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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 104 из 293” His hands tensed above Biddy’s body. “I can remove it, but I can also add magic of my own, and force it to fly back to its owner.”
“You mean not just track it, but make it run back home?” Rhys asked.
“Yes.”
“You have not been able to do that in a very long time,” Frost said.
“But I can do it now,” Doyle said. “I can feel it in my hands, my stomach. All I have to do is remove it, and add my power at the moment of its release. It will be a chase to keep up with it, but it will work.”
“Who will go with you?” Frost asked. “I must stay with the princess.”
“Agreed.”
“I will go,” Usna said. “No dog can outrun a cat.”
Doyle gave him one of those fierce smiles. “Done.”
“I, too, will go.” It was Cathbodua, once a goddess of battle, now a refugee from Cel’s guard. Her cloak was formed of black feathers, so that it sometimes seemed as if her fine black hair was part of the cloak, and if you looked at her from the edges of your eyes, her hair looked as if it were made of feathers. She was Cathbodua, battle scald crow, and though diminished in power, she was still one of the few in the courts who had kept her original name. Rumor had it that she had not been as abused by Cel, for he feared her. Dogmaela, who stood in armor next to her, had been nicknamed Cel’s dog because she was given every awful task he could find. She had publicly denied him sex, and he’d never forgiven her. Cathbodua had done the same thing, and not suffered overly much for it. There was something about her, standing there in the snow, all black and feathered, with some air of… power that would give a braver man than Cel pause.
“You think you can keep up, birdie?” Usna said.
She gave him a smile cold enough to freeze the smile from his face. “Don’t worry for me, kitty-cat, I won’t be the tail end of this race.”
Usna made a cat-like growl. “Remember who the predator is here, birdie.”
Her smiled widened, and filled her eyes with a fierce joy. “Me,” she said.
“Us,” Doyle said. “Keep her safe, Frost.”
“I will.”
“Oh, don’t mind me,” Rhys said. “I’m not fast enough to keep up, and apparently I can’t be trusted with the safety of the princess.”
“Help her with the humans, Rhys.” Doyle glanced at Cathbodua and Usna. “Are you prepared?”
Cathbodua said, “I am ready.”
Usna said, “Always.”
Doyle turned back to Biddy. “This may hurt.”
“Do it.
“You mean not just track it, but make it run back home?” Rhys asked.
“Yes.”
“You have not been able to do that in a very long time,” Frost said.
“But I can do it now,” Doyle said. “I can feel it in my hands, my stomach. All I have to do is remove it, and add my power at the moment of its release. It will be a chase to keep up with it, but it will work.”
“Who will go with you?” Frost asked. “I must stay with the princess.”
“Agreed.”
“I will go,” Usna said. “No dog can outrun a cat.”
Doyle gave him one of those fierce smiles. “Done.”
“I, too, will go.” It was Cathbodua, once a goddess of battle, now a refugee from Cel’s guard. Her cloak was formed of black feathers, so that it sometimes seemed as if her fine black hair was part of the cloak, and if you looked at her from the edges of your eyes, her hair looked as if it were made of feathers. She was Cathbodua, battle scald crow, and though diminished in power, she was still one of the few in the courts who had kept her original name. Rumor had it that she had not been as abused by Cel, for he feared her. Dogmaela, who stood in armor next to her, had been nicknamed Cel’s dog because she was given every awful task he could find. She had publicly denied him sex, and he’d never forgiven her. Cathbodua had done the same thing, and not suffered overly much for it. There was something about her, standing there in the snow, all black and feathered, with some air of… power that would give a braver man than Cel pause.
“You think you can keep up, birdie?” Usna said.
She gave him a smile cold enough to freeze the smile from his face. “Don’t worry for me, kitty-cat, I won’t be the tail end of this race.”
Usna made a cat-like growl. “Remember who the predator is here, birdie.”
Her smiled widened, and filled her eyes with a fierce joy. “Me,” she said.
“Us,” Doyle said. “Keep her safe, Frost.”
“I will.”
“Oh, don’t mind me,” Rhys said. “I’m not fast enough to keep up, and apparently I can’t be trusted with the safety of the princess.”
“Help her with the humans, Rhys.” Doyle glanced at Cathbodua and Usna. “Are you prepared?”
Cathbodua said, “I am ready.”
Usna said, “Always.”
Doyle turned back to Biddy. “This may hurt.”
“Do it.