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.""Yes, I know." The demon's grin revealed a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth that would have put aRottweiler's to shame.To Erin he added, "You have been a busy girl, haven't you? Fucking yourway into the Gift with a vampire, then worming a proposal out of the King of the Sidhe.Your workethic is impressive even by my standards.""What do you want, Geirolf ?" Llyr growled."Actually, it's what you want.I've acquired something of yours, and I suspect you'll want itback."The king lifted a brow, his expression silently communicating skepticism that Geirolf couldpossibly have gotten his hands on anything important."Oh?" His tone was as bored as his face, yetas she stood next to him, Erin could feel his gathering tension."Yes, though Erin may be just as happy to have her gone." Geirolf's face dissolved into an imageof Janieda, curled into a miserable ball inside a globe of yellow light.She straightenedconvulsively, an expression of desperate hope on her face, as though she could see them looking ather.Her lips shaped Llyr's name."After all," Geirolf continued in that suggestively oily tone, "itcould be awkward sharing the palace with the mistress.""If you're about to propose I trade Erin and Champion for Janieda, I suggest you reconsider," Llyrdrawled, though Erin felt him stiffen."A queen for a consort seems a poor bargain.""Only to a man far more shortsighted than any Sidhe king could ever be," Geirolf said, his imagereplacing Janieda's."Consider, if you will, the question of who will be the power in theMageverse with Avalon gone.You and your brother.And with my help, soon only you.""You propose an alliance?"Geirolf inclined his head."It could be advantageous to us both.""Then again, perhaps not," Llyr said coolly."My people have a saying: He who allies himselfwith a dragon may well find himself eaten."The demon waved his hand in a dismissive gesture."I have no interest in conquering yourkingdom.My taste runs toward richer and less complicated pickings.Bluntly, mortal Earth would be far easier prey.Since you have no interest in those quarters, perhaps we can arrange a treaty:Mageverse Earth and its Sidhe for you, the mortals for me."Llyr looked at him a long moment."It could be an advantageous arrangement."Erin threw him a shocked glance.The king prided himself on his ruthless pragmatism, but wouldhe really sacrifice Reece and her if he thought it would benefit his people?Oh, sweet Jesus, he just might.Geirolf's gaze was fixed hungrily on her."But before any treaty can be made, I must have thevampire and the witch.They are the key.""I will think on it." He lifted his hand."Llyr!" Erin burst out."One hour," Geirolf said quickly."You have that long to agree, or your lovely Sidhe consort willfind herself the centerpiece of a ceremony she won't enjoy at all."Then he winked out."You aren't seriously considering allying yourself with that monster?" she demanded furiously."Shh!" the king snapped, his hands describing a complicated pattern in the air.Belatedly remembering her own powers, Erin quickly reached out with a spell.The next instantReece stood beside her as she erected a magical shield around them both."What's going on?" he asked, tensing."Geirolf captured Janieda and has threatened to kill her unless the king turns us over to him,"Erin replied tightly."And he's offered to help him defeat his brother."Reece looked at Llyr."And you're considering this?"The king shot them a cold look through the glowing barrier she'd created."Now you're beinginsulting.Do I look fool enough to enter into any bargain with Geirolf? I'm only strengthening thepalace wards against any attempts to eavesdrop."Erin glowered at him suspiciously.Llyr sighed and opened his arms."Here.Read my intentions, then."Cautiously she reached out to him through her shields.He let her no deeper than the surface of histhoughts, yet still she could clearly read that he wanted nothing to do with any offer of the demon's.With a sigh of relief she dropped her shields."It's all right," she told Reece."As if I'd deal with any creature who'd kidnap and threaten Janieda," Llyr growled. "Would someone please bring me up to speed," Reece demanded impatiently."Erin can explain it to you," Llyr told him."I must put my guards on alert and find out how he gothis hands on my consort." He swept from the room."Janieda's his consort?" Reece snorted."No wonder she was so hostile [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]