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A Kiss Of Shadows :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 209 из 338Asking such a thing was almost the same as questioning orders. That could get you flayed alive.
"Barinthus," Galen said.
"I give you my word that she will arrive in the queen's presence unharmed."
"That is not what I asked," Barinthus said.
Doyle stepped close enough to Barinthus that his cloak mingled with the taller man's coat. "Have a care, sea god, that you do not ask more than you should."
"Which means that you fear for her safety at the queen's hand, as do I," Barinthus said, voice neutral.
Doyle raised a hand that was outlined with green fire. I was walking toward them before I had time to think of anything good to say when I got there.
Barinthus kept his attention on Doyle and that burning hand, but Doyle watched me stride toward them. Galen stood near them, obviously unsure what to do. He started to reach for me, to stop me, I think.
"Stand aside, Galen. I don't plan to do anything foolish."
He hesitated, then stepped back and left me to face the other two men. The fire on Doyle's hand painted them both with greenish-yellow light shadows. Doyle's eyes didn't so much reflect the fire as seem to burn in sympathy with it. This close I could feel not just his power like a march of insects down my skin, but the slow rise of Barinthus's power like the sea pulling toward the shore.
I shook my head. "Stop it, both of you."
"What did you say?" Doyle asked.
I pushed Barinthus back, hard enough for him to stumble. Maybe I couldn't lift small cars and beat people to death with them, but I could put my fist through a car door, all the way through, and not break my hand. I pushed him again and again, until there was enough distance that I wasn't afraid they were about to come to blows.
"You have been ordered once by the royal heir, and once by the captain of your guard. Obey your orders and go. Doyle has given you his word that I will come to the queen in safety."
Barinthus looked at me. His face was neutral, but his eyes were not. Doyle had always been one of the obstacles between the queen and an untimely death. For a moment I wondered if Barinthus was looking for an excuse to try the queen's Darkness. If so, I wasn't going to give it to him. To kill Doyle would be the beginning of a revolution. I stared into Barinthus's face and tried to understand what he was thinking. Had it been the land's welcome to me? Or was there some new tension between the two men, that I had not been told about? It didn't matter.
"No," I said. I kept our gazes locked, and said again, "No.
"Barinthus," Galen said.
"I give you my word that she will arrive in the queen's presence unharmed."
"That is not what I asked," Barinthus said.
Doyle stepped close enough to Barinthus that his cloak mingled with the taller man's coat. "Have a care, sea god, that you do not ask more than you should."
"Which means that you fear for her safety at the queen's hand, as do I," Barinthus said, voice neutral.
Doyle raised a hand that was outlined with green fire. I was walking toward them before I had time to think of anything good to say when I got there.
Barinthus kept his attention on Doyle and that burning hand, but Doyle watched me stride toward them. Galen stood near them, obviously unsure what to do. He started to reach for me, to stop me, I think.
"Stand aside, Galen. I don't plan to do anything foolish."
He hesitated, then stepped back and left me to face the other two men. The fire on Doyle's hand painted them both with greenish-yellow light shadows. Doyle's eyes didn't so much reflect the fire as seem to burn in sympathy with it. This close I could feel not just his power like a march of insects down my skin, but the slow rise of Barinthus's power like the sea pulling toward the shore.
I shook my head. "Stop it, both of you."
"What did you say?" Doyle asked.
I pushed Barinthus back, hard enough for him to stumble. Maybe I couldn't lift small cars and beat people to death with them, but I could put my fist through a car door, all the way through, and not break my hand. I pushed him again and again, until there was enough distance that I wasn't afraid they were about to come to blows.
"You have been ordered once by the royal heir, and once by the captain of your guard. Obey your orders and go. Doyle has given you his word that I will come to the queen in safety."
Barinthus looked at me. His face was neutral, but his eyes were not. Doyle had always been one of the obstacles between the queen and an untimely death. For a moment I wondered if Barinthus was looking for an excuse to try the queen's Darkness. If so, I wasn't going to give it to him. To kill Doyle would be the beginning of a revolution. I stared into Barinthus's face and tried to understand what he was thinking. Had it been the land's welcome to me? Or was there some new tension between the two men, that I had not been told about? It didn't matter.
"No," I said. I kept our gazes locked, and said again, "No.