Some broken glass tinkled to the floor, and the stone tumbled down and bounced off of my foot before it came to rest on the floor. Thomas produced his pistol, and Mac’s shotgun snapped up to his shoulder. There was a sharp sound, a sudden motion, and a stone sailed through one of the faceted panes of glass on the door. “Someone doesn’t want anybody seeing or hearing what happens in here.” I could hear three people breathing a little harder than they normally would, a creaky ceiling fan, and that was about it. The sounds of the city outside had vanished. Anyone in Winter who violated Mab’s treaty would be thrilled to die before she was through with them.” “They’re called the Unseelie Accords,” I said. “It isn’t the faeries, is it?” Thomas asked. I blanked for a second and then said, “Oh, Brighter Future Society.” It’s practically the only thing they’ve really agreed on.” “Every time they’ve gotten close to this place, the BFS came down on them like an avalanche. “What about these Fomor I’ve heard about?” It had a folding stock and barely enough of a barrel to qualify as a hunting piece. We both stood up and faced the door.īehind us, Mac reached under the bar and came out with a pistol-grip shotgun made of black composite material. There just weren’t all that many reasons someone would blanket an area with mist-to conceal an approach. “We didn’t have any this morning,” I said. Doesn’t the fog usually burn off in the morning?” Or at least, it would have been if the exterior hadn’t been blanketed by a thick grey mist. The glass on the top half of the door was faceted and partly frosted, but it was clear enough to give you a blurry image of whoever was standing outside the door. I trailed off, glancing at Mac, who was staring at the door to the pub, frowning.
#BURNS AND MAC GLASSDOOR FREE#
I pretty much always feel free to do that.” Thomas nodded very seriously, but his eyes sparkled. Until then, feel free to slap me around a bit if you think I need it.” “When I get done sprinting from one forest fire to the next, I’ll . . .
I had to learn to recognize that influence before someone got hurt. It had driven Lloyd Slate, just as it had several other Winter Knights over the years. That was part of Winter, too-hunger and lust, a need for heat in the darkness. I’d been forcing myself to look away from Molly all morning. You’ve always been good at keeping things right between the two of you, even though she’s carrying a torch the size of a building. I think that part sent her away from you for a damned good reason. I frowned down at my empty bottle of ale. And you will hurt her, one way or another.” If you do, they’ll catch you off guard some night. You can’t just ignore those instincts, man. “If you don’t recognize what’s motivating you and control it, you will.
“You think I’m going to attack her when she goes to sleep?” “I tried going into denial like that when I was about fifteen. “No,” I said, my voice getting cold again. It makes us take notice because tired prey is easy prey.” He leaned forward, putting one arm on the table. “When she yawns, she’s showing us that she’s tired. I didn’t want what Thomas was saying to be true. You look at her, and I can see the calculations running. “And you’re looking at Molly like she’s food.” “So I recognize it in others when I see it.” Then he said, quietly, “I want to suggest something to you. Thomas hadn’t reacted in any way, to my snarl, my anger, or my apology. “Sorry,” I said a moment later, and opened my eyes. That was the mantle of Winter talking through me. Molly was mine, and I would be damned if some chisel-jawed White Court pretty boy was going to. Some part of me was furious at Thomas for questioning my decision regarding my apprentice. The anger surprised me, but it bubbled and seethed still. I hadn’t meant for the words to come out that cold, that hard. “Molly’s not too shabby herself,” Thomas said. He’s used to glamour, he can defend against it, and he’s smart.” “She’s come a long way-but Fix is exactly the wrong kind of threat for her to mess with. “I think she won’t give him much choice,” I said. “I noticed,” my brother drawled, “that you didn’t leave her a way to contact you.” Thunder rumbled over the lake, but no rain fell. Then I closed it again and came back inside. I opened it and glanced out, as though scanning suspiciously for anyone’s approach. I stood up and crossed the room to the door. “You’re going to just send her out there alone?” Then I slid it to Thomas, who tucked the napkin away in a pocket. I glanced at it, read it, and memorized it.