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Mistrals Kiss :: Гамильтон Лорел
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Another shriek approached inthe distance. “Cousin!”
Doyle said, “Galen’s exhortation, ‘No prisoners,’ freed Cel.”
Galen started to cry. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“Onilwyn and the queen herself — and some of her guard — are wrestling Cel even now,” Hawthorne said, “or he would be here already, trying to harm the princess.”
“He is quite mad,” Aisling said, “and he is intent on hurting all of us. But most especially you, Princess.”
“The queen told us to run back to the Western Lands. She’s hoping he’ll grow more calm with time,” Hawthorne said. Even by starlight, he looked doubtful.
“She has admitted before her nobles that she cannot guarantee your safety,” Aisling said.
“We should flee, if we are going to,” Hawthorne said.
I realized what he meant. If Cel attacked me now, here, like this, we would be within our rights to kill him, if we could. My guards were sworn to protect, and Cel was no match for the strength and magic that stood with me now. Not alone, he wasn’t.
“If I thought the queen would allow his death to go unpunished, I would say, Stay, fight, ” Doyle said.
One of the great black mastiffs nudged Galen. He reached for it, almost automatically, and it changed before my eyes. It became a sleek white hound with one red ear. It licked the tears from Galen’s face and he stared at it in wonder, as if he hadn’t seen the dogs until that moment.
Then came Cel’s voice, broken, almost unrecognizable. “Merry!” His screams broke off abruptly. The silence was almost more frightening than the shouting, and my heart was suddenly pounding hard in my chest.
“What happened?” I called out.
Andais walked over the rise of the last gentle hill, following Galen’s trail of flowers. She was alone, save for her consort, Eamon. They were almost the same height, their long black hair streaming out behind them in a wind that came from nowhere. Andais was dressed as if she were going to a Halloween ball — and you were meant to fear her beauty. Eamon’s clothes were more sedate, and also all black. The fact that Andais arrived with only him at her side meant she didn’t want extra witnesses. Eamon was the only one who knew all her secrets.
“Cel will sleep for a time,” she called, as if in answer to a question we hadn’t asked.
Galen fought to stand while I steadied him. Doyle moved a little in front of me. Some of the others did, too. The rest looked behind us into the night, as if they suspected their queen of treachery.
Another shriek approached inthe distance. “Cousin!”
Doyle said, “Galen’s exhortation, ‘No prisoners,’ freed Cel.”
Galen started to cry. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“Onilwyn and the queen herself — and some of her guard — are wrestling Cel even now,” Hawthorne said, “or he would be here already, trying to harm the princess.”
“He is quite mad,” Aisling said, “and he is intent on hurting all of us. But most especially you, Princess.”
“The queen told us to run back to the Western Lands. She’s hoping he’ll grow more calm with time,” Hawthorne said. Even by starlight, he looked doubtful.
“She has admitted before her nobles that she cannot guarantee your safety,” Aisling said.
“We should flee, if we are going to,” Hawthorne said.
I realized what he meant. If Cel attacked me now, here, like this, we would be within our rights to kill him, if we could. My guards were sworn to protect, and Cel was no match for the strength and magic that stood with me now. Not alone, he wasn’t.
“If I thought the queen would allow his death to go unpunished, I would say, Stay, fight, ” Doyle said.
One of the great black mastiffs nudged Galen. He reached for it, almost automatically, and it changed before my eyes. It became a sleek white hound with one red ear. It licked the tears from Galen’s face and he stared at it in wonder, as if he hadn’t seen the dogs until that moment.
Then came Cel’s voice, broken, almost unrecognizable. “Merry!” His screams broke off abruptly. The silence was almost more frightening than the shouting, and my heart was suddenly pounding hard in my chest.
“What happened?” I called out.
Andais walked over the rise of the last gentle hill, following Galen’s trail of flowers. She was alone, save for her consort, Eamon. They were almost the same height, their long black hair streaming out behind them in a wind that came from nowhere. Andais was dressed as if she were going to a Halloween ball — and you were meant to fear her beauty. Eamon’s clothes were more sedate, and also all black. The fact that Andais arrived with only him at her side meant she didn’t want extra witnesses. Eamon was the only one who knew all her secrets.
“Cel will sleep for a time,” she called, as if in answer to a question we hadn’t asked.
Galen fought to stand while I steadied him. Doyle moved a little in front of me. Some of the others did, too. The rest looked behind us into the night, as if they suspected their queen of treachery.