|
fe8beb1
|
"What have I earned from you, Valek? Loyalty? Respect? Trust?" "You have my attention. But give me what I want, and you can have everything."
|
|
valek
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
ef8399c
|
"Why did Mother ask you to help me rescue Gelsi?" I asked Leif. "She thought I could assist you in some way. Instead, I had tried to-" "Kill me? You can join the 'I Want to Kill Yelena Guild.' I hear they have six members in good standing. Valek is president since he had wanted to kill me twice." --Yelena to Leif"
|
|
leif
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
fa0ceed
|
You're right. And so was my snake.
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
ccc2f05
|
"I want you to have this." He extended his hand. On his palm sat the beautiful butterfly he had carved. Silver spots on the wings glinted in the sunlight, and a silver chain hung from a small hole drilled into its body. Valek looped the necklace around my neck. "When I carved this statue, I was thinking about you. Delicate in appearance, but with a strength unnoticed at first glance." His eyes met mine."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
c8ff62a
|
"Yelena." I halted in the doorway, looking back over my shoulder. "You once said I wasn't ready to believe your reason for killing Reyad. I'll believe you now." "But I'm not ready to tell you," I said and left the room."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
d354daf
|
"How did you--" "Fool your guards? They're not very good. They forgot to check the ceiling for spiders." Valek grinned. His angular face softened. Startled, I realized he wasn't in disguise. "This is dangerous." "I knew falling for you was dangerous, love."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
976d99d
|
"It's a dirty way to fight, but I'm late for lunch." - Valek to Yelena"
|
|
fantasy
humor
valek
yelena
fight
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
1e0634a
|
"Valek leaned back in his chair and said to me, "I don't think I would have made it past the audition,Yelena. I probably would have set my hair on fire by this point." "What's a singed head for the sake of art?" I teased. He laughed."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
a8a05c0
|
I balled my hands into tight fists to keep them from wrapping around Mr. I-Know-Everything's superior neck.
|
|
valek
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
1a3f0b6
|
"A little present from my run-in with a sword. Or should I say from when the sword had a run-in with me?" His eyes lit up. "Want to see the scar? It's cool." He started pulling his shirt out of his pants. "Janco," Ari warned. "We're not supposed to be fraternizing with the Sitians." "But she's not Sitian. Right, Yelena? You haven't gone south on us, have you?" Janco's voice held mock horror. "Because if you have I can't give you your present." I took my switchblade out, showing the inscription to Janco. "What about 'Sieges weathered, fight together, friends forever'? Does that change if I become an official southerner?" Janco rubbed the hair on his chin, considering. "No," Ari said. "You could change into a goat and it would still apply."
|
|
janco
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
c33ae8d
|
You look like hell,' he said to me in a low voice. 'Gee, Dax, don't coat it with honey. Tell me what you really think,' I said.
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
80f43a4
|
"Anything else you want to tell me?" I asked Valek as we stopped a few feet short of the castle's south entrance. "Did Ari and Janco set me up for Nix's attack? Do you have another test of loyalty for me up your sleeve? Maybe the next time, I'll actually fail. A prospect that seems appealing!" I pushed away Valek's supporting arm. "When you warned me that you would test me from time to time, I thought you meant spiking my food. But it seems there is more than one way to poison a person's heart, and it doesn't even require a meal."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
7a310a2
|
"Before Kiki and I headed toward the Keep, I thanked my friends. "For what? We didn't do anything," Janco grumbled. "For caring enough to follow my guards. And the next time, I might need the help." "There better not be a next time," Ari said, giving me a stern look. "How touching," Janco said, pretending to wipe his eyes. "Get going, Yelena. I don't want you to see me cry." He faked a sniffle. "I'm sure your ego can handle it," I said. "Or will you need to beat up some trainees to feel like a man again?" "Very funny," he said."
|
|
janco
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
40e0633
|
"In the end, only Leif believed that you were still alive. He thought you might be hiding somewhere, playing a game. As the rest of us grieved, Leif searched the jungle for you day after day." "When did he finally stop?" I asked. "Yesterday." --
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
50df471
|
Besides, thinking kind thoughts about Valek could be extremely dangerous. I could admire his skills, and be relieved when he was on my side in a fight. But for a rat to like the cat? That scenario ended only one way. With one dead rat.
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
986137e
|
"I'd better get going or Valek will be wondering where I am." "Yes, by all means go. I noticed you and Valek have become close. Tell him, for me, not to kill anybody, will you?" Sarcasm rendered Rand's voice sharp. I lost control and slammed the oven door shut. It echoed in the quiet kitchen. "At least Valek has the decency to inform me when he's poisoning me,"
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
42c9bbb
|
"If you don't come back to the Keep, then I'll be right. And every time you see me, I'll be insufferably smug." "And how's that different from now?" He laughed and I could see the young carefree boy he had been in his eyes. "You've only had a small glimpse of how insufferable and annoying I can be. As the older brother, it's my birthright."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
c1b8e96
|
"Pretty stupid," I called after his retreating form. "To give up before all possible solutions have been tried."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
b130348
|
"Do you really want to know why you lost?" I asked. "Do you really have an answer?" he countered. "You need to get off your horse and run with your men. You don't have the stamina for a long fight. And find a lighter sword." "But it was my uncle's." "You're not your uncle." "But I'm the King, and this is the King's sword," Cahil said. His brows creased together. He seemed confused. "So wear it to your coronation," I said. "If you use it in battle, you'll be wearing it to your funeral," I said."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
9ec93c0
|
"Reviewing our fight, I asked Janco, "Why do you rhyme when you fight?"
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
b992cd3
|
"Run," he whispered. "Run." "No, Rand," I said, brushing the dirt from his face. "I'm tired of running." "Forgive me, please." He clutched my hand as his eyes beseeched me through tears of pain. "You're forgiven." He sighed once, then stopped breathing. The shine in his brown eyes dulled. I pulled his hood over his head."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
6ed5ed5
|
When you warned me that you would test me from time to time, I thought you meant spiking my food. But it seems there is more than one way to poison a person's heart, and it doesn't even require a meal.
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
dc9a7f5
|
"I shook my head at Janco. "I've got the situation under control. Go back to the Keep, I'll meet you there." Janco stared at me in astonished silence. Ari, though, trusted me. "Come on, she doesn't need our help." Ari sheathed his sword. Janco recovered. He flashed me one of his mischievous grins. "I'll bet you a copper that she'll be free in five minutes," he said to Ari. Ari grunted in amusement. "A silver on ten minutes," he countered.
|
|
valek
janco
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
48d37e9
|
Valek coalesced from the shadows and wrapped me in his long lean arms. I soaked in his musky smell, listening to his heart beat. Strong and steady. No indication that he had been sneaking around.
|
|
valek
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
771257a
|
In keeping with his cryptic nature, all your Story Weaver said was 'The horses know where to go.' It's certainly not a military strategy I would use, but I've learned that the south uses its own strategy. And, strangely enough, it works.
|
|
story-weaver
leif
valek
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
c0d5145
|
"Your path is clear," said Moon Man. "You need to find it." And the best way to find something you had lost was to return to the last place you remembered having it. In my case, I needed to start at the very beginning."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
f9ce9c0
|
"Rand rubbed his hands over his face. His anger had dissipated. "I'm sorry, Yelena. I was backed into a corner and I couldn't get out without hurting someone."
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
5eeaa39
|
"Ghost?" I asked. Moon Man pointed to Valek. "Kiki's name for him. It makes sense," he said, seeing the look of confusion on my face. "To magical beings, we see the world through our magic. We see him with our eyes, but cannot see him with our magic. So he is like a ghost to us." Valek listened to Moon Man. Although expressionless, I could tell by the rigid set to Valek's shoulders that he was prepared to strike. "Another relative?" Valek asked. A broad smile stretched Moon Man's lips. "Yes. I am her mother's uncle's wife's third cousin."
|
|
valek
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
e72117f
|
You've slipped under my skin, invaded my blood and seized my heart.
|
|
posion-study
valek
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
bc8c234
|
"Can you be an assassin without killing anyone?" Onora shot her an odd look. "I ... don't know. I don't think so." "Is there a name for people who have those skills?" Mara asked. "Yes. Dangerous," I said. Mara rubbed her hands together as a gleam lit her eyes. "Oh, I like that. I want to be dangerous."
|
|
chronicles-of-ixia
leif
mara
onora
sitia
valek
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
fc9a88d
|
(...) Le tire de la camisa, queriendo besa su piel. El se aparto y se irguio. -?En la sala de guerra, amor? ?Y si entra alguien? Yo me puse en pie y le quite la camisa. -Entonces tendran una historia muy buena que contar. -?Una historia muy buena? - dijo el, y fingio que se ofendia. -Demuestrame lo contrario. A el se le iluminaron los ojos con el desafio.
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |
|
1743045
|
"I left Kiki in the yard, and fetched my pick and brushes. She lifted her leg and I dislodged the stone then pulled the shedding blade through her copper hair. After a while, I removed my cloak. When I finished, clumps of horse hair clung to my sweaty clothes. You're beautiful and I need a bath, I said to her. Pasture or stall? Stall. Nap time.
|
|
yelena
|
Maria V. Snyder |