Mercedes Lackey & Ellen Guon Bedlam Boyz

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the patio, the light reflected in Nataniel's and Shari's catlike eyes.
As I thought, Nataniel said, a note of satisfaction in his voice. He leaned back in his chair, watching
her. So, what shall we do with you, little girl?
He makes my skin crawl,Kayla thought. I don't know who this guy is, or what he wants with me,
but I don't like the way he looks at me.
Do you think she's strong enough to go against Queen Lilith, my lord? Shari asked quietly.
Nataniel's eyes never left Kayla's face. Possibly. Quite possibly. He steepled his fingers together. I
have a business proposition for you, girl. As I said, I am a banished prince, unjustly exiled from my
homeland. If you're powerful enough, you could help me regain my position in the Unseelie Court. And
I'd reward you greatly. What do you wish for? He spread his hands wide. Cars, jewelry, money,
property . . . anything could be yours. Is there a man that you want? We can make sure that he'll -always
want you, that he'll never even think of anyone else.
Kayla thought about one particular man and his laughing dark eyes. She thought about how she'd feel if
she knew that he'd never leave her, he'd -always love her . . .
No. That's not right. They shouldn't do this to anyone. Playing with people's minds, treating them
like they're toys that's not right.
What what if I don't want to? she asked hesitantly. What if I just want to go home?
Nataniel shrugged. Then you can leave, of course. We won't stop you.
You mean it? Kayla stared at him in surprise.
Of course. He smiled. I'm asking for your help, not demanding it. If you don't want to help me, you
can leave, just walk out the door.
Shari and Nataniel exchanged silent looks. Kayla thought she could hear a whisper of sound in the
silence, something quieter than the waves against the sand, but it was too faint to make out all of the
words. . . .
: . . . through the Door, my lord?:
:If she survives, then she's of value to me. If not, then it makes no difference . . . :
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Kayla decided she didn't like the look in their eyes at all. There was something in the way they were
watching her, as if they were trying not to smile about a joke that she didn't know about.
I'd like to go home and think about it, Kayla said at last. If that's okay by you?
Just walk out the door, girl. We won't stop you, Nataniel said.
It sounded like the best idea yet. Maybe she could get some more information from Shari on the way
home. . . .
Kayla started through the patio door to walk through the house, and stopped in mid-step.
Something was wrong. It was too quiet. It took her a half-second to realize that the sound of the ocean
waves had suddenly stopped.
And it was too dark, as though the streetlights had suddenly gone out, too. She squinted, trying to see
anything in the pitch darkness, and then realized what else was wrong as well.
She was standing on uneven ground, not on the carpeted floor.
Kayla concentrated hard, imagining the blue fire coiling over her outstretched hand, the lines of light
rippling over her fingers. . . .
Her hand brightened with fire, enough to illuminate what was around her. She looked around quickly,
and blinked.
She wasn't standing in the house. It was too dark to see, but she knew that she was Somewhere Else.
Somewhere that smelled of trees and dead leaves and another smell that she couldn't identify, a strangely
foul but sweet smell, like something dead and rotting. And there was something squishy underfoot that
she couldn't identify, either. She stood very still, too startled and scared to move.
The area brightened suddenly with another light, as the full moon emerged from behind the thick dark
clouds overhead, illuminating the trees around with a silvery light.
Trees!
It was a forest, she could instantly see that much. Not a house in Los Angeles, but a forest. A dark,
apparently endless, forest, surrounding her with trees for as far as she could see in the dim light.
Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore,Kayla thought in shock, staring at the forest around her.
Chapter Ten
Kayla stood in a clearing, the damp dark leaves squishing beneath the soles of her sneakers, with a faint
whispering wind through the trees the only sound around her. All she could see was the faint outline of
dead, barren trees in all directions, dripping with slimy-looking ivy and covered with ugly molds. And
nothing else. This forest, whatever and wherever it was, was more desolate than anywhere she'd ever
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seen before.
She leaned against a tree trunk, not wanting to look at the gnarled, wiry shapes of the trees, with long,
sinuous tendrils coiling around the lifeless branches.
Maybe I should just sit down and cry,she thought. No, that won't help anything. I don't know
where in the hell I am, but this sure isn't Los -Angeles anymore.
I've read a lot of books, but none of them had any advice for what to do when some pointy-eared
slimeball dumps you out in the middle of nowhere in the dark! This is probably his idea of a great
joke.
Something was watching her. She turned quickly, only to hear the rustle of branches and the cry of some
forlorn bird, flying away. For a moment it was silhouetted against the moonlight, then she was alone
again.
Well, I can't stand here all night. Might as well pick a direction and start walking.
After a few minutes, she was convinced that she'd picked the wrong direction. But nothing here looked
at all familiar, or even like any other forest she'd heard of, for that matter. Most forests had trees that
looked like they were alive, at least! This forest looked like it had been dead for a long, long time. Dead
and left to rot, she decided.
And there was something else about it, something she couldn't quite put her finger on a feeling that
more was wrong here than just rotting wood, a feeling of malevolence, as though the trees were dead but
the forest was alive. As though there was something else here, hidden beneath the surface, watching her
and laughing to itself. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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