Depths of Madness - Erik Scott De Bie [88]
With effort, Twilight calmed herself. She'd hurt him without steel. "I have seen you lie once, well enough to deceive me."
Liet grinned. "I've watched you with open eyes and ears." He climbed onto the bed on hands and knees, aiming for her lips. "I lie in your bed. I don't lie in it."
"I'm no stranger to enemies lying to me," she said. "In my bed, to my face, or otherwise." Twilight stared at him levelly. "You're just one more."
She watched his face fall, then a surge of anger. "Like your Uncle Nemesis, eh?"
Twilight felt cold. "Fair even, Liet." She dismissed him with a wave.
The youth's face went pale. He realized once again that he had just said the wrong thing. "I-I didn't mean it," he said, suddenly sad. "It just-ah-"
Twilight slapped him. "Aren't you angry? Do you have a spine, or do you just apologize for everything?" She fended off his damnably comforting hands.
"Why don't you scream at me, or beat me if you want-at least something. Aren't you going to fight for me?" She shoved him off the bed. "Why don't you say something, damn you?"
Liet stared at her, shocked. "I-I'm sorry, I…"
Twilight sighed, the fire in her blood dying down. It was pathetic, but it was endearing. A soft smile came over her face, and she hated herself for it.
"I know," she said. "I'm the one who should be sorry." She felt that way, too.
She reached down to help him up, and her fingers scraped his wrist. Liet gave a shiver but didn't pull away. He looked at her, his eyes so sad and longing…
She pulled away. "I just-" she said. She was shivering. "I just can't do this."
The youth looked at her for a long time. Then he nodded. "I understand." He gave a knight's bow. "Fair eve, for a fair maid."
"Sweet water," she whispered, "and light laughter."
Then he walked away, and Twilight turned to weep as quietly as she could against the wall. No tears came-her eyes were dry.
After a ten-count, she sprang up and pushed the table against the door. No one would intrude-not companion, nor monster, nor nightmare. Not her mysterious attacker, if it even existed. And if it did after all, well, she could die.
That would be all right. Without Liet.
She knew, somehow, that they were done. Some things are not forgivable.
The youth walked away, but he didn't leave.
Sinking against the door, Liet thought about Twilight's drawn, haggard face. Nearly two days without food, and little water, and that mysterious incident that morning had taken their toll on the lovely elf. But her nerves hurt her far worse than that.
The tragedies of the last days, especially the deaths of Asson and Taslin, had struck them all, but none harder than Twilight, who seemed to take full responsibility. And now that her suspicions about the spy had come out, and she had been proven so wrong in an incident that might have condemned their friend…
Liet tried not to think about Twilight going mad before his eyes. He contemplated the others. The way Gargan had stared at Twilight, murderously, still chilled Liet. And Slip-clearly she had been a bit unhinged from the beginning. Ironically, Liet thought the sanest, safest of his companions was the power-hungry, blood-thirsty Davoren.
His hands clenched open and closed. He couldn't get angry, but how could he do anything if he…
It only took the thought of her tears, her shoulders shuddering with repressed strain to stir up pain in his heart and push the anger aside.
Liet promised himself he wouldn't give up-not on her.
CHAPTER Twenty
Are we sure this'll work?" Slip asked, for perhaps the eightieth time.
" 'Twas your plan," Twilight sighed, for perhaps the eightieth time.
"Oh." Slip considered. "Right."
Twilight could tell by the way Davoren's lips moved that he prayed to Asmodeus, perhaps for strength. Having an archdevil on one's side wasn't all bad, she decided. She wouldn't ptay to Erevan. What was the point?
The five had risen after a reasonable amount of sleep. Day was night in the cavern, though Twilight