Summer Knight (The Dresden Files #4) - Jim Butcher Page 0,41

price?"

"Its complicated," she said. "But the short version is that I was granted asylum by the Summer Court of the Sidhe."

My stomach dropped about twenty feet.

"I built up a debt to Titania, the Summer Queen, in exchange for her protection. And now its time to pay it off." She took a deep breath. "Theres been a murder within the realms of the Sidhe."

I rubbed at my eyes. "And Titania wants you to be her Emissary. She wants you to find the killer and prove that the Winter Court is to blame. She told you that you would be contacted tonight by Mabs Emissary, but she didnt tell you who it was going to be."

Elaines eyes widened in shock, and she fell silent. We stared at one another for a long moment before she whispered, "Stars and stones." She pushed her hair back from her face with one hand, in what I knew to be a nervous gesture, even if it didnt look it. "Harry, if I dont succeed, if I dont fulfill my debt to her, Im its going to be very bad for me."

"Hooboy," I muttered, "tell me about it. Mabs more or less got me over the same barrel."

Elaine swore quietly. "What are we going to do?"

"Uh," I said.

She looked at me expectantly.

I scowled. "Im thinking, Im thinking. Uh."

She rose and took a few long-legged strides across the living room and back, agitated. "There must be something some way out of this. God, sometimes their sense of humor makes me sick. Mab and Titania are laughing right now."

If Id had the energy, Id have been pacing, too. I closed my eyes and tried to think. If I didnt succeed on Mabs behalf, she wouldnt grant rights of passage to the Council. The Council would judge that I had failed my trial, and theyd wrap me up and deliver me to the vampires. I didnt know the specifics of Elaines situation, but I doubted she had a deal that was any less fatal. My head hurt.

Elaine continued pacing, exasperated. "Come on, Harry. What are you thinking?"

"Im thinking that if this dilemma grows any more horns Im going to shoot it and put it up on the wall."

"I know this will never sink into your head, but this isnt a time for jokes. We need to come up with something."

"Okay. Ive got it," I said. "Get your stuff and come with me."

Elaine reached back to the shadows beside the fireplace and withdrew a slender staff of pale wood, carved with swirling, abstract shapes. "Where are we going?"

I pushed myself up. "To talk to the Council and get their help."

Elaine lifted her eyebrows. "Dont take this the wrong way, Harry, but are you crazy?"

"Hear me out."

She pressed her lips together, but gave me a quick nod.

"Its simple. Were in way over our heads. We need help. Youve got to come out to the Council in any case."

"Says who?"

"Oh, come on. Youre human, Elaine, and a wizard. Thats what is really important to them. Theyll side with us against the faeries, help us figure a way out of this mess."

Elaine twitched at my use of the word, flicking a look around her as if by reflex. "That doesnt sound like the Council Ive heard of."

"Could be that youve heard a skewed point of view," I said.

Elaine nodded. "Could be. The Council Ive heard of nearly executed you for defending yourself against Justin."

"Well, yeah, but"

"They put you on probation under threat of summary execution, and you all but had to kill yourself to get cleared."

"Well, I was all but killing myself anyway. I mean, I didnt do it so that the Council would"

She shook her head. "God, Harry. You just cant see it, can you? The Council doesnt care about you. They dont want to protect you. They will only put up with you as long as you toe the line and dont become an inconvenience."

"Im already inconvenient."

"A liability, then," Elaine said.

"Look, some of the Council have their heads up their rear ends, sure. But there are good people there, too."

Elaine folded her arms and shook her head. "And how many of those good people dont want a thing to do with the Council?"

"Elaine"

"No, Harry. I mean it. I dont want anything to do with them. Ive lived this long without the Councils so-called protection. I think I can muddle through a little longer."

"Elaine, when they find out about you, it needs to be from you. If you come forward, its going to