Hey Everyone!! :-)
I thought I'd leave you with a little philosophical debate to ponder for the weekend. ;-) Enjoy!
Excerpt from Intrigue in the Summer Court:
Cassie gave her Anamchara an arch look. "Do you think you scared her enough?" she softened the implied rebuke with a smile.
The Erlking grimaced. "I hope so."
Taking his hand and looking up at him seriously, Cassie said, "Do you really think Angelica will try to harm Jillian?"
Cadeyrn sighed and pulled her against his body. "I'm not certain. She's quite old, and Fae that old often have a hard time not trying to turn any situation to their own advantage...regardless of what the consequences to others might be. I know you've researched our history, so you know that Fairie used to be quite different from the way it is now. It's not uncommon for Fae who came into existence during that time to have trouble adjusting their mindset to better fit our current social structure. Jillian is wise, and she's old enough to have lost most of her naivety, but she doesn't have the perspective that hundreds of millennia will lend one. Also, her magic doesn't come close to comparing with the power wielded by that Pixie. I wanted to make sure Angelica realized the consequences should Jillian come to harm as a result of her actions, or her failure to take action."
"You make Fae who are old sound as though they are all selfish and opportunistic. You're not like that, and I've met others who are old who don't seem to only be concerned about themselves."
He smiled and leaned down to kiss her. "Thank you, but the goddess created me to be an instrument to aid in creating the changes she wanted for Fairie. The others you've met have adjusted well to the changes. Some people are more flexible than others. If you asked one of the Fae I'm speaking of, they wouldn't consider themselves to be selfish or opportunistic, only survivors. When the world is a harsh place, a certain amount of toughness and self-interest are needed to survive. What might seem callous in the context of a more forgiving environment, becomes an admirable, strong-willed determination to protect oneself from harm."
"You mean when times are hard, kindness becomes a luxury you can't afford? I don't think I buy that argument. I think it's possible to still be a good person, even when life is difficult."
"Ah, but isn't 'good person' a moral judgment? By what standard of morality would you judge them?"
"The standard agreed upon by society."
Laughing, he hugged her tighter. "Has any society ever truly agreed on a standard of morality? Doesn't the location of the line often depend on who you ask, and what mood they happen to be in at that moment? And doesn't it tend to move with alarming regularity?" He winked at her. "Besides, by the standards of the 'society' that existed when they were created, these Fae are 'good people.' They're good at surviving and taking care of themselves."
Cassie pushed away from her mate, glared up at him, and put her hands on her hips. "But isn't part of being a 'good survivor' being able to adapt to your environment? If society has changed, shouldn't they change also?"
"Again, it depends on your perspective. If you are an individual who is only concerned with your own survival in a society of individuals who are concerned about collective survival, you have a competitive advantage, don't you?"
"Yeah, until the rest of them get together and kick you out."
Smiling, the Erlking bowed to her. "Which is what I wanted to make clear to Angelica. This way, it is to be hoped, she will think the matter through to all of the consequences if there comes a point when it might seem expedient for her to sacrifice Jillian."
Sighing, Cassie shook her head ruefully. "I never seem to win an argument with you, do I? It still seems an extremely machiavellian way of looking at the world."
Cadeyrn laughed. "I enjoy our philosophical debates. You always have an interesting perspective on things. I met the human Machiavelli; he would have made a good Fae."
Casting a sharp look at her mate, Cassie asked doubtfully, "You're joking. You didn't really meet the Niccolo Machiavelli, did you?"
"I did. As you know, we Fae have the ability to magically call to us the text from any book written. When such a Fae-like manuscript was discovered, my curiosity got the better of me and I had to meet the human who wrote it. He wasn't aware that I wasn't human, of course."
She stared at him in disbelief. "You're serious."
He nodded.
"That's incredible! You have to tell me all about him."
The Huntsman smiled. "I would be happy to continue this discussion at another time," his eyes darkened predatorily, "but I believe we were in the process of finding an appropriate venue for some afternoon delight. Unless your taste with regards to exhibitionism has changed, I think the garden is too public an area. Perhaps we should return to our quarters?" He extended his arm to her.
Want to find out what happens next? Grab your copy at the link below. Happy reading! :-)
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