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A Kiss Of Shadows :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 307 из 338I knew if I simply said nothing, Griffin would break first. He'd always been fond of the sound of his own voice.
He stood in one fluid motion, slouching just a touch so he didn't look his six feet three. He flashed me the full smile, the one that made his eyes crinkle and showed that flash of dimple in one cheek.
I stared at him, face immobile. It helped that I was so tired I could barely think, but it was more than that. I felt empty inside and I let it show in my face. I let him see that he meant nothing to me, though knowing Griffin, he wouldn't believe it.
He stepped forward, one hand outstretched as if he'd take my hand. I stared at him until his hand dropped away, and for the first time he looked uncomfortable.
His gaze slid over all of us, then came back to rest on me. "The queen insisted I not be there tonight. She thought it might upset you." The surety was sinking away from his eyes, leaving him anxious. "What did I miss tonight?"
"What are you doing here, Griffin?" I said. My voice was as empty as my heart.
He shifted from one foot to the other. It was obvious that this reunion wasn't going the way he'd planned. "The queen said she'd lifted the geas on the Guard for you." His eyes flicked to Doyle, to the others. He frowned at the goblin. He didn't like any of this. He didn't like me in someone else's arms. There was a small flare of satisfaction. Petty, but true.
"How does the geas being lifted for me and me alone answer my question, Griffin?"
He frowned at me.
"Why are you here?" I asked.
"The queen said she told you that she'd be sending one guard of her choosing along." He tried the smile again, and it faded as I stared at him.
"Are you trying to tell me that the queen has sent you as her spy?"
His face raised, that smooth chin jutting out. It was a sure sign that he wasn't happy. "I thought you'd be pleased, Merry. There are a lot of guards that would be worse to share your bed with."
I shook my head, leaned my face against Doyle's shoulder. "I am too tired for this."
"What do you want us to do, Meredith?" Doyle asked.
Griffin's eyes hardened, and I knew that Doyle had used my first name deliberately—not a title, but my name.
It made me smile. "Take me up to the room and contact the queen. I will not be forced to share a bed with him again, not for any reason."
Griffin took a step toward us, hand stroking my hair. Doyle moved me out of his reach with a turn of his shoulders.
He stood in one fluid motion, slouching just a touch so he didn't look his six feet three. He flashed me the full smile, the one that made his eyes crinkle and showed that flash of dimple in one cheek.
I stared at him, face immobile. It helped that I was so tired I could barely think, but it was more than that. I felt empty inside and I let it show in my face. I let him see that he meant nothing to me, though knowing Griffin, he wouldn't believe it.
He stepped forward, one hand outstretched as if he'd take my hand. I stared at him until his hand dropped away, and for the first time he looked uncomfortable.
His gaze slid over all of us, then came back to rest on me. "The queen insisted I not be there tonight. She thought it might upset you." The surety was sinking away from his eyes, leaving him anxious. "What did I miss tonight?"
"What are you doing here, Griffin?" I said. My voice was as empty as my heart.
He shifted from one foot to the other. It was obvious that this reunion wasn't going the way he'd planned. "The queen said she'd lifted the geas on the Guard for you." His eyes flicked to Doyle, to the others. He frowned at the goblin. He didn't like any of this. He didn't like me in someone else's arms. There was a small flare of satisfaction. Petty, but true.
"How does the geas being lifted for me and me alone answer my question, Griffin?"
He frowned at me.
"Why are you here?" I asked.
"The queen said she told you that she'd be sending one guard of her choosing along." He tried the smile again, and it faded as I stared at him.
"Are you trying to tell me that the queen has sent you as her spy?"
His face raised, that smooth chin jutting out. It was a sure sign that he wasn't happy. "I thought you'd be pleased, Merry. There are a lot of guards that would be worse to share your bed with."
I shook my head, leaned my face against Doyle's shoulder. "I am too tired for this."
"What do you want us to do, Meredith?" Doyle asked.
Griffin's eyes hardened, and I knew that Doyle had used my first name deliberately—not a title, but my name.
It made me smile. "Take me up to the room and contact the queen. I will not be forced to share a bed with him again, not for any reason."
Griffin took a step toward us, hand stroking my hair. Doyle moved me out of his reach with a turn of his shoulders.