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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 183 из 293He had too many enemies to have any illusions. If he slew the queen, then most of the rest of the nobles would unite and kill him. Of course, Andais might not need the help.
Only one guard, Whisper, remained at the queen’s back. When she’d offered the guards a chance to help me, I had not expected her to empty her stables, as it were. Perhaps she hadn’t either. She had given them the choice of working for someone else, and they had leaped at the chance. Offer a man a chance to break a thousand years of celibacy, and he’ll do a lot for you.
Of course, being mine meant they would be leaving faerie behind in a few days. Exile from faerie, if they followed me. Did they understand that? Did they care? And if they didn’t, then how puzzled Andais must be to find that her greatest threat, exile from faerie, was not so great a threat after all.
Mistral took his seat on the consort’s throne. He swept his grey hair to one side so that it caressed the edge of the chair like a cloak. I’d have given a great deal to see his face in that moment. To see him survey the court from the royal dais for the first time. If the queen’s words were true and not just her anger talking, she planned on seeing that he did not get a second chance at the chair, which meant no second chance with me. Was it personal to Mistral, or had she finally realized that she could lose all her guard to the ring and my body?
Frost stood on one side of me, and Galen the other. I missed Doyle. Where was he? Where were Usna and Cathbodua? I clung to Galen’s hand, because I couldn’t seem to get enough of touching him. I’d held his death in my hands, now I wanted to wrap myself in the life of him. But I did not trust him to fight here among the lords of the sidhe and survive.
I think Andais thought we were giving Kieran and Madenn the silent treatment to wear them down. I was waiting for my queen to take the lead. I’d angered her enough for one night; I would do everything I could to avoid pissing her off again.
“Kieran, you have tried to slay one of our royal guards. Not in fair challenge, but in an ambush.”
“If you think to trick me into challenging the young one, it will not work. If I challenge, then he chooses the method of the duel. He would choose weapons, and I cannot best him without magic.”
“You admit that one of the lesser among my guard is a better warrior than you, Kieran?”
“Of course. The Queen’s Ravens are the best warriors the sidhe have ever had. I would not be so bold as to think I could best him with metal.” Kieran looked at me.
Only one guard, Whisper, remained at the queen’s back. When she’d offered the guards a chance to help me, I had not expected her to empty her stables, as it were. Perhaps she hadn’t either. She had given them the choice of working for someone else, and they had leaped at the chance. Offer a man a chance to break a thousand years of celibacy, and he’ll do a lot for you.
Of course, being mine meant they would be leaving faerie behind in a few days. Exile from faerie, if they followed me. Did they understand that? Did they care? And if they didn’t, then how puzzled Andais must be to find that her greatest threat, exile from faerie, was not so great a threat after all.
Mistral took his seat on the consort’s throne. He swept his grey hair to one side so that it caressed the edge of the chair like a cloak. I’d have given a great deal to see his face in that moment. To see him survey the court from the royal dais for the first time. If the queen’s words were true and not just her anger talking, she planned on seeing that he did not get a second chance at the chair, which meant no second chance with me. Was it personal to Mistral, or had she finally realized that she could lose all her guard to the ring and my body?
Frost stood on one side of me, and Galen the other. I missed Doyle. Where was he? Where were Usna and Cathbodua? I clung to Galen’s hand, because I couldn’t seem to get enough of touching him. I’d held his death in my hands, now I wanted to wrap myself in the life of him. But I did not trust him to fight here among the lords of the sidhe and survive.
I think Andais thought we were giving Kieran and Madenn the silent treatment to wear them down. I was waiting for my queen to take the lead. I’d angered her enough for one night; I would do everything I could to avoid pissing her off again.
“Kieran, you have tried to slay one of our royal guards. Not in fair challenge, but in an ambush.”
“If you think to trick me into challenging the young one, it will not work. If I challenge, then he chooses the method of the duel. He would choose weapons, and I cannot best him without magic.”
“You admit that one of the lesser among my guard is a better warrior than you, Kieran?”
“Of course. The Queen’s Ravens are the best warriors the sidhe have ever had. I would not be so bold as to think I could best him with metal.” Kieran looked at me.