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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 140 из 293I had so many emotions that I felt drunk.
“I have not been allowed to heal anyone in decades. It felt so good.”
I looked up at the woman who was still kneeling in all that blood. She was crying, too, and I didn’t know why.
“Why would anyone forbid you to use your powers?” I asked.
“It is a secret, and I would not go back to Ezekiel’s tender care for anything or anyone, but I can say this: I tried to heal someone that Prince Cel did not want healed. I went against his express orders. He told me I would be a bringer of death until he told me I could heal again.”
“That is a waste of power,” Hawthorne said.
She glanced at him, but her attention was all for me. “But today, for you, I have gone against that order.”
“He will see you raped and skinned for it,” said one of her fellow guards.
Neither Hafwyn nor I even bothered looking at the other woman. “Why would you risk that for me?” I asked. “You just tried to kill Galen, why heal him?”
“Because I am a healer, it is what I am, and I do not want to be this anymore.” She touched her sword. “Does saving him buy me anything from you?”
I nodded. “I would not promise until I hear what you want, not even for Galen, but yes, it buys you something.”
She gave a small smile. “Good.” She took a deep breath and let it out as if she were steeling herself for some great effort. “Queen Andais announced to the court today that you needed more guards. She said that any who wished to could offer their services to you, but that only the ones who bedded you could stay with you.”
“I knew about the first part, but not the second,” I said.
“She said all guards.”
“What are you asking me, Hafwyn?”
She leaned in toward me, hands at her sides. I fought the urge to lean away from her. I saw Hawthorne look to Frost, as if asking what to do. I couldn’t see what Frost told him, because Hafwyn’s face was all I could see. She kissed me gently, eyes open. There was no passion to the kiss, no promise of anything, just a touch of lips.
“Take me,” she whispered, “take me to your bed, take me here, take me anywhere, but please, Goddess, please, don’t leave me here for Cel. I owe him no vow, so I break no vow by asking this of you. I served Prince Essus as his healer for centuries. When he went into exile when you were six, if I had known she would give me to Cel, I would have gone into exile with you. But I thought that exile from faerie was the worst of fates.
“I have not been allowed to heal anyone in decades. It felt so good.”
I looked up at the woman who was still kneeling in all that blood. She was crying, too, and I didn’t know why.
“Why would anyone forbid you to use your powers?” I asked.
“It is a secret, and I would not go back to Ezekiel’s tender care for anything or anyone, but I can say this: I tried to heal someone that Prince Cel did not want healed. I went against his express orders. He told me I would be a bringer of death until he told me I could heal again.”
“That is a waste of power,” Hawthorne said.
She glanced at him, but her attention was all for me. “But today, for you, I have gone against that order.”
“He will see you raped and skinned for it,” said one of her fellow guards.
Neither Hafwyn nor I even bothered looking at the other woman. “Why would you risk that for me?” I asked. “You just tried to kill Galen, why heal him?”
“Because I am a healer, it is what I am, and I do not want to be this anymore.” She touched her sword. “Does saving him buy me anything from you?”
I nodded. “I would not promise until I hear what you want, not even for Galen, but yes, it buys you something.”
She gave a small smile. “Good.” She took a deep breath and let it out as if she were steeling herself for some great effort. “Queen Andais announced to the court today that you needed more guards. She said that any who wished to could offer their services to you, but that only the ones who bedded you could stay with you.”
“I knew about the first part, but not the second,” I said.
“She said all guards.”
“What are you asking me, Hafwyn?”
She leaned in toward me, hands at her sides. I fought the urge to lean away from her. I saw Hawthorne look to Frost, as if asking what to do. I couldn’t see what Frost told him, because Hafwyn’s face was all I could see. She kissed me gently, eyes open. There was no passion to the kiss, no promise of anything, just a touch of lips.
“Take me,” she whispered, “take me to your bed, take me here, take me anywhere, but please, Goddess, please, don’t leave me here for Cel. I owe him no vow, so I break no vow by asking this of you. I served Prince Essus as his healer for centuries. When he went into exile when you were six, if I had known she would give me to Cel, I would have gone into exile with you. But I thought that exile from faerie was the worst of fates.