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A Stroke Of Midnight :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 77 из 293I don’t know what Iwould have said or done to Onilwyn about his behavior because he decided for me.
Rhys and Galen both yelled, “Don’t!”
I sensed Doyle and others moving, but I was next to the kneeling Onilwyn as he raised his hand and called his magic, pointing it at Maggie May.
I didn’t think, I just reacted. My hand was still wrapped around the iron skillet. I hit him full in the face with as much strength as I had in one arm. I’m not as strong as a full-blooded sidhe, or even brownie, but I can punch my way through a car door and not hurt myself. I did that once to discourage a would-be mugger.
Blood flew from around the skillet, a bright surprised scarlet spray. He collapsed to his side, moaning softly. His nose looked like a squashed tomato, and there was so much blood it was hard to tell what other damage I’d done to his face.
There was a thick silence in the room. I think I surprised everybody, including myself.
Rhys shook his head, squatting down by the fallen man. “You really don’t like him, do you?”
“No,” I said, and realized that the thought of letting Onilwyn touch me was repulsive. He’d been one of my main tormentors when I was a child. I still hated Cel and some of his cronies enough to feel nothing but a sense of utter satisfaction at the ruin of Onilwyn’s face. It wasn’t like he wouldn’t heal.
The little terrier he had kicked came up to him growling. She sniffed his blood, then sneezed sharply as if he smelled bitter. She turned her back on him, and dug her feet into the floor, throwing blood into the air, a dominant, defiant gesture.
The dog went back to her mistress and the two other dogs so the three of them sat in a smiling, butt-wriggling row at Maggie’s feet. Maggie May was grinning at me with strong yellow teeth showing. “Oh, ah, you be kin.”
I nodded, and handed the bloodied skillet to her. “Yes, yes, I am.” I smiled at her and she laughed, a great roar of laughter. She wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tight. It surprised me for a heartbeat, but then I hugged her back just as tight. Here was someone else who wasn’t touching me to gain anything. She hugged me because, just because. Hugs for no reason, just because were nice, and lately I wasn’t getting enough of them.
CHAPTER 10
A HIGH, RINGING SOUND CAME. WE ALL LOOKED AROUND THE room, but there was nothing to account for the sound. It came again. It was as if the finest crystal goblet were being struck with metal, so that it made that high, ringing, bell-like tone only the best crystal makes.
Rhys and Galen both yelled, “Don’t!”
I sensed Doyle and others moving, but I was next to the kneeling Onilwyn as he raised his hand and called his magic, pointing it at Maggie May.
I didn’t think, I just reacted. My hand was still wrapped around the iron skillet. I hit him full in the face with as much strength as I had in one arm. I’m not as strong as a full-blooded sidhe, or even brownie, but I can punch my way through a car door and not hurt myself. I did that once to discourage a would-be mugger.
Blood flew from around the skillet, a bright surprised scarlet spray. He collapsed to his side, moaning softly. His nose looked like a squashed tomato, and there was so much blood it was hard to tell what other damage I’d done to his face.
There was a thick silence in the room. I think I surprised everybody, including myself.
Rhys shook his head, squatting down by the fallen man. “You really don’t like him, do you?”
“No,” I said, and realized that the thought of letting Onilwyn touch me was repulsive. He’d been one of my main tormentors when I was a child. I still hated Cel and some of his cronies enough to feel nothing but a sense of utter satisfaction at the ruin of Onilwyn’s face. It wasn’t like he wouldn’t heal.
The little terrier he had kicked came up to him growling. She sniffed his blood, then sneezed sharply as if he smelled bitter. She turned her back on him, and dug her feet into the floor, throwing blood into the air, a dominant, defiant gesture.
The dog went back to her mistress and the two other dogs so the three of them sat in a smiling, butt-wriggling row at Maggie’s feet. Maggie May was grinning at me with strong yellow teeth showing. “Oh, ah, you be kin.”
I nodded, and handed the bloodied skillet to her. “Yes, yes, I am.” I smiled at her and she laughed, a great roar of laughter. She wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tight. It surprised me for a heartbeat, but then I hugged her back just as tight. Here was someone else who wasn’t touching me to gain anything. She hugged me because, just because. Hugs for no reason, just because were nice, and lately I wasn’t getting enough of them.
CHAPTER 10
A HIGH, RINGING SOUND CAME. WE ALL LOOKED AROUND THE room, but there was nothing to account for the sound. It came again. It was as if the finest crystal goblet were being struck with metal, so that it made that high, ringing, bell-like tone only the best crystal makes.