[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Caimbeul let the subject drop until they reached the
Lawgiver House. A nibari greeted them at the door and fetched pastries and
liquor. He had requested two nibari from
Claw for the day as he expected to be exhausted when it ended.
They sat on the sofa, the cub wringing her hands together.
"Tell him," urged Eveleen.
"I'm not going to hurt you. I just want your story."
Caimbeul, tired as he was, extended his fireborn aura to ease the girl's
fears.
"They raped me."
Caimbeul stroked her hair and expanded his comfort zone.
"Tell me about it."
"I stayed late at a friend's house. We were stitching wedding clothes for her
sister. As I was walking home, Donald stopped me. He said he wanted to talk to
me. I didn't see the others until they grabbed me and pulled me into a vacant
house."
Her mother put a protective arm around her daughter's shoulders. "They told
her 'only a slut walks alone after dark.'"
The girl nodded. "Six of them raped me and beat me."
"Do you know who they were?" Caimbeul poured a glass of whiskey.
If Truth Dies [Lycan Blood Vol III]
by Janrae Frank
182
"Donald and his brother Keith. Cormic Parry and Iollen
Newell. Preece Malloy and Shalto Beggins."
"They got you pregnant?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you take tansy?"
"We don't believe in abortion," her mother said.
"Thank you for telling me this. Take her to Cahira Sinclair for the birthing.
Her hips aren't wide enough to give birth easily."
"We can't afford a midwife."
"I'll pay for it out of the Indigent Victim's Fund. Get her looked at today."
"I will. Thank you."
Caimbeul thought for a long time after they left. All of this had a tenuous
connection to Malthus through Preece and
Shalto. It was not yet enough to arrest Malthus, but it gave
Caimbeul more to go on.
Page 86
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
* * * *
Malthus' cottage lay on the far west side of the camp, beyond a dense stand of
sheltering forest and almost upon the banks of the Bonnie Draw River. He had
picked this spot for the privacy it gave him. The house was a human style
dwelling and far nicer than the traditional longhouses that were going up
elsewhere on the campgrounds. The large front room served as both kitchen and
living room. Woven rugs covered the hardwood floor in bright patterns. The
deep hearth had a brick baking shelf and an iron rod beneath it to hang a
kettle on. Three cabinets stood against the east wall,
If Truth Dies [Lycan Blood Vol III]
by Janrae Frank
183
the last one catty-corner to a hogshead of mead on a rack. It had two bedrooms
and a study.
Malthus filled a pair of mismatched tankards with mead, and carried it to the
square table in the living area, placing one in front of Preece and the other
at his side of the table.
"I got back yesterday."
"I noticed." Preece propped his elbows on the table with the tankards in his
hand. "You were gone long enough. What happened?"
"A friend of mine was injured in the fire. I stayed until I
was certain that he was out of danger. I'm good to my friends, Preece."
"I'm no one's friend." Preece's voice carried a note of quiet disparagement.
"You're mine. If you got into trouble, I'd get you out."
"That would be a first."
"No one's ever helped you?" Malthus pulled at his oak-leaf beard, wondering
why Preece always became so edgy whenever he made an overture of friendship.
"I've never needed anyone."
"Well, you probably do now."
"What do you mean?"
"Kynyr has proposed to Kady."
"He can't do that! Hereward promised her to me." Temper flared in Preece's
voice and a flicker of emotion reached his usually chill eyes.
"Actually he can. Kady is of age. She and Todd Sinclair petitioned the temple
for a dispensation." Malthus knew he
If Truth Dies [Lycan Blood Vol III]
by Janrae Frank
184
had struck a nerve, because he so rarely saw real feeling in
Preece's manner. It intrigued him.
"So he's fucking her too?"
"No, he filed for the status of guurmondru to her. That means Hereward doesn't
own her any longer."
"Guurmondru? I've never heard of it." Preece recovered his stone-cold mask.
"It means mentor-protector. Kynyr has aced you and
Hereward out."
Preece shrugged, saying in a dead voice, "I'll kill him."
"You can try."
"I'll do it."
"Not without help." Malthus disagreed with a slow shake of his head. "You need
an equalizer."
"Can you provide that?"
"Of course, but it's going to take time. For now, be patient."
"I'm good at that."
Yes, I imagine you are
. Malthus reached into his pocket and brought out a bottle, which he handed to
Page 87
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Preece as another offering to cement their relationship. He could sense the
fire raging beneath Preece's controlled exterior. If he could learn the source
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]