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A Lick Of Frost :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 94 из 184The thought of my Darkness being this injured made my stomach and chest tight, not just because I loved him,but because he was the greatest warrior I had. Frost might be as good in battle, but for strategy it was Doyle. I needed him, in so many ways.
It must have shown on my face because he said, "I have failed you."
"Taranis tried to burn your face off," Rhys said. "You failed no one."
The evil sound of swords filled the room again.
"Go," Rhys said. "I'll stay with her."
"You don't like goblins," Frost said.
Rhys shrugged. "I killed the one that took my eye. That's got to be good enough revenge. Besides, I won't let you and Merry down by being a big baby. Go, rest, take your meds."
"I'll take Doyle," Galen said.
We all looked at him. "If Merry can't have Doyle by her side for this call, then she needs Frost," he said.
Abe had managed to get off the bed on the other side. "I see that no one cares that I might need help."
"Do you need help?" Galen asked, as he moved to take Doyle from Frost. He actually held his other hand out to Abe.
Abe looked into his face for a breath, then shook his head, but stopped the movement as if it hurt. "I can walk, boy. The king's men jumped him before he could do his worst on my back." He moved toward the door slowly but surely.
Doyle let Galen help him out of sight of the mirror and toward the door. Frost came to stand with me and Rhys. Rhys reached toward the mirror, then hesitated. "I hate that you are going to be with these two tonight."
"We've had this discussion, Rhys. For every half-sidhe goblin whom we bring into his full power, our alliance with the goblins is lengthened by a month. We need their threat to keep us safe," I said.
The mirror made its ugly sound again. "The goblins do not wait with patience," Frost said.
"We need them, Rhys," I said.
"I know. I hate it, but I know," Rhys said. A look passed over his face too quickly for me to read. "One of these days I'd like you to be able to do things just because you want to do them, not because you're forced to do them."
I wasn't sure what to say to that.
Rhys reached out toward the mirror. The metallic shriek rose to a crescendo. I fought the urge to cover my ears. I couldn't afford to show weakness in dealing with the goblins. The two high courts of faerie would use weakness to their advantage. Goblin culture simply saw weakness as a reason to abuse you. You were either prey or predator to the goblins. I was working very hard not to be prey.
The mirror was suddenly a perfect window onto the goblin throne room. Their king was not there, though.
It must have shown on my face because he said, "I have failed you."
"Taranis tried to burn your face off," Rhys said. "You failed no one."
The evil sound of swords filled the room again.
"Go," Rhys said. "I'll stay with her."
"You don't like goblins," Frost said.
Rhys shrugged. "I killed the one that took my eye. That's got to be good enough revenge. Besides, I won't let you and Merry down by being a big baby. Go, rest, take your meds."
"I'll take Doyle," Galen said.
We all looked at him. "If Merry can't have Doyle by her side for this call, then she needs Frost," he said.
Abe had managed to get off the bed on the other side. "I see that no one cares that I might need help."
"Do you need help?" Galen asked, as he moved to take Doyle from Frost. He actually held his other hand out to Abe.
Abe looked into his face for a breath, then shook his head, but stopped the movement as if it hurt. "I can walk, boy. The king's men jumped him before he could do his worst on my back." He moved toward the door slowly but surely.
Doyle let Galen help him out of sight of the mirror and toward the door. Frost came to stand with me and Rhys. Rhys reached toward the mirror, then hesitated. "I hate that you are going to be with these two tonight."
"We've had this discussion, Rhys. For every half-sidhe goblin whom we bring into his full power, our alliance with the goblins is lengthened by a month. We need their threat to keep us safe," I said.
The mirror made its ugly sound again. "The goblins do not wait with patience," Frost said.
"We need them, Rhys," I said.
"I know. I hate it, but I know," Rhys said. A look passed over his face too quickly for me to read. "One of these days I'd like you to be able to do things just because you want to do them, not because you're forced to do them."
I wasn't sure what to say to that.
Rhys reached out toward the mirror. The metallic shriek rose to a crescendo. I fought the urge to cover my ears. I couldn't afford to show weakness in dealing with the goblins. The two high courts of faerie would use weakness to their advantage. Goblin culture simply saw weakness as a reason to abuse you. You were either prey or predator to the goblins. I was working very hard not to be prey.
The mirror was suddenly a perfect window onto the goblin throne room. Their king was not there, though.