Read Online A Circle of Celebrations: The Complete Edition by Jody Lynn Nye - Free Book Online
Authors: Jody Lynn Nye
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years. Pride had not even suspected it. He withdrew his influence wherever he could, so the combatants weren’t acting out of mere ego, but it didn’t dampen a single temper. He had to find Anger.
He was in the middle of a huge crowd brawling in the middle of the square. Police on horseback were trying to drive them away, but they were not backing down.
“Anger!” Pride shouted. “Stop! Midnight has struck!”
Anger’s eyes were glowing red. He stood with fists clenched, as though he was unaware of the mayhem around him. Pride tried to reach him, but Anger was concentrating too deeply.
“Someone wake him up,” he ordered.
Lust, Gluttony, Envy and Greed looked at once another.
“Oh, hell’s doormat, all right,” said Sloth. A wave of relaxation flowed out of the tubby form, causing fighting humans all around them to drop their fists and back away, panting. Anger’s eyes faded to their normal russet color.
“What took you so long?”
Pride drew himself up haughtily and glared.
“What did you do?” he demanded. “You’re ruining Mardi Gras! These mortals were supposed to have one final, joyful evening then spend tomorrow on their knees, for their souls’ sake! It should have started already!” He pointed at the clock, which showed ten past midnight.
“ I want them on their knees,” Lust said, grinning ferally.
“Shut up,” said Envy. Pride knew how hard it was for her to find a mate. She was never satisfied with the ones she found, always feeling that someone better was not far away.
“This is a powder keg,” Anger said, and Pride could tell that, perversely, he was enjoying it. “These people are almost more furious than they were in the race riots in Los Angeles. Or the Taiwanese parliament! Or the French Revolution!” He leered with pleasure.
Pride smacked him across the face. Anger gaped. “Snap out of it! This is out of control. It will become the French Revolution in a while. What happens when all the parties in the hotels and pubs end and the riverboats dock, and the guests try to go home? Through this? Bring it to an end! You know the laws. Divine retribution will follow, not only for these mortals, but for us! We will cease to exist in this place. We don’t belong here any longer. Can you see what is building here? Can you hear them?” Pride exclaimed. “They’ll burn this city to the ground. They deserve better than another disaster. Let their emotions return to normal levels.”
Envy was scornful. “Deserve? Since when does deserve lead to get ?”
“Always!” screeched Greed. “Always!”
Pride sighed. The problem with Sins was that each of them had their own agenda. He always held himself as their unofficial leader, but that hierarchy could be turned in a moment. Anger was poised to take command from him.
“It will fade,” Anger said, but he looked uncertain. “It is fading.”
A wild scream interrupted them. Men near them sprang apart as a body in their midst fell to the ground. A knife was planted in its chest. Blood bubbled from the terrible wound. The victim gasped vainly for his life. Police clubbed their way through to the scene of the murder. More fights were breaking out over whose fault it was. Pride set his lips in a grim cast.
“End it. End it now. Dawn is coming.”
“Don’t lecture me!”
“They’re your followers. You’re responsible for them. And you asked for our help.”
Anger glared at him, but nodded. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Pride could sense it as the Manifestation withdrew his influence. His own temper cooled to its ordinary placid dignity. He looked around, waiting for calm to overtake the crowd.
It didn’t. The fighting raged on with the same intensity. The Manifestations were surrounded by faces running with blood, and more pointless arguments erupted. A loud crash sounded from the end of the square, and Greed let out a shriek.
“They are destroying the stores! They aren’t stealing, they are ruining! What a
He was in the middle of a huge crowd brawling in the middle of the square. Police on horseback were trying to drive them away, but they were not backing down.
“Anger!” Pride shouted. “Stop! Midnight has struck!”
Anger’s eyes were glowing red. He stood with fists clenched, as though he was unaware of the mayhem around him. Pride tried to reach him, but Anger was concentrating too deeply.
“Someone wake him up,” he ordered.
Lust, Gluttony, Envy and Greed looked at once another.
“Oh, hell’s doormat, all right,” said Sloth. A wave of relaxation flowed out of the tubby form, causing fighting humans all around them to drop their fists and back away, panting. Anger’s eyes faded to their normal russet color.
“What took you so long?”
Pride drew himself up haughtily and glared.
“What did you do?” he demanded. “You’re ruining Mardi Gras! These mortals were supposed to have one final, joyful evening then spend tomorrow on their knees, for their souls’ sake! It should have started already!” He pointed at the clock, which showed ten past midnight.
“ I want them on their knees,” Lust said, grinning ferally.
“Shut up,” said Envy. Pride knew how hard it was for her to find a mate. She was never satisfied with the ones she found, always feeling that someone better was not far away.
“This is a powder keg,” Anger said, and Pride could tell that, perversely, he was enjoying it. “These people are almost more furious than they were in the race riots in Los Angeles. Or the Taiwanese parliament! Or the French Revolution!” He leered with pleasure.
Pride smacked him across the face. Anger gaped. “Snap out of it! This is out of control. It will become the French Revolution in a while. What happens when all the parties in the hotels and pubs end and the riverboats dock, and the guests try to go home? Through this? Bring it to an end! You know the laws. Divine retribution will follow, not only for these mortals, but for us! We will cease to exist in this place. We don’t belong here any longer. Can you see what is building here? Can you hear them?” Pride exclaimed. “They’ll burn this city to the ground. They deserve better than another disaster. Let their emotions return to normal levels.”
Envy was scornful. “Deserve? Since when does deserve lead to get ?”
“Always!” screeched Greed. “Always!”
Pride sighed. The problem with Sins was that each of them had their own agenda. He always held himself as their unofficial leader, but that hierarchy could be turned in a moment. Anger was poised to take command from him.
“It will fade,” Anger said, but he looked uncertain. “It is fading.”
A wild scream interrupted them. Men near them sprang apart as a body in their midst fell to the ground. A knife was planted in its chest. Blood bubbled from the terrible wound. The victim gasped vainly for his life. Police clubbed their way through to the scene of the murder. More fights were breaking out over whose fault it was. Pride set his lips in a grim cast.
“End it. End it now. Dawn is coming.”
“Don’t lecture me!”
“They’re your followers. You’re responsible for them. And you asked for our help.”
Anger glared at him, but nodded. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Pride could sense it as the Manifestation withdrew his influence. His own temper cooled to its ordinary placid dignity. He looked around, waiting for calm to overtake the crowd.
It didn’t. The fighting raged on with the same intensity. The Manifestations were surrounded by faces running with blood, and more pointless arguments erupted. A loud crash sounded from the end of the square, and Greed let out a shriek.
“They are destroying the stores! They aren’t stealing, they are ruining! What a
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