Mistrals Kiss   ::   Гамильтон Лорел

“Aunt Andais,” I said, “what have you done to Nerys’s people?”

“They tried to kill you and me last night, or have you forgotten?”

“I remember, but I also remember that Nerys asked you to take her life, so that you might spare her house. You gave your word that you would let them live if she died in their place.”

“I have not harmed a single one,” she said, and she looked entirely too pleased with herself.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

“I merely offered the men a chance to serve their queen as a member of my royal guard. I need my Ravens at full strength.”

“Joining your guard means giving up all family loyalties and becoming celibate. Why would they agree to either of those things?” I asked.

She took the blade away from Mistral’s throat. “You were so eager to tattle on me. Tell her now.”

“May I rise, my queen?” he asked.

“Rise, cartwheel — I care not — just tell her.”

Mistral rose cautiously, and when she made no move toward him, he began to ease across the room toward us. His throat was dark in the flickering lights. She’d bled him. Any sidhe could heal such a small cut, but because Mortal Dread had done the damage, he would heal mortal slow; human slow.

Mistral’s eyes were wide, frightened, but he moved easily across the dead ground, as if he weren’t worried that she would do something to him as he walked away from her. I know that my shoulder blades would have been aching with the fear of the blow. Only when he was out of reach of her sword did some of the panic leave his eyes. Even then, they were that shade of tornado green. Anxiety.

“Far enough,” she said. “Meredith can hear you from there.”

He stopped obediently, but he swallowed hard, as if he didn’t like that she’d stopped him before he got back to us. I didn’t blame him. The queen had magic that could destroy from this distance. She’d probably made him stop just so he would worry. She might intend him no more harm, but she wanted him to be afraid. She liked for people to be afraid of her.

“She has put metal chains of binding on all of the house of Nerys, so they can do no magic,” said Mistral.

“I can’t argue with that,” I said. “They attacked us at court, all of them. They should lose their magic for a time.”

“She has given the men the chance to become her Ravens. The women she has offered to the prince’s guard, his Cranes.”

“Cel is in seclusion, locked away. He needs no guard,” I said.

“Most of the women would not agree to it, anyway,” Mistral said. “But the queen had to be seen giving them all a choice.