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A Kiss Of Shadows :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 260 из 338Blood had dried in spots and small trails down his upper body, but the bites were almost gone, leaving only the blood as proof that he'd been injured. The front of his pants was blood-soaked, but he moved better, less pain-filled. Everything was healing.
I would not heal if the thorns tore into my body. I'd simply die.
"The roses once drank from the queen every time she passed this way," Doyle said.
"That was centuries ago," Frost said, "before we ever dreamed of traveling to the lands to the west."
I propped myself up on my elbows. "I have passed under the roses a thousand times in my life, and they've never reacted to me, not even when they still had a few blooms left."
"You have come into your power, Meredith. The land recognized that when it welcomed you tonight," Doyle said.
"What do you mean the land welcomed her?" Frost asked. Doyle told him.
Rhys bent over to stare into my face again in that awkward upside-down movement. "Cool," he said.
It made me smile, but I pushed his head up out of my face anyway. "The land recognizes me as a power now."
"Not merely the land," Doyle said. He sat down on the far side of me from Galen, spreading the black cloak around his body in a familiar gesture, as if he wore a lot of ankle-length cloaks. He did.
I could see his face now. He looked thoughtful, as if contemplating some weighty philosophy.
"This is all fascinating," Rhys said, "but we can discuss whether Merry is the chosen whatever, later. We need to get her out of here before the roses try to eat her."
Doyle looked at me, dark face impassive. "Without swords we have very little chance of making either door with Merry alive. We would survive the roses' worst attentions, but she would not. Since it is her safety that is paramount and not our own, we must think of a way out of this that does not require violence. If you offer the roses violence, they will return the favor." He waved his hand upward, vaguely including the trailing vines. "They seem to be quite patient with us, so I suggest we use their patience to think."
"The land has never welcomed Cel, nor have the roses reached for him," Frost said. He crawled around me to sit near Doyle. He didn't seem to trust the roses' patience as much as Doyle did. I agreed with Frost on this one. I had never seen the roses move before, not so much as a twitch. I'd heard the stories, but never thought to see the reality of it for myself. I'd often wished to see the room covered in sweet fragrant roses. Be careful what you wish for. Of course, there were no blooms, just thorns. That wasn't exactly what I'd wished for.
I would not heal if the thorns tore into my body. I'd simply die.
"The roses once drank from the queen every time she passed this way," Doyle said.
"That was centuries ago," Frost said, "before we ever dreamed of traveling to the lands to the west."
I propped myself up on my elbows. "I have passed under the roses a thousand times in my life, and they've never reacted to me, not even when they still had a few blooms left."
"You have come into your power, Meredith. The land recognized that when it welcomed you tonight," Doyle said.
"What do you mean the land welcomed her?" Frost asked. Doyle told him.
Rhys bent over to stare into my face again in that awkward upside-down movement. "Cool," he said.
It made me smile, but I pushed his head up out of my face anyway. "The land recognizes me as a power now."
"Not merely the land," Doyle said. He sat down on the far side of me from Galen, spreading the black cloak around his body in a familiar gesture, as if he wore a lot of ankle-length cloaks. He did.
I could see his face now. He looked thoughtful, as if contemplating some weighty philosophy.
"This is all fascinating," Rhys said, "but we can discuss whether Merry is the chosen whatever, later. We need to get her out of here before the roses try to eat her."
Doyle looked at me, dark face impassive. "Without swords we have very little chance of making either door with Merry alive. We would survive the roses' worst attentions, but she would not. Since it is her safety that is paramount and not our own, we must think of a way out of this that does not require violence. If you offer the roses violence, they will return the favor." He waved his hand upward, vaguely including the trailing vines. "They seem to be quite patient with us, so I suggest we use their patience to think."
"The land has never welcomed Cel, nor have the roses reached for him," Frost said. He crawled around me to sit near Doyle. He didn't seem to trust the roses' patience as much as Doyle did. I agreed with Frost on this one. I had never seen the roses move before, not so much as a twitch. I'd heard the stories, but never thought to see the reality of it for myself. I'd often wished to see the room covered in sweet fragrant roses. Be careful what you wish for. Of course, there were no blooms, just thorns. That wasn't exactly what I'd wished for.