after another. "You're not trained for this."
"Who is?"
He darted her a quick, exasperated look. "Just go!"
"I called them," she responded grimly.
Matteo could not have argued even if he'd wanted to. As the iron weapons slowed the dark fairies' movements, their numbers became more apparent. Dhamari's spell of summoning had let more than a score of the fey monsters slip through the veil.
Suddenly the weird music stopped, and the Unseelie attackers drew back. They milled uncertainly about. Tzigone's heart leaped with sudden hope, but Matteo let out a heartfelt, barnyard epithet.
Her head whipped toward him. "What?"
Matteo backhanded a streak of blood off his forehead. "I've seen this formation," he said, "but not in battle."
Even as he spoke, the dark fairies began to circle. Their song erupted in a keening, triumphant frenzy. Like small, fey wolves, they closed in for the kill.
Chapter Twenty-One
A brilliant light poured into the clearing, sending the dark fairies whisking off into sudden, eye-searing flight. Matteo shielded his eyes with one hand and glanced toward the source. His shoulders rose and fell in relief as he recognized Basel Indoulur's ship. The battle over, he dropped to both knees at Themo's side.
At first glance it appeared that the big jordain's wounds were not so bad-spiteful, superficial cuts such as he himself had sustained. The dull, haunted look in his friend's eyes suggested otherwise.
Crimson silk rustled as Basel dropped to one knee beside him. "How can I help?"
"The Unseelie folk can mark a mortal like a vampire," Matteo said. "Themo needs to be healed and cleansed, or he may never be more than you see him now. Have you a priest with you?"
The wizard shook his head. "We'll take him to the nearest temple." As he spoke, his gaze shifted to the edge of the clearing, when Tzigone stood with her chin tilted stubbornly high, nearly toe to toe with a very irate Iago. The jordain appeared to be railing at Tzigone, blaming her for what happened. For once the girl held her tongue. Matteo, knowing her quirky sense of honor, understood that she already felt the weight of her miscast spell.
Basel quickly placed himself between the angry jordain and his apprentice. "Board Avariel, Tzigone," he said calmly. "Get the others."
Iago spat.