Seventeen – 07

The girl’s ghost vanished from sight.  A wolf’s howl echoed in the distance, closer than the last.  Leinth’s mirth abruptly vanished as her sharp-eyed gaze turned in that direction.
“They’re coming for you, Wanderer,” she said.  “Invite me behind your wards.”
“What?” he blurted, staring at her in shock.  “You want me to what?”
“Invite me beyond your wards!  You can’t hope to stand against them alone.  I can help.”
Phelan stared at her in absolute shock and horror.
“Damnation, Wanderer!  Phelan, I want to help you!  Is that so hard for you to believe?”
Yes, damn it all!  It absolutely is hard for me to believe that you actually want to help me.  No one ever really does–except for blood, except for Thordin.  You’re none of that.
“I loved your cousin, Phelan.”  She came to the very edge of the wards, the shimmering line that was visible to his second sight.  “I know that’s hard for you to accept, even to believe, but I did.  I loved Seamus and he would want me to help you.  He would want this.”
“Fuck,” the curse dropped from his lips as his fingers tightened around the haft of his staff.  He gave a sharp nod.  “If you try something funny, I will end you.”
She gave him a wry, fleeting smile.  “Understood, Wanderer.  Understood.”
He extended his hand to her.  “Come in.”
Her thin, small hand fit into his and she stepped within the wards.  A blast of chill wind howled past them as she stepped close to him, close enough that for half a moment they shared a breath.
Phelan reared back.  “What are you–”
“Nothing,” she said softly.  “Absolutely nothing.”  Her fingers flexed, squeezed his hand.  “You’ll live through this night and you’ll do something for me, Wanderer.”
“You want me to find Seamus.”
“I want you to save Seamus.”
Phelan shuddered as another howl echoed, even closer this time.  “One miracle at a time, Leinth.  One miracle at a time.”

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