“Out looking at the wards again, weren’t you?”
I smiled ruefully at Thom as I joined him and J.T. near the fire. “What was your first clue?”
“Oh, I don’t know,” he said, smirking as he stood up and came to me. His hand were warm as he cupped my face between his palms. “It could be the red in your cheeks or the fact that you’re wearing two sweatshirts and a winter jacket.”
“Well, the second clue, then.” I grinned and leaned in to kiss him, siding one arm around his waist and squeezing gently. “Someone had to have a look and I figured if I went out early enough, I’d be back before Neve woke up. She and I have been trying to put together some histories based on what she knows and what I know of mythology. It’s been…interesting.”
Thom laughed, smoothing my hair back from my face. “Once a historian…”
“Exactly.” I stole another kiss and stepped back, stripping off my gloves and starting to unzip my coat as I edged closer to the fire. “She wants all the kids we’ll have someday to know what really happened, in case she and Phelan and her brother and Phelan’s sister aren’t here to tell them the stories.”
Thom winced and J.T. shook his head as he poured her a cup of coffee.
“She doesn’t have to worry about that, Mar,” J.T. said as he passed over the mug. “Nothing’s going to happen to any of you while that ghost friend of Phelan’s his hanging around.”
I shuddered at the mention of Ériu and shook my head. “I try not to think about the fact that she’s here. Thanks for reminding me.”
“Sorry.”
I shrugged and sat down next to Thom, shrugging out of my coat. “It’s all right. I just prefer not to think about her, that’s all. It’s weird. I can remember a life when she was my daughter and that’s…more than a little unnerving sometimes.”
“She’s our ally in keeping him in one spot,” J.T. offered, smiling weakly. “As much as she can be, anyhow, being disembodied and all.”
She’s a soul healer. Being disembodied isn’t that large of an impediment to her abilities at this point.
I swallowed bile and leaned against Thom, who wrapped his arm around me.
“What’s wrong, Mar?” he asked, ruffling my hair.
“Rory and I talked about Phelan today,” I said, taking a deep swallow from my cup of coffee.
J.T.’s brows went up. “Is he a new ally in our scheme?”
“He came up with a scheme,” I said. “And I happen to think it’s a good one.”
“Really?” Thom shifted slightly so he could see my face. “What’d he come up with?”
“That we should let him walk—as long as he takes you, Rory, Thordin, and Jac with him.”
Thom stared at me as if I’d grown a second head, his jaw tightening slightly.
“Really. And you think that’s a good idea?”
“I do,” I said softly, straightening. “I absolutely do. And if this is the plan we’re going with, you’re going with him. I don’t trust anyone else to keep the rest of them safe and I don’t trust anyone else to bring them home. It’s you or no one.”
Thom opened his mouth and then closed it again. I reached up and stroked his jaw.
“Don’t have a knee-jerk reaction,” I said. “Think about it, Thom. Think really hard. Then you can tell me that I’m crazy and wrong, but not until you’ve thought it over long and hard.”
He stared at me for a long moment.
Then he nodded and didn’t say anything else on the matter.
