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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 202 из 293A female dressed in a short brown dress, with her brownand red and cream wings fanned out on either side of her as she lay on her back in his hand. She was tiny even by demi-fey standards. Her entire body did not fill Galen’s palm. She lay almost completely limp, a smile on her face, her eyes rolled back into her head. Her body was covered in the black pollen of the flower she’d crawled into. She wasn’t just drunk, she was passed out, happy-drunk.
Galen looked more and more puzzled. He gazed up at Doyle, half holding the little fey up to him. “For those of us under a century, what in the name of Danu is going on? I didn’t do this on purpose, because I didn’t know it was possible. If I didn’t know it was possible, then how could I have done it at all? Magic takes will and intent.”
“Not always,” Doyle said.
“Not if it is simply part of what you are,” Frost said.
Galen shook his head. “What does that mean?”
“Maybe we should save the magic lessons for later,” Rhys said, “when we’re more alone.” He was looking at the tiny queen who was still hovering above us, gazing at her fallen army.
“Yes, white knight, keep your secrets from me,” she said, “for the princess has broken the bargain she made with me. My people are her eyes and ears no longer. We serve Prince Cel once more.”
I got to my feet, careful not to step on the demi-fey who were passed out in and among the flowers. That would be bad on so many levels. “I did not break our bargain, Queen Niceven; you took Sage away. He could not take blood if he was not allowed near me.”
She buzzed to hover in front of my face, her white wings moving in a blur of speed that would have shredded true moth wings. I knew from Sage that that blur meant she was angry.
“I bargained for a little blood, a little sexual energy to come to my proxy, and thus to me. I did not bargain for him to be made sidhe. I did not bargain for him to lose the use of his wings. I did not bargain for him to…”
“Be too big for your bed,” I said.
“I am married,” she said, and that last word sounded like a curse. “I have no lover save my king.”
“No, and because you cannot have your favorite lover, you forbid him the pleasure of anyone else.”
The wind from her wings played along my hair, buffeted my face. The air was cool, though her anger was not. “What I do with my court is my business, Princess.”
“It is, but you accused me of breaking our bargain, and I did not. I am still willing to offer a taste of royal blood to you.
Galen looked more and more puzzled. He gazed up at Doyle, half holding the little fey up to him. “For those of us under a century, what in the name of Danu is going on? I didn’t do this on purpose, because I didn’t know it was possible. If I didn’t know it was possible, then how could I have done it at all? Magic takes will and intent.”
“Not always,” Doyle said.
“Not if it is simply part of what you are,” Frost said.
Galen shook his head. “What does that mean?”
“Maybe we should save the magic lessons for later,” Rhys said, “when we’re more alone.” He was looking at the tiny queen who was still hovering above us, gazing at her fallen army.
“Yes, white knight, keep your secrets from me,” she said, “for the princess has broken the bargain she made with me. My people are her eyes and ears no longer. We serve Prince Cel once more.”
I got to my feet, careful not to step on the demi-fey who were passed out in and among the flowers. That would be bad on so many levels. “I did not break our bargain, Queen Niceven; you took Sage away. He could not take blood if he was not allowed near me.”
She buzzed to hover in front of my face, her white wings moving in a blur of speed that would have shredded true moth wings. I knew from Sage that that blur meant she was angry.
“I bargained for a little blood, a little sexual energy to come to my proxy, and thus to me. I did not bargain for him to be made sidhe. I did not bargain for him to lose the use of his wings. I did not bargain for him to…”
“Be too big for your bed,” I said.
“I am married,” she said, and that last word sounded like a curse. “I have no lover save my king.”
“No, and because you cannot have your favorite lover, you forbid him the pleasure of anyone else.”
The wind from her wings played along my hair, buffeted my face. The air was cool, though her anger was not. “What I do with my court is my business, Princess.”
“It is, but you accused me of breaking our bargain, and I did not. I am still willing to offer a taste of royal blood to you.