Blood & Flowers by Penny Blubaugh

Author:Penny Blubaugh
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins US
Published: 2011-08-28T04:00:00+00:00

Floss and Bron must have discussed the Reginald situation in more depth than Nicholas, Rohan, and I had. They actually had a plan.

“Fabulous,” said Tonio. “Let’s hear it. Reginald seems to have all too much in common with Major. What works with one might work with the other. I’m all ears.”

We were sitting around a very large, disc-shaped table the color of old putty. It took up a good portion of floor in the middle of the Dau Hermanos dining room.

“Like the Knights of the Round Table,” Nicholas said, looking pleased.

“I,” said El Jeffery, “shall be King Arthur.”

Floss sighed. I could feel it in my feet, it was so deep. “Could we move on?”

“Spoilsport,” the griffin murmured.

She just grinned. “When you decide to play someone other than the king I won’t say a word.”

“Snap,” he said, and she patted his paw.

“Tonio’s right about Reginald and Major,” Floss said, “but Reginald’s dangerous in a different way. Major’s subtle. He has finesse.”

“Reginald’s a boor, a bully. The kind who works on sheer strength and no brain,” Max said, sounding sure of himself. “I’ve met a lot of people like him. They’re actually much harder to deal with than people who think. It’s almost like they’re looking for pain.”

I saw Lucia shiver. I saw Fred’s arm slide around her. I thought that stupid old adage, “out of the fire” blah, blah, blah, wasn’t so stupid, after all. And I asked, “Are we in more trouble than we were before?”

“Not more. Different,” Max said.

“Right. Exactly,” said Bron. “The thing on our side is that Reginald is a known entity. He’s big. He’s easy to spot. And he’s just not that bright. We keep Lucia close to one of us at all times, preferably with someone who’s more fey than not.”

Fred snuggled Lucia close to him. “I volunteer.”

“My, what a surprise,” Bron said, but he smiled when he said it. “You Outlaws,” he continued, “just keep doing whatever it is you do, or planned to do while you were here. You don’t need to be trapped in nothingness because of one troll.”

“And if things progress any further,” said Fred, “Bron and I will have a small chat with him. I’m sure he’ll listen, aren’t you?” The glance he cast at Bron glittered like a finely honed blade.

I actually pulled back a bit, but by the time my shoulders had shifted, Fred’s look was gone. I’d just managed to convince myself that it didn’t mean what I thought it meant when Max reached toward Bron and said, “I could help talk to him.” Bron and Fred clasped hands with Max, their arms like wheel spikes around that big disc table, and I knew my first impression had been the right one. The three of them were like crossed swords, ready for battle.

I almost felt sorry for Reginald.

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