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."I read it in your thoughts," Llyr told her.His lids dipped over those opal irises."Among otherthings."Evidently the link had gone both ways."You know about Geirolf?" Reece asked."I should," the king said with a shrug of those elegant shoulders."I helped your Fae capture himand drive his kind from Earth, even before Merlin sought out Arthur." His mouth twisted."Myfather gave his life in that cause."Erin frowned, puzzled."So how are the Sidhe and Merlin related? Did he create you, or what?"When Reece winced, she realized she'd committed a blunder.Llyr gave her a frosty glower."Of course not.We evolved on Mageverse Earth, just as you didon your own.Our races are mirror images of each other, as our Earths are."She nodded."So you're basically magical humans.""Or you are powerless Sidhe."Erin smiled slightly."Touchè." She shrugged."Merlin's people are called the Fae, which isanother name for Sidhe, so I assumed& "His frosty expression warmed."A natural assumption.Your people have confused two conceptsthat are unrelated.Not unusual, with mortals."Stung, she muttered, "Land on the moon lately?""As a matter of fact, yes.But that's a story for another time." Llyr glanced toward the horizon. "The sun is very close.May I offer you the hospitality of my palace for the Daysleep?"Reece's gaze flicked from the king's face to the brightening sky, then toward Erin.She got thestrong impression he was wondering what she and Llyr would do while he was helplesslyunconscious.He gave a coolly infuriating little bow of the head."I would be grateful.I used agreat deal of strength escaping from that cell, and I need to replenish it.""Then come, and I will open a gate for us." The king made a gesture with one elegant hand.Ashimmering dot appeared in the air to swell outward into a glowing window.Erin felt the magic ofit dance over her skin, and something within her woke and responded."I've heard a great deal about Sidhe hospitality and the beauty of your palace," Reece said asthey prepared to step through it."I look forward to enjoying both first-hand."As the king and Reece stepped through, Erin stepped to follow them only to have the wayblocked by a tiny glowing figure.Janieda's eyes were hot and angry."Whatever schemes you harbor, creature," she hissed, "myLiege will see through them.And if he does not, I will!"Okay, she'd had more than enough of this."Listen up, Tinkerbell," Erin growled."The onlyscheme I'm harboring is a deep and burning desire to mount Geirolf's head on a pike.Unless you'vegot a problem with that, we've got no problem.So lose the attitude.""I saw you, whore," Janieda hissed."I saw what you'll do!"Thoroughly fed up, Erin stepped through the gate, too irritated to hesitate even in the face of suchunfamiliar magic.Even so, her knees buckled as alien forces washed over her.A big hand wrapped around her arm, supporting her.She looked up into Reece's concerned eyes.She forced a smile and jerked her head at Janieda as the fairy flew through the gate."You wouldn'thappen to have a flyswatter on you?"He grinned."Not even a rolled-up newspaper." His eyes tracked to Llyr and his voice droppedto a mutter."Though I sympathize with the thought.""Where's a bug zapper when you really " She broke off in amazement as their surroundingssuddenly penetrated her consciousness."Damn."They stood in a towering foyer built of shimmering white marble, polished to a mirror gleam.The twenty-foot ceiling overhead was supported by arches that appeared to be solid gold.Thewhite marble floor underfoot was set with smaller jeweled tiles sapphire, ruby, emerald.Andeverywhere, magic swirled and eddied in sparkling trails that made Erin's eyes ache.Sheshivered, feeling the power stir under her skin."It's& beautiful."The king smiled at her awed tone, then nodded to Reece."Come.I'll lead you to your quarters.You can tell me of Geirolf's schemes on the way." She watched as the two men started down the glittering foyer, comet trails of magic swirling intheir wake.Her head began to throb as she followed.Somehow during her brush with death, she'dforgotten the way the energy of the Mageverse pressed against her mind.She'd been able to manage those forces before when she had a clear-cut purpose escaping thecell.But now Erin could feel them whipping around her like a nest of snakes she had to somehowcapture and control.It was a terrifying thought."What a weakling you are," Janieda sneered [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ] |
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