The Price of Friendship
A Round Robin Story


BY: Ravens, Inc Authors
Chapter Twenty-Eight Written By: Archangel

Disclaimer: The characters created by Laurell K Hamilton used in this story are hers. We are merely borrowing them to explore our own writing ideas. No copyright infringement is intended. Please do not sue, we are doing this for our own amusement only, and for the enjoyment of our members. This story may not be posted anywhere else without the consent of all involved in writing it.

Rating for this posting: PG 


Barinthus walked back into the storeroom.  There, Andais was laying 
on the floor.  Cel knealt next to Rory's headless body, crying.  
Barinthus strode over to stand beside him.
 
"Come on, now, boy,"  he said gruffly, putting a hand on Cel's 
shoulder.  "We need to get your mother out of here before she comes 
to.  Call the black coach."
 
Cel looked up at Barinthus.  "I killed him.  I killed Rory,"  he 
sobbed.
 
Barinthus nodded, a tear in his eye.  He could remember when the two 
had been children, not yet twisted by life at the Court.  He could 
remember teaching them to fish, and about the seas. 
"There is nothing we can do, now, Cel.  We have to go, and
regroup.  Frost and Doyle will meet us.  Then we can come back and 
kill the one truely responsible for this.  Call the Black Coach."
 
Cel nodded and stood.  "Goodbye, my friend.  I will kill Kevames for 
you."  He moved away from the body, and said the cantation that 
called the Coach.

Barinthus picked up Andais.  Together, he and Cel walked out the door 
into the early morning.  The coach was waiting.

"You need to drive, Cel.  I do not know where the apartment is."

Cel got into the front of the car.  Barinthus layed Andais across one 
of the back seats, and sat down across from her. 

As Cel pulled out onto the main highway, Andais moaned, and then 
sat up.

"Where am I?  Barinthus?  What trickery is this?" Andais' voice rose 
with each word.

Internally, Barinthus cringed.  'This is going to be a long trip into 
St. Louis' he thought.

Outloud, he said, "My Queen, we are headed to St. Louis.  Your son is 
driving.  The two of you were in danger.  Allow me to explain," he 
added quickly as Andais opened her mouth.

"Very well."  

When Barinthus was finished, Andais stared at him, stunned.

"The king of the shining throng has alot of explaining to do,"  she 
said.  "But this must be handled in such away to avoid a war.  Let us 
think, Barinthus.  The two of us are the most politically minded of 
the Unseelie."

The two sat in silence the rest of the way to St. Louis, both of them 
thinking up and then disregarding plans.


INDEXor NEXT CHAPTER