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A Lick Of Frost :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 12 из 184He was either going to be our greatest ally or our most difficult opponent.
He continued, still smiling, and letting us see those tired eyes. "We are all here today to see if the charges that King Taranis filed on behalf of the Lady Caitrin should be followed up with more formal proceedings. Cooperation would give strength to the princess' guards' denials."
"Since all of the guards have diplomatic immunity. We are here out of courtesy," Biggs said.
"We do appreciate that," Veducci said.
"Do bear in mind," Shelby said, "that King Taranis has stated that all of the Queen's guard, and now the princess' guard, are a danger to everyone around them, most especially women. He stated that this rape did not surprise him. He seemed to think it was the inevitable outcome of allowing the Queen's Raven Guard unlimited access even inside faerie. One of the reasons he brought these charges to the human authorities, an unprecedented action in all the history of the Seelie Court, is that he feared for us. If a sidhe noble of Lady Caitrin's magical powers could be so easily taken, then what hope did mere humans have against their… lusts?"
"Unnatural lusts," I said.
Shelby shifted his gray eyes to me. "I did not say that."
"No, you didn't, but I'm betting my uncle Taranis did."
Shelby gave a little shrug. "He doesn't seem to like your men much, that is true."
"Or me," I said.
Shelby's face showed surprise, and I wished I could have told if it was genuine, or if he were lying with his face. "The king had only good things to say about you, Princess. He seems to feel that you have been" — he seemed to change what he was about to say at the last moment — "led astray by your aunt, the queen, and her guards."
"Led astray?" I made it a question.
He nodded.
"That's not what he said, is it?"
"Not in so many words, no."
"It must have been truly insulting for you to pretty it up like this," I said.
Shelby actually looked uncomfortable. "Before I saw Ambassador Stevens and his reaction to you, and the possible spell on his watch, I might have simply stated what the king said." Shelby gave me a very straightforward look. "Let's say that Stevens has made me wonder at the vehemence of King Taranis's dislike of all your guard."
"All my guard?" Again I made it a question with the upward lilt of my voice.
"Yes."
I looked at Veducci. "He charges all my men with crimes?"
"No, only the three mentioned, but Mr. Shelby is correct.
He continued, still smiling, and letting us see those tired eyes. "We are all here today to see if the charges that King Taranis filed on behalf of the Lady Caitrin should be followed up with more formal proceedings. Cooperation would give strength to the princess' guards' denials."
"Since all of the guards have diplomatic immunity. We are here out of courtesy," Biggs said.
"We do appreciate that," Veducci said.
"Do bear in mind," Shelby said, "that King Taranis has stated that all of the Queen's guard, and now the princess' guard, are a danger to everyone around them, most especially women. He stated that this rape did not surprise him. He seemed to think it was the inevitable outcome of allowing the Queen's Raven Guard unlimited access even inside faerie. One of the reasons he brought these charges to the human authorities, an unprecedented action in all the history of the Seelie Court, is that he feared for us. If a sidhe noble of Lady Caitrin's magical powers could be so easily taken, then what hope did mere humans have against their… lusts?"
"Unnatural lusts," I said.
Shelby shifted his gray eyes to me. "I did not say that."
"No, you didn't, but I'm betting my uncle Taranis did."
Shelby gave a little shrug. "He doesn't seem to like your men much, that is true."
"Or me," I said.
Shelby's face showed surprise, and I wished I could have told if it was genuine, or if he were lying with his face. "The king had only good things to say about you, Princess. He seems to feel that you have been" — he seemed to change what he was about to say at the last moment — "led astray by your aunt, the queen, and her guards."
"Led astray?" I made it a question.
He nodded.
"That's not what he said, is it?"
"Not in so many words, no."
"It must have been truly insulting for you to pretty it up like this," I said.
Shelby actually looked uncomfortable. "Before I saw Ambassador Stevens and his reaction to you, and the possible spell on his watch, I might have simply stated what the king said." Shelby gave me a very straightforward look. "Let's say that Stevens has made me wonder at the vehemence of King Taranis's dislike of all your guard."
"All my guard?" Again I made it a question with the upward lilt of my voice.
"Yes."
I looked at Veducci. "He charges all my men with crimes?"
"No, only the three mentioned, but Mr. Shelby is correct.