Blood and Snow 7: Seal of Gabriel Read Online Free PDF Page A

showed Devoran the amber teardrop.
    His eyes widened. “Unbelieveable.”
    We walked in silence for a time. I kept the gem in my palm, focusing on its warmth.
    “Abernathy and I have never agreed on much. He is more whimsical with his decisions while I tend to think things through so I can plan for different variables.” He walked beside me, his long fingers clasped behind his back. It still surprsied me to see him so relaxed.
    As with Abernathy I wondered if Devoran would help, or if I would need to find another way.
    “My calculations have determined that you are here to ask for the eternal sight of an elf. Correct?” He raised one highly arched eyebrow in my direction.
    “That’s right,” I answered, between clenched teeth.
    “We can discuss it.” Pointing at a small black unicorn, he changed the subject. “I call the little unicorn, Envy. See the lusterous shine of her coat? The perfect length of her mane? Her violet eyes? Her brothers and sisters hate her for her beauty. More than that, they hate her for her magic. They were awful to her, refused to play or show her any kind of affection. Her mother and father possessed very little magic, and they despised her as well. She was considered the runt. One night her family gave her a sleeping potion. Then they proceeded to break her legs, and tear off her horn. They abandoned her at the edge of our forest. I believe they hoped the phantoms would destroy her. But her magic is very strong.”
    I gasped. That was beyond awful.
    “I sensed her, and brought her here. When she woke she healed herself and now she’s happy and healthy.” The unicorn, sensing Devoran spoke about her, shook her mane, and pranced over to him, pushing her nose against his hand. He smiled, petting her between the eyes, below the small nub where her horn was regrowing. “She is loyal to me to a fault.” Devoran playfully shoved Envy away. “That loyalty could be the death of her.”
    I shivered at his words, though I understood what he meant. It didn’t matter if Devoran’s desires were good or evil, because she was loyal to him, she would do whatever he commanded. That’s how the vampires loyal to Sharra were.
    Beyond Envy’s extrodinary beauty, she seemed kind. As I watched, the unicorn nudged a baby hedgehog over to a patch of clover and kept him company while he ate.
    I realized suddenly that Devoran was stalling, pushing my mind in different directions. I recognized that was his way of deliberating what I wanted.
    After a time, he said, “I will give you what you desire, but you must agree to something first.” He stopped. Several of the creatures raced over to him. He gave each of them some individual attention.
    “What is it?” I asked, finally. If this was the only way to get the eternal sight, I would do it.
    “To give you the sight, I must give , give it to you. And in order to receive it, you must experience the pain and power that comes from such an incredible gift.” 
    “Of course,” I said, bracing myself. I had no idea what he meant, but I was surprised to realize I felt no tension. In fact I didn’t really feel much of anything, except tired.
    “Come, let me direct you to your room. You need some rest.”
    He picked up the pace, and I worked hard to follow. My legs felt like rubber.
    “Excellent.”
     

    … “Her birthday’s coming up. I can’t believe she’s been like this for almost a year. It’s a good thing her dad agreed to bring her home. I think the doctors wanted to run tests, treat her like a lab rat.”
    “I believe they would’ve been shocked at what they discovered. They were already curious about why her body wasn’t breaking down.”
    “She looks the same as she did a year ago. Only her hair is longer.”
    “Vampires age at an abundantly slower rate than humans, son.”
    “Right.”
    “Gabe, come on. Don’t be like this. Talk to me. Tell how everything’s going. Did I hear the rumors right? You captured the Hunter,