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A Caress Of Twilight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 210 из 236At least thatpart was honest.
"What did you mean for me to learn, then?"
"Not to question your king."
I sank into the feel of Doyle's hands and mouth on the back of my neck, on Frost's tongue licking across my palm, on Kitto's teeth biting gently along my leg. "You are not my king, Taranis. Andais is my queen, and I have no king."
"You seek a king, Meredith, or so rumor says."
"I seek a father for my children, and he will be king of the Unseelie Court."
"I have told Andais long that what is ill with her is lack of a king, a true king."
"And are you such a king, Taranis?"
"Yes," he said, and I think he believed it.
I didn't know what to say to that. Finally I said, "I seek a different kind of king then, one who understands that a true queen is worth any amount of kings."
"You insult me," he said, and the light that had been friendly before became harsh, and I wished for sunglasses to shield from the unfriendly glare.
"No, Taranis, you insult me, and my queen, and my court. If you have no better words for me than this, then we have nothing to discuss." I nodded at Frost, and he blanked the mirror before Taranis could do it himself.
We remained in silence for a second or so, then Doyle said, "He's always thought himself quite the ladies' man."
"Do you mean that was some sort of seduction?"
I felt Doyle shrug, then his arms encircled me, hugging me to him. "For Taranis, anyone who isn't impressed with him is a thorn in his side. He must scratch at anyone who does not worship him. He must pluck at it, like a small piece of grit in the eye, always there, always hurting."
"Is this why Andais talks to him nude and covered in men?"
"Yes," Frost answered.
I looked up at him, still standing by the mirror. "Surely it's an insult to do such to another ruler?"
He shrugged. "They have been trying to seduce one another, or kill one another, for centuries."
"Killing or seduction — is there a third choice?"
"They have found their third choice," Doyle said against my ear. "An uneasy peace. I think Taranis seeks to control you — and through you, eventually the Unseelie Court."
"Why is he so pressing about Yule?" I asked.
"Once there were sacrifices at Yule," Kitto said softly. "To ensure the light would return, they slew the Holly King to make way for the rebirth of the Oak King, the rebirth of the light."
We all looked at one another.
"What did you mean for me to learn, then?"
"Not to question your king."
I sank into the feel of Doyle's hands and mouth on the back of my neck, on Frost's tongue licking across my palm, on Kitto's teeth biting gently along my leg. "You are not my king, Taranis. Andais is my queen, and I have no king."
"You seek a king, Meredith, or so rumor says."
"I seek a father for my children, and he will be king of the Unseelie Court."
"I have told Andais long that what is ill with her is lack of a king, a true king."
"And are you such a king, Taranis?"
"Yes," he said, and I think he believed it.
I didn't know what to say to that. Finally I said, "I seek a different kind of king then, one who understands that a true queen is worth any amount of kings."
"You insult me," he said, and the light that had been friendly before became harsh, and I wished for sunglasses to shield from the unfriendly glare.
"No, Taranis, you insult me, and my queen, and my court. If you have no better words for me than this, then we have nothing to discuss." I nodded at Frost, and he blanked the mirror before Taranis could do it himself.
We remained in silence for a second or so, then Doyle said, "He's always thought himself quite the ladies' man."
"Do you mean that was some sort of seduction?"
I felt Doyle shrug, then his arms encircled me, hugging me to him. "For Taranis, anyone who isn't impressed with him is a thorn in his side. He must scratch at anyone who does not worship him. He must pluck at it, like a small piece of grit in the eye, always there, always hurting."
"Is this why Andais talks to him nude and covered in men?"
"Yes," Frost answered.
I looked up at him, still standing by the mirror. "Surely it's an insult to do such to another ruler?"
He shrugged. "They have been trying to seduce one another, or kill one another, for centuries."
"Killing or seduction — is there a third choice?"
"They have found their third choice," Doyle said against my ear. "An uneasy peace. I think Taranis seeks to control you — and through you, eventually the Unseelie Court."
"Why is he so pressing about Yule?" I asked.
"Once there were sacrifices at Yule," Kitto said softly. "To ensure the light would return, they slew the Holly King to make way for the rebirth of the Oak King, the rebirth of the light."
We all looked at one another.