[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
she kidnapped me."
What? Gael asked, voice slow and shocked.
"Enough," Etain replied. "I will not tolerate such interruptions. Go to sleep, panther-"
No! Gael replied, his horn flashing as he countered the compulsion the Queen was obviously trying to lay upon Noire. No
magic. Etain, tell me this is not true.
"You would believe him over me?" Etain asked, expression wounded, voice full of hurt.
Yes. Gael's reply was immediate and sure. I would. Tell me he is wrong and you are not the one who kidnapped him.
Why& why would she kidnap my messenger? Freddie asked.
Because Noire is my lover. He is my heart and soul.
The Pegasus stilled with surprise, head immediately turning to regard Noire, then swiveling back to look at Gael. Never
would I have known& but that makes even less sense. Etain, solve this riddle for us.
Etain stroked her hand over the Pegasus' nose. "You know, beloved, that I want only what is best for you and our treasured
Unicorn."
Yes& of course, Etain& so tell us why they think these strange things.
Ailill frowned. "Poison," he muttered. "Freddie has been poisoned. Noire, Verenne& " He turned to Ivan. "We should not
simply be standing here."
Ivan shook his head. "I do not like it either, but& let us see what they can do. Don't you feel it?"
"Maybe," Ailill muttered, and settled down to his discontent. His eyes fell once more upon the group in the center. The
Queen, the Guardians, one Beast, and& merciful gods& but Noire wasn't a stranger. Everyone knew who he was. Well,
enough knew him that if they'd found him dead in this chamber, he would be identifiable. "Vanya."
"I noticed," Ivan said quietly. "We will not let them kill each other, but I think this is something that must be settled amongst
them& it is obvious the Queen has hidden much."
Ailill nodded. "Yes."
"I will answer all your questions," Etain said in the face of the accusations, "but not until the Ceremony is complete. Right
file:///H|/NOVEL/New%20novel/4.htm[9/25/2009 10:25:21 AM]
AmaSour Fiction
now that is all that matters. Nothing else. Come, my Guardians, my beloveds, you know it's true."
Yes, Freddie said.
"Freddie!" Verenne suddenly shouted, calling out to her ex-lover. "You've been poisoned. A cordial. Did you drink a cordial
this morning?"
What? Freddie asked. Poisoned? Don't be ridiculous. I am tired of your absurd accusations, White Bat. Is that why you
came here? Did you bring Noire into your games? To get back at me simply because you are still livid that I broke off our
liaison?
Poisoned? Gael echoed. I cannot believe& He stepped forward, ignoring the delicate hand that clung tightly to his golden
mane, and dipped his head to lay his horn against Freddie.
Freddie recoiled. How dare you, brother! You try to purify me, taking the side of liars, implying that you think our sister
capable of these terrible things? She loves us. We love her. I will not allow you to sully our union by purifying what does not
need cleansed because you allow these lies to cloud your thinking. How can you be so cruel to us?
If I am wrong, dear sister, then all that results is my looking like a stupid, gullible fool. There is no harm there except to me,
and I accept full blame if I am mistaken. So, come, let me cleanse you whether you need it or not.
Get away! Freddie bellowed, jerking free of Etain's hold to turn and slam her back hooves hard into Gael, the force of it
sending the Unicorn reeling back, falling to the ground as he lost his balance.
"Gael!" Noire bellowed, bolting forward, oblivious to the warnings hurtled at him by Etain. He dropped to his knees beside
the Unicorn. "Gael, are you all right?"
With a pained whinny that shifted into a groan, Gael shifted back. "I will manage," he said, face contorted in pain as he
looked up at his sister. "I cannot believe you did that, Freddie. I intended you no harm."
You treat me like you do not trust me.
Gael stormed to his feet. "My lover-"
About whom you never told me. You kept it secret that my messenger was your lover. Why, Gael? Beloved brother? Why
do you not trust me?
"Because I knew if I told anyone - anyone - that Noire would die!" Gael bellowed, balling his hands into fists. "Do you think I
enjoyed it? Keeping to myself that Noire is my reason for living? Do you think I liked not being able to confide in my sisters,
whom I should be able to trust in all things?" He threw his hands out. "I hated it! Every second of it! Then he was
kidnapped, and I was told that if I did not see this Ceremony properly completed that he would die! He tells me Etain
kidnapped him and you claim that I have no reason not to trust my sisters?"
"Please," Etain pleaded, looking anxiously between them. "Now is not the time for this. We must first finish the Ceremony,
my beloved sister and brother."
"No!" Gael snarled at her. "Not until I know what is going on."
You have lost your mind, Freddie replied, her wings moving restlessly on her back. You are not the Gael I know and love.
"Nor are you the Freddie who has always stood by my side! You have been acting strangely all day."
"For months," Verenne suddenly cut in, striding forward to stand with Gael and Noire. "Freddie, you have not been yourself
since you came home and told me we were finished."
You cannot say those words clearly, Freddie protested. You have been volatile since I ended the affair. If anyone is not
right, it is you.
Tears sprang up in Verenne's eyes, making them bright, but she lifted her chin and fought back. "Say what you want. I think
it is the poison speaking. If you are so certain you are not poisoned, what is the harm in letting the Unicorn touch you?
I will not be so callously treated by my own brother. Etain trusts me, why can't he?
"Etain is the one who poisoned you," Verenne said. "We found the decanter that held the cordial you drank."
file:///H|/NOVEL/New%20novel/4.htm[9/25/2009 10:25:21 AM]
AmaSour Fiction
You know I always drink such things when I have something difficult to do. That is hardly a reason to think she has
poisoned me.
"It was poisoned!" Gleb interjected, voice as sharp and quick as the man, cutting across the field. "I tasted at least three,
possibly as many as nine. Not meant to kill, any one of them could have done that."
"Stay out of this, interfering child of the soft Firebird!" Etain bellowed, power rippling out, leaves of the oak stirring as she
sent out a pulse of energy to drive them back.
Luka stepped forward, arms splayed wide, and his eyes flickered like a candle flaring to life - and flames sprang up, almost
as if from the stream, absorbing the Queen's magic before snuffing out, leaving only steam to slowly fade away.
Etain's eyes widened. "Impossible. No child of the Firebird knows such magic anymore."
Ivan and his men threw their heads back and laughed, but an edge to the jovial sound kept anyone else from smiling. Ivan
smiled grimly at her. "We were blessed with magic by Zhar Ptitka himself. We remain where we are to let you work out your
own fight," he shot a warning look at Gleb. "Do not attack us again."
Frowning, furious, Etain ignored them and shifted her attention elsewhere. "Please, let us not bicker, my darling siblings. I
cannot believe you would engage in such childish arguments when we are so close to finishing the Ceremony. That is what
matters right now. The people matter. Our children matter. Not these petty squabbles. Come, please." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
she kidnapped me."
What? Gael asked, voice slow and shocked.
"Enough," Etain replied. "I will not tolerate such interruptions. Go to sleep, panther-"
No! Gael replied, his horn flashing as he countered the compulsion the Queen was obviously trying to lay upon Noire. No
magic. Etain, tell me this is not true.
"You would believe him over me?" Etain asked, expression wounded, voice full of hurt.
Yes. Gael's reply was immediate and sure. I would. Tell me he is wrong and you are not the one who kidnapped him.
Why& why would she kidnap my messenger? Freddie asked.
Because Noire is my lover. He is my heart and soul.
The Pegasus stilled with surprise, head immediately turning to regard Noire, then swiveling back to look at Gael. Never
would I have known& but that makes even less sense. Etain, solve this riddle for us.
Etain stroked her hand over the Pegasus' nose. "You know, beloved, that I want only what is best for you and our treasured
Unicorn."
Yes& of course, Etain& so tell us why they think these strange things.
Ailill frowned. "Poison," he muttered. "Freddie has been poisoned. Noire, Verenne& " He turned to Ivan. "We should not
simply be standing here."
Ivan shook his head. "I do not like it either, but& let us see what they can do. Don't you feel it?"
"Maybe," Ailill muttered, and settled down to his discontent. His eyes fell once more upon the group in the center. The
Queen, the Guardians, one Beast, and& merciful gods& but Noire wasn't a stranger. Everyone knew who he was. Well,
enough knew him that if they'd found him dead in this chamber, he would be identifiable. "Vanya."
"I noticed," Ivan said quietly. "We will not let them kill each other, but I think this is something that must be settled amongst
them& it is obvious the Queen has hidden much."
Ailill nodded. "Yes."
"I will answer all your questions," Etain said in the face of the accusations, "but not until the Ceremony is complete. Right
file:///H|/NOVEL/New%20novel/4.htm[9/25/2009 10:25:21 AM]
AmaSour Fiction
now that is all that matters. Nothing else. Come, my Guardians, my beloveds, you know it's true."
Yes, Freddie said.
"Freddie!" Verenne suddenly shouted, calling out to her ex-lover. "You've been poisoned. A cordial. Did you drink a cordial
this morning?"
What? Freddie asked. Poisoned? Don't be ridiculous. I am tired of your absurd accusations, White Bat. Is that why you
came here? Did you bring Noire into your games? To get back at me simply because you are still livid that I broke off our
liaison?
Poisoned? Gael echoed. I cannot believe& He stepped forward, ignoring the delicate hand that clung tightly to his golden
mane, and dipped his head to lay his horn against Freddie.
Freddie recoiled. How dare you, brother! You try to purify me, taking the side of liars, implying that you think our sister
capable of these terrible things? She loves us. We love her. I will not allow you to sully our union by purifying what does not
need cleansed because you allow these lies to cloud your thinking. How can you be so cruel to us?
If I am wrong, dear sister, then all that results is my looking like a stupid, gullible fool. There is no harm there except to me,
and I accept full blame if I am mistaken. So, come, let me cleanse you whether you need it or not.
Get away! Freddie bellowed, jerking free of Etain's hold to turn and slam her back hooves hard into Gael, the force of it
sending the Unicorn reeling back, falling to the ground as he lost his balance.
"Gael!" Noire bellowed, bolting forward, oblivious to the warnings hurtled at him by Etain. He dropped to his knees beside
the Unicorn. "Gael, are you all right?"
With a pained whinny that shifted into a groan, Gael shifted back. "I will manage," he said, face contorted in pain as he
looked up at his sister. "I cannot believe you did that, Freddie. I intended you no harm."
You treat me like you do not trust me.
Gael stormed to his feet. "My lover-"
About whom you never told me. You kept it secret that my messenger was your lover. Why, Gael? Beloved brother? Why
do you not trust me?
"Because I knew if I told anyone - anyone - that Noire would die!" Gael bellowed, balling his hands into fists. "Do you think I
enjoyed it? Keeping to myself that Noire is my reason for living? Do you think I liked not being able to confide in my sisters,
whom I should be able to trust in all things?" He threw his hands out. "I hated it! Every second of it! Then he was
kidnapped, and I was told that if I did not see this Ceremony properly completed that he would die! He tells me Etain
kidnapped him and you claim that I have no reason not to trust my sisters?"
"Please," Etain pleaded, looking anxiously between them. "Now is not the time for this. We must first finish the Ceremony,
my beloved sister and brother."
"No!" Gael snarled at her. "Not until I know what is going on."
You have lost your mind, Freddie replied, her wings moving restlessly on her back. You are not the Gael I know and love.
"Nor are you the Freddie who has always stood by my side! You have been acting strangely all day."
"For months," Verenne suddenly cut in, striding forward to stand with Gael and Noire. "Freddie, you have not been yourself
since you came home and told me we were finished."
You cannot say those words clearly, Freddie protested. You have been volatile since I ended the affair. If anyone is not
right, it is you.
Tears sprang up in Verenne's eyes, making them bright, but she lifted her chin and fought back. "Say what you want. I think
it is the poison speaking. If you are so certain you are not poisoned, what is the harm in letting the Unicorn touch you?
I will not be so callously treated by my own brother. Etain trusts me, why can't he?
"Etain is the one who poisoned you," Verenne said. "We found the decanter that held the cordial you drank."
file:///H|/NOVEL/New%20novel/4.htm[9/25/2009 10:25:21 AM]
AmaSour Fiction
You know I always drink such things when I have something difficult to do. That is hardly a reason to think she has
poisoned me.
"It was poisoned!" Gleb interjected, voice as sharp and quick as the man, cutting across the field. "I tasted at least three,
possibly as many as nine. Not meant to kill, any one of them could have done that."
"Stay out of this, interfering child of the soft Firebird!" Etain bellowed, power rippling out, leaves of the oak stirring as she
sent out a pulse of energy to drive them back.
Luka stepped forward, arms splayed wide, and his eyes flickered like a candle flaring to life - and flames sprang up, almost
as if from the stream, absorbing the Queen's magic before snuffing out, leaving only steam to slowly fade away.
Etain's eyes widened. "Impossible. No child of the Firebird knows such magic anymore."
Ivan and his men threw their heads back and laughed, but an edge to the jovial sound kept anyone else from smiling. Ivan
smiled grimly at her. "We were blessed with magic by Zhar Ptitka himself. We remain where we are to let you work out your
own fight," he shot a warning look at Gleb. "Do not attack us again."
Frowning, furious, Etain ignored them and shifted her attention elsewhere. "Please, let us not bicker, my darling siblings. I
cannot believe you would engage in such childish arguments when we are so close to finishing the Ceremony. That is what
matters right now. The people matter. Our children matter. Not these petty squabbles. Come, please." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]