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Burnt Offerings :: Гамильтон Лорел
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"Are you so eager to die?" the Traveler said. "The death of one is the death of all." He stood above us and a little back as if he didn't want to be too closely associated with us. Too bloody, too primitive, too mortal.
"That is a question for Padma to answer, not me," Jean-Claude said.
"What is your price?" Padma asked.
"No more punishment for Oliver's death. He lost a duel, it is as simple as that." Jean-Claude coughed, and more blood spattered from his lips.
"Agreed," Padma said.
"Agreed," the Traveler said.
"I never wanted them dead because of the Earthmover's death," Yvette said. "Agreed."
Asher said, "The Earthmover earned his death. Agreed."
Jean-Claude held his hand out to me. "Come, ma petite . We have our safety."
I shook my head, laying a kiss on Padma's forehead, gentle, chaste. "I promised Sylvie that everyone who raped her would die."
Padma's body jerked, reaction at last. "The woman you can have, but not my son."
"Do you agree to that, Traveler? You, who Liv calls master now. Do you give her up so easily?"
"Will you kill him if I refuse?" he asked.
"I gave Sylvie my word," I said. And I knew that would mean something to them.
"Then Liv is yours to do with as you see fit."
"Master," she said.
"Silence," the Traveler said.
"See, Liv, they're just monsters." I stared down into Padma's bloody face and watched fear fill his eyes like water pouring into a glass. I watched him look into my face and see the emptiness. No, for the first time I wanted to kill. Not for revenge, or safety, or even my word, but just because I could. Because in some dark part of me it would be a pleasure to crush his heart and watch dark blood pour from him. I'd have liked to blame it on Raina's munin, but I wasn't sure. Maybe it was just me. Maybe it always had been. Hell, maybe it was one of the boys. I didn't know and it didn't matter. I let the thought fill my face and eyes. I let Padma see, and fear filled his face, his eyes, because he understood.
"I want Fernando," I said softly.
"He is my son."
"Someone must die for his crimes, Padma. I would rather it were him, but if you won't give him to me, then I'll take you in his place."
"No," Yvette said. "We have been more than generous here. We have let you kill a council member and go unpunished. We have given you back your traitor and our new toy. We owe you nothing else."
I looked at Padma but I spoke for the Traveler's ears.
"Are you so eager to die?" the Traveler said. "The death of one is the death of all." He stood above us and a little back as if he didn't want to be too closely associated with us. Too bloody, too primitive, too mortal.
"That is a question for Padma to answer, not me," Jean-Claude said.
"What is your price?" Padma asked.
"No more punishment for Oliver's death. He lost a duel, it is as simple as that." Jean-Claude coughed, and more blood spattered from his lips.
"Agreed," Padma said.
"Agreed," the Traveler said.
"I never wanted them dead because of the Earthmover's death," Yvette said. "Agreed."
Asher said, "The Earthmover earned his death. Agreed."
Jean-Claude held his hand out to me. "Come, ma petite . We have our safety."
I shook my head, laying a kiss on Padma's forehead, gentle, chaste. "I promised Sylvie that everyone who raped her would die."
Padma's body jerked, reaction at last. "The woman you can have, but not my son."
"Do you agree to that, Traveler? You, who Liv calls master now. Do you give her up so easily?"
"Will you kill him if I refuse?" he asked.
"I gave Sylvie my word," I said. And I knew that would mean something to them.
"Then Liv is yours to do with as you see fit."
"Master," she said.
"Silence," the Traveler said.
"See, Liv, they're just monsters." I stared down into Padma's bloody face and watched fear fill his eyes like water pouring into a glass. I watched him look into my face and see the emptiness. No, for the first time I wanted to kill. Not for revenge, or safety, or even my word, but just because I could. Because in some dark part of me it would be a pleasure to crush his heart and watch dark blood pour from him. I'd have liked to blame it on Raina's munin, but I wasn't sure. Maybe it was just me. Maybe it always had been. Hell, maybe it was one of the boys. I didn't know and it didn't matter. I let the thought fill my face and eyes. I let Padma see, and fear filled his face, his eyes, because he understood.
"I want Fernando," I said softly.
"He is my son."
"Someone must die for his crimes, Padma. I would rather it were him, but if you won't give him to me, then I'll take you in his place."
"No," Yvette said. "We have been more than generous here. We have let you kill a council member and go unpunished. We have given you back your traitor and our new toy. We owe you nothing else."
I looked at Padma but I spoke for the Traveler's ears.