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A Lick Of Frost :: Гамильтон Лорел
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"Yes, yes," Cortez said, "but are you stating for the record that King Taranis allows torture to be used as a punishment in the Seelie Court?"
"Answer my question truthfully, and I will answer yours."
Cortez looked at Shelby. They exchanged a longer-than-normal look, then both of them turned back to me. "Yes," they said at the same time. The two men looked at each other, and finally Cortez nodded at Shelby, who said, "Yes, King Taranis stated that the fact that the Raven Guard had been forced into centuries of celibacy was the reason they were a danger to women. He further stated that to then have the forced celibacy lifted for only one little girl, referring to you, Princess, was monstrous. For no one woman could satisfy the lusts of centuries."
"So the celibacy was the motive for the rape," I said.
"That seems to be the king's reasoning," Shelby said. "We haven't looked for a motive beyond the usual for rape."
The usual, I thought.
"I've answered your question, Princess. Now, are you stating for the record that the Seelie Court tortures its prisoners?"
Frost came to stand beside Doyle. "Meredith, think upon this before you answer."
I looked behind me, met his worried eyes, the soft gray of winter skies. I held my other hand out to him, and he took it. "Taranis let our cat out of the bag, Frost. It's only fair we let one of his out."
Frost frowned at me. "I do not understand this talk of cats, but I fear his anger."
I had to smile at him even as I agreed with him. "He began this, Frost. I will only finish it."
He squeezed my hand, and Doyle squeezed the other, so that my hands were crisscrossed over my chest, holding them. I held their hands while I said, "Mr. Shelby, Mr. Cortez, you asked me, am I stating for the record that King Taranis's golden court tortures as a punishment? I am so stating."
The record was supposed to be sealed, but if either of these secrets got into the press… This little family feud was going to get very ugly, very fast.
CHAPTER 2
THE LAWYERS DECIDED THAT DOYLE AND FROST COULD answer some general questions about what it was like being part of my personal guard to give some background to the atmosphere that Rhys, Galen, and Abe had been living in. I wasn't sure it was going to be helpful, but I wasn't a lawyer, so who was I to argue?
Doyle sat on my right, Frost on my left. My lawyers Farmer and Biggs moved a few seats down to give them room.
"Yes, yes," Cortez said, "but are you stating for the record that King Taranis allows torture to be used as a punishment in the Seelie Court?"
"Answer my question truthfully, and I will answer yours."
Cortez looked at Shelby. They exchanged a longer-than-normal look, then both of them turned back to me. "Yes," they said at the same time. The two men looked at each other, and finally Cortez nodded at Shelby, who said, "Yes, King Taranis stated that the fact that the Raven Guard had been forced into centuries of celibacy was the reason they were a danger to women. He further stated that to then have the forced celibacy lifted for only one little girl, referring to you, Princess, was monstrous. For no one woman could satisfy the lusts of centuries."
"So the celibacy was the motive for the rape," I said.
"That seems to be the king's reasoning," Shelby said. "We haven't looked for a motive beyond the usual for rape."
The usual, I thought.
"I've answered your question, Princess. Now, are you stating for the record that the Seelie Court tortures its prisoners?"
Frost came to stand beside Doyle. "Meredith, think upon this before you answer."
I looked behind me, met his worried eyes, the soft gray of winter skies. I held my other hand out to him, and he took it. "Taranis let our cat out of the bag, Frost. It's only fair we let one of his out."
Frost frowned at me. "I do not understand this talk of cats, but I fear his anger."
I had to smile at him even as I agreed with him. "He began this, Frost. I will only finish it."
He squeezed my hand, and Doyle squeezed the other, so that my hands were crisscrossed over my chest, holding them. I held their hands while I said, "Mr. Shelby, Mr. Cortez, you asked me, am I stating for the record that King Taranis's golden court tortures as a punishment? I am so stating."
The record was supposed to be sealed, but if either of these secrets got into the press… This little family feud was going to get very ugly, very fast.
CHAPTER 2
THE LAWYERS DECIDED THAT DOYLE AND FROST COULD answer some general questions about what it was like being part of my personal guard to give some background to the atmosphere that Rhys, Galen, and Abe had been living in. I wasn't sure it was going to be helpful, but I wasn't a lawyer, so who was I to argue?
Doyle sat on my right, Frost on my left. My lawyers Farmer and Biggs moved a few seats down to give them room.