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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 179 из 293She knew about the prophecy. That was why she’d insisted I bed vegetative deities when I entered faerie this time. It was all there in her eyes, and I saw something else there, before she could stop it. Fear. I saw it, and I think she knew I’d seen too much.
She threw me from her so hard that if my guards hadn’t been there to catch me, I would have fallen. Frost held me for a moment, then passed me to Galen, and put both of us out of reach of the queen. She’d have to wade through some of my guard, her guard, to get to me now. I wasn’t sure being so obvious was a good idea, but I didn’t want her to keep hurting me either.
“May we bring the traitors before the queen?” Frost asked.
She nodded, and started back to her throne, not looking back. I think she spent that walk working on her face and eyes, so that no matter who we dragged in, she wouldn’t let the surprise show. It made me wonder who the queen was expecting us to bring before her. Did she know something that we didn’t know, and needed to? What had that tiny flash of fear in her eyes been?
Crystall came to my order. The guards with him helped Lord Kieran walk in, but they had to drag Lord Innis. They dumped him at the queen’s feet.
Her face was empty, cold, and arrogant. It gave nothing away as she stood on the steps. Mistral was still kneeling behind her where she had left him. Barinthus was still standing where she’d left him. I think he feared drawing her attention back to him.
“Kieran Knife-Hand, your wife has been telling me evil things. Telling me that Barinthus means to take my throne and that I should kill him before he comes back into his full power. I admit the thought occurred to me when I realized he had been with Meredith. Barinthus is many things, but dishonorable is not one of them. He gave his word, I believe he will keep it. In fact, I allowed him into our court on that belief.” She moved down the steps until she stood just above him. “So why did I give such weight to your wife’s evil words?”
After a moment she said, “Mistral.”
“My queen.”
“Rise, and come to me.”
He did as she asked, but kept his hair over his face, as if he didn’t trust his expression. I couldn’t blame him.
“Bring Kieran’s wife before me.”
Kieran’s house was led by Blodewedd, who was created from the spring flowers of oak, broom, and meadowsweet by Gwydion and Math to be a bride for Lleu Llaw Gyffes.
She threw me from her so hard that if my guards hadn’t been there to catch me, I would have fallen. Frost held me for a moment, then passed me to Galen, and put both of us out of reach of the queen. She’d have to wade through some of my guard, her guard, to get to me now. I wasn’t sure being so obvious was a good idea, but I didn’t want her to keep hurting me either.
“May we bring the traitors before the queen?” Frost asked.
She nodded, and started back to her throne, not looking back. I think she spent that walk working on her face and eyes, so that no matter who we dragged in, she wouldn’t let the surprise show. It made me wonder who the queen was expecting us to bring before her. Did she know something that we didn’t know, and needed to? What had that tiny flash of fear in her eyes been?
Crystall came to my order. The guards with him helped Lord Kieran walk in, but they had to drag Lord Innis. They dumped him at the queen’s feet.
Her face was empty, cold, and arrogant. It gave nothing away as she stood on the steps. Mistral was still kneeling behind her where she had left him. Barinthus was still standing where she’d left him. I think he feared drawing her attention back to him.
“Kieran Knife-Hand, your wife has been telling me evil things. Telling me that Barinthus means to take my throne and that I should kill him before he comes back into his full power. I admit the thought occurred to me when I realized he had been with Meredith. Barinthus is many things, but dishonorable is not one of them. He gave his word, I believe he will keep it. In fact, I allowed him into our court on that belief.” She moved down the steps until she stood just above him. “So why did I give such weight to your wife’s evil words?”
After a moment she said, “Mistral.”
“My queen.”
“Rise, and come to me.”
He did as she asked, but kept his hair over his face, as if he didn’t trust his expression. I couldn’t blame him.
“Bring Kieran’s wife before me.”
Kieran’s house was led by Blodewedd, who was created from the spring flowers of oak, broom, and meadowsweet by Gwydion and Math to be a bride for Lleu Llaw Gyffes.