"Laurell K. Hamilton - Meredith Gentry 5 - Mistral's Kiss" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hamilton Laurell K)

His hand found my arm and stroked up and down my skin, seeking comfort as we all did when we were
nervous. He didnтАЩt like me staring at him without saying anything. He had been curled up close to me,
and the power of the Goddess and the God in my dream must have slipped across his skin. The faces of
the fifteen men standing in their circle around the bed showed clearly that they had felt something, too.

Doyle repeated his question: тАЬPrincess Meredith, are you well?тАЭ

I looked at my captain of the guard, my lover, his face as black as the cloak I had worn in vision, or the
fur of the boar that had run out into the snow and brought spring back to the land. I had to close my eyes
and breathe deeply, trying to break free of the last vestiges of vision and dream. Trying to be in the here
and now.

I raised my hands from the tangle of sheets. In my right hand was a cup formed of horn, the horn ancient
and yellowed, held in gold that bore symbols that few outside faerie could read now. In my left hand I
expected to find the white knife, but it was not there. My left hand was empty. I stared at it for a
moment, then raised the cup with both hands.

тАЬMy God,тАЭ Rhys whispered, though the whisper was strangely loud.

тАЬYes,тАЭ Doyle said, тАЬthat is exactly what it is.тАЭ
тАЬWhat did he say when he gave you the cup of horn?тАЭ It was Abe who asked. Abe with his hair striped
in shades of pale grey, dark grey, black, and white, perfect strands of color. His eyes were a few shades
darker grey than most human eyes, but not otherworldly, not really. If you dressed him like a modern
Goth, heтАЩd be the hit of any club scene.

His eyes were strangely solemn. HeтАЩd been the drunk and joke of the court for more years than I could
remember. But now there was a different person looking out from his face, a glimpse of what he might
once have been. Someone who thought before he spoke, someone who had other preoccupations than
getting drunk as quickly and as often as he could.

Abe swallowed hard and asked again, тАЬWhat did he say?тАЭ

I answered him this time. тАЬDrink and be merry.тАЭ

Abe smiled, wistful, sorrow-filled. тАЬThat sounds like him.тАЭ

тАЬLike who?тАЭ I asked.

тАЬThe cup used to be mine. My symbol.тАЭ

I crawled to the edge of the bed and knelt on it. I held the cup up with both hands toward him. тАЬDrink
and be merry, Abeloec.тАЭ

He shook his head. тАЬI do not deserve the GodтАЩs favor, Princess. I do not deserve anyoneтАЩs favor.тАЭ

I suddenly knewтАФnot by way of a visionтАФI just suddenly possessed the knowledge. тАЬYou werenтАЩt
thrown out of the Seelie Court for seducing the wrong woman, as everyone believes. You were thrown
out because you lost your powers, and once you could no longer make the courtiers merry with drink
and revelry, Taranis kicked you out of the golden court.тАЭ