The Unkindest Tide (October Daye #13) - Seanan McGuire Page 0,111
alcohol is concerned.”
“A drink a day keeps the crushing weight of the universe away,” said Liz, with something that actually resembled good cheer.
“Right,” I said. “Mathias, Liz, you should stay here, and stay together. We can’t afford to lose any more clan leaders, not when things are getting ugly. René, will you come with us?”
“What?” said Mathias and Liz, in remarkably close unison.
“Of course,” said René, and started to rise.
Mathias caught his arm, dragging him right back down again. “You will not,” he snapped. He sounded furious. His face told a different story.
He was afraid.
I could understand his reaction. I went through something similar every time I needed to send one of my boys away. Tybalt could take care of himself, and even Quentin wasn’t the helpless courtier that part of me would always insist on seeing him as, but that didn’t stop me from worrying whenever shit was going down and they weren’t close enough for me to watch over. Mathias was a man on the verge of losing everything—his way of life, his people, even the specific nature of his ties to Faerie. Adding René to that list was just one step too far.
“He will,” I said gently. “I need someone who can walk me through the community you have here, however temporary it is, and I can’t take you or Liz.”
“Why not?” he demanded.
“Because maybe Isla was killed because she was convenient, and maybe she was killed because someone held a grudge, but maybe she was killed because someone is targeting Selkie clan leaders, and I’d rather not walk you right into their targeting range.” I shrugged. “Call me weird, but I think the Selkies—Roane, whatever the right term is when this is all over—will do better if they don’t have to deal with their world changing and their leaders dying at the same time. It’s just a thought.”
“It’s not a bad one,” said Mathias. “Don’t . . . please, please. We’re not friends. You have no reason to do anything I ask of you, and every reason to want to see me suffer, but please. Don’t let them hurt him.”
“My lady is not so cruel as you’d imply, and I would be most pleased if you would choose your words more carefully in the future.” Tybalt’s voice was mild. His eyes told a different story. His pupils had narrowed to thin threads against the banded green of his irises, and he looked at Mathias the way a predator looks at a small, scurrying thing; like he was considering how good the other man might taste. “Please do not provoke me.”
“Did you feel like you weren’t getting in your daily quota of being unnecessarily threatening, or are you just showing off for the new people?” I asked.
“Can I vote ‘both’?” asked Quentin.
Tybalt snorted. “I’m allowed to defend your honor. You granted me that right when you accepted my suit. Please don’t take away what small pleasures I can preserve in the face of far more danger than I care to contemplate.”
“Fine, you can threaten people.”
“I appreciate it,” he said, cracking the narrowest line of a smile.
I turned back to Mathias. “Sorry about that: my fiancé is pretty protective. But that means your husband will be walking with a very impatient, very highly-strung King of Cats, and a hero of the realm, and her personal squire. He’ll be as safe as we can make him.”
“Your personal squire, the Crown—”
“Okay, I really need you to stop saying that,” I said. “Please. Quentin is with me on a blind fosterage, and if news of his parentage gets out in the Mists, or news of his location gets out back in Beacon’s Home, it could endanger him and force his parents to call him home. I’m not done training him, and even though it would mean a serious reduction in my grocery bills, I’ve gotten fond of the little jerk. So do me a favor and stop endangering my squire.”
“Or the King of Cats will eat me?” asked Mathias.
“No, but you’ll piss me off, and I’m pretty sure that’s worse.”
“She’s right,” said Quentin. “It’s way worse. I would prefer the flesh wounds.”
“I can’t tell whether I’m being insulted or you’re being flattered,” said Tybalt.
“Again, go with ‘both’ and move on,” I said, keeping my attention on Mathias. “You need to let René go with us. I will do my utmost to guarantee that he stays safe.”
“Let her,” said Liz. “She has a remarkably good track record, all things considered. She almost