A Lick of Frost Read Free Page B

arts look at the watch before you simply remove it.”
    “Why?”
    “He’s worn that watch for years. It may have become a part of his psyche, his mind. To simply remove it could do more harm.”
    Biggs reached for a phone.
    “Why didn’t you say something before he was led away?” Shelby asked.
    “I only now thought of it,” I said.
    “I thought of it before they left,” Doyle said.
    “Why didn’t you speak up?” Cortez asked.
    “It is not my job to protect the ambassador.”
    “It’s everyone’s job to help another human in such a state,” Shelby said, then he looked surprised, as if he’d just heard what he’d said.
    Doyle gave the smallest curl of lips. “But I am not human, and I think the ambassador is weak and without honor. Queen Andais has lodged several complaints with your government about the ambassador. She has been ignored. But even she could not have foreseen such treachery as this.”
    “Treachery of our government against yours?” Veducci asked.
    “No, King Taranis’s treachery against someone who trusted him. The ambassador saw that watch as a mark of high favor, when in fact it was a trap and a lie.”
    “You disapprove,” Nelson said.
    “Do you not also disapprove?” Doyle asked.
    She started to nod and then looked away, blushing. Apparently, even with her jacket turned, she couldn’t help reacting to him. He was worth reacting to, but I didn’t like that she was having this much trouble. The charges would be hard enough without us making the prosecutors blush.
    “What would the king have gained from poisoning the ambassador against your court?” Cortez asked.
    “What have the Seelie always gained from blackening the name of the Unseelie?” I asked.
    “I’ll bite,” Shelby said. “What
have
they gained?”
    “Fear,” I said. “They have made their people fear us.”
    “What did that gain them?” Shelby asked.
    Frost spoke. “The greatest punishment of all is to be cast out of the Seelie Court, the golden court. But it is punishment because Taranis and his nobles have convinced themselves that once you join the Unseelie Court you become a monster. Not just in actions, but in body. They tell their people that they will become deformed if they join with the Unseelie.”
    “You talk like you know,” Nelson said.
    “I was once part of the golden throng, long, long ago,” Frost said.
    “What did you do to earn exile?” Shelby asked.
    “Lieutenant Frost doesn’t have to answer that,” Biggs said. He had stopped fussing with his suit and was back to being one of the best lawyers on the West Coast.
    “Is the answer prejudicial to the charges brought against the other guards?” Shelby asked.
    “No,” Biggs said, “but since the lieutenant is not included in the charges filed, the question is outside the scope of this investigation.”
    Biggs had lied, smoothly, effortlessly; lied as if it were the truth. He actually didn’t know if Frost’s answer would have been prejudicial, because he had no idea why anyone but the three guards in question had been exiled from the Seelie Court. (Though in Galen’s case, he hadn’t been exiled because he’d been born and raised in the Unseelie Court; you can’t be exiled from what you’ve never been a part of.) Biggs had carefully not allowed any questions that might interfere with a linear defense of his clients.
    “This is a very informal proceeding,” Veducci said with a smile. He radiated harmless good-ol’-boy charm. It was a trick, bordering on a lie. He’d researched us. He’d dealt with the courts more than any of the other lawyers. He was either going to be our greatest ally or our most difficult opponent.
    He continued, still smiling and letting us see those tired eyes. “We are all here today to see if the charges that King Taranis filed on behalf of the Lady Caitrin should be followed up with more formal proceedings. Cooperation would give strength to the princess’ guards’ denials.”
    “Since