Part 43 (2/2)
”Leave me,” he whispered.
”And when did you become such a pitiful excuse?” Planting the staff before her, she leaped, using the short bit of applewood to lengthen her distance. Arms stretched, she straightened her legs upward and kicked Ulrich in the gut. The blow released him from the erie. He landed the floor less gracefully than Gossamyr's crouch.
A yelp and a moan clued her the man would survive. She had been rather rough with him of late, poor thing. He deserved only kindness.
”Dragon p.i.s.s!” Ulrich whined. ”When will you see to leaving this poor old man in peace?”
”When you are poor and old and worthy of ignorance. Are you all there?” She pressed a hand to his bare chest. ”Soul...intact?”
”I think so.”
”Did she kiss you?”
”A bit.”
”A bit?”
”Once or twice.”
”Hmm.” She touched his cheek, tilting it to a side. His eyes fluttered, but beneath the nervous lids vivid blue flashed. ”Yet you are still whole.”
”Yet.” Probing over his body with his fingers, Ulrich finally nodded and let out a sigh. ”I may be beaten, Faery Not, but I am far from broken.”
”That is the Ulrich I like to hear.”
Flinging her arms about him, Gossamyr hugged him, drawing him upright to clasp to her chest.
”Faery Not?”
”Yes?”
”You are...hugging me.”
”I know.” And she gasped out a happy sound. ”I would kiss you, as well, but we've more urgent needs.”
”Must we? I could manage a kiss.”
Gossamyr forced their separation, but Ulrich touched her face.
”What of you? I thought you were off to find your father.” His head lolled, but he snapped it level. Remnants of the erie. ”Did you speak to s.h.i.+nn?”
”I did.” Softly, she touched the green bruise on his cheek. That a woman could hurt this man! A charming smile managed to stir up a smile on her face. ”You have taught me much, Ulrich. I do believe that a man can love a child, even if she is not of his blood. s.h.i.+nn thinks love is elusive, but it was love that kept him silent about my mortality. He has always had the mortal pa.s.sion, as have I.”
Two blinks offered a silent agreement. Still woozy from the Red Lady's erie, surely. A film of glimmer purled a trail from the corner of his right eve.
”What be wrong with your eye?”
”Nothing that hurts overmuch. Don't touch it! It seeps...glamour, I think.”
”Glamour?”
”I spoke to s.h.i.+nn, too.”
”My father- When?”
”Mayhap right after you did.”
So s.h.i.+nn had sought Ulrich. There was no reason- ”He took your sight?”
”Just the one eye. Blessings, but I cannot see faeries now. Though, I did see the red b.i.t.c.h, or at least, part of her. There is another whom I cannot see.”
”Avenall.”
”Ah.” He held up a swaying finger. ”Your forgetful lover. Do you count him as your enemy?”
”No.” At the moment she needed any would ally themselves to her. Sure, he stood at the Red Lady's side; but for now- ”Ready for some danger?”
”Does that b.i.t.c.h yet hold the alicorn?”
”She does.”
”Then I'm right behind you.”
”Let's be to it!” Gossamyr dashed out into the hallway and slid to a stop. She glanced back; the soul shepherd rolled to his knees.
”Right behind you!” he called.
The white marble halls twisted into dark curves and long stretches of cold blackness. When Gossamyr felt sure they had pa.s.sed the same horned gargoyle torch, candle held in claw, she turned to find the scent of myrrh drew her forward down the hallway, dark on the end she and Ulrich stood, and bright a short dash onward.
The clomp of hooves alerted them both. Sliding to a halt, Gossamyr pressed back a hand to still Ulrich at her side.
”The unicorn. Slowly, Ulrich. We don't want to frighten it.”
The beast paused at the T at the end of the hall, shook its head and stamped the floor. Tor's brilliant l.u.s.ter illuminated all.
”That be a unicorn?”
”Shh.”
”It's...why, it is but a white horse!”
”Sacrilege! Oh!”
And the beast was off, snorting its displeasure.
”You've chased it off with your unthinking words.”
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