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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 169 из 293Supernatural strength and magic were fine, but I wasn’t used to running like that.
She smiled. “Begging is not done on your feet, Meredith.” She walked back up to her throne, the long black skirts trailing behind her like a cloak of darkness. She settled the skirts with a practiced gesture, fanning them out around her. The color framed all that pale skin and black hair, the tri-grey eyes with the dramatic eye makeup. Diamonds and midnight-dark sapphires graced her throat and gloved wrist.
I dropped to one knee. Galen helped make it graceful, and knelt with me. Everyone with me knelt when I did. “I beg a private audience with you, Aunt Andais, Queen of Air and Darkness.”
“Why are you and Galen covered in blood?”
“I have much to share with you, my queen, but some of it might better be served to your ears alone.”
“Has there been another attempt on your life?”
“Not on mine, no.”
She shook her head, as if she had a fly buzzing around her, and she was ridding herself of it. “You speak in riddles.”
“I would speak clearly with you in private.”
“Let us handle our public business first,” she said, and pointed to Barinthus, who was still standing between the throne and our group. “The ring acknowledges him, and you have helped him break his vow to me.”
“The ring knows Lord Barinthus. You said that I was to fuck as many of the guards as often as possible. Wasn’t that your order to me?”
Her face narrowed down to angry lines. “Perhaps my words were hasty, or perhaps you do not know that Barinthus made a vow to me before I allowed him to join this court. One that only he made, and now he has broken it.”
“He has done nothing that will set him as king to my queen.”
“Have a care, Meredith, I know that he had sex with you.”
“Sex that was more magical than real, nothing that would get me with child.”
“He had release in your body.”
“No, he had release, but our clothes were in place, and he has never entered my body with so much as a fingertip.”
“You swear this?” she asked.
“I do.”
“I was told that Barinthus had moved from kingmaker to would-be king.”
“I tell you that he has not broken the vow he made to this court. The ring recognizes who it will, and bestows its gifts where it will, but he has broken no vow.”
“Why did you not say this, Barinthus?” she asked.
“You would not believe me, Queen Andais.
She smiled. “Begging is not done on your feet, Meredith.” She walked back up to her throne, the long black skirts trailing behind her like a cloak of darkness. She settled the skirts with a practiced gesture, fanning them out around her. The color framed all that pale skin and black hair, the tri-grey eyes with the dramatic eye makeup. Diamonds and midnight-dark sapphires graced her throat and gloved wrist.
I dropped to one knee. Galen helped make it graceful, and knelt with me. Everyone with me knelt when I did. “I beg a private audience with you, Aunt Andais, Queen of Air and Darkness.”
“Why are you and Galen covered in blood?”
“I have much to share with you, my queen, but some of it might better be served to your ears alone.”
“Has there been another attempt on your life?”
“Not on mine, no.”
She shook her head, as if she had a fly buzzing around her, and she was ridding herself of it. “You speak in riddles.”
“I would speak clearly with you in private.”
“Let us handle our public business first,” she said, and pointed to Barinthus, who was still standing between the throne and our group. “The ring acknowledges him, and you have helped him break his vow to me.”
“The ring knows Lord Barinthus. You said that I was to fuck as many of the guards as often as possible. Wasn’t that your order to me?”
Her face narrowed down to angry lines. “Perhaps my words were hasty, or perhaps you do not know that Barinthus made a vow to me before I allowed him to join this court. One that only he made, and now he has broken it.”
“He has done nothing that will set him as king to my queen.”
“Have a care, Meredith, I know that he had sex with you.”
“Sex that was more magical than real, nothing that would get me with child.”
“He had release in your body.”
“No, he had release, but our clothes were in place, and he has never entered my body with so much as a fingertip.”
“You swear this?” she asked.
“I do.”
“I was told that Barinthus had moved from kingmaker to would-be king.”
“I tell you that he has not broken the vow he made to this court. The ring recognizes who it will, and bestows its gifts where it will, but he has broken no vow.”
“Why did you not say this, Barinthus?” she asked.
“You would not believe me, Queen Andais.