Nine – 07

Phelan’s fingers tightened around her shoulder even as he reached his free hand back to catch Jacqueline’s hand. “We’re not going to let him go that easily, and he won’t give up the fight, Sif. You know him.”

“He’s so tired,” she whispered, head bowed. “I know it would be easier for him if he just…drifted away.”

“He won’t,” Phelan said, injecting every ounce of conviction he’d ever felt into his voice. Gods and monsters, this is the last thing we need right now. This is worse than Marin or Thom’s angst—worse than mine, too. Damn. “He’s stubborn, Sif, more stubborn than even me.”

She laughed bitterly and shook her head. “Stop trying to comfort me, Wanderer. You’re terrible at it.” She sighed and looked up at him, a tear making a slow trek down her cheek. “Leave us. I’ll call if something changes, though I’m not entirely confident it will anytime soon.”

Jacqueline squeezed Phelan’s fingers as she peered around him at Sif. “We’re doing everything we can, Sif.”

“I know you are,” she said. “And you’re a fine healer, Jacqueline, as is Jameson, but I don’t know that it will be enough. When he—the last—” She broke off, jaw tightening. “Even the last time he faced a lindworm—the sire of the one we faced on the ice—it went badly. We never spoke of it because to speak of it would display weakness that his father found unacceptable and forbade us from revealing, but it nearly killed him then. I don’t know if he was stronger then…or now.”

Phelan winced, dread coiling in his belly.

Probably then, physically. In other ways… He took a deep, slow breath. “It’s going to be okay, Sif.”

“Aye,” she said. “Keep lying to me, Wanderer. Keep lying to me. Perhaps at some point I’ll begin to believe it.”

Gods and monsters, I hope so.

Damn you, Thordin. Don’t make a liar out of me. I’ll drag you back from the other side to kill you myself if you do.

                Gods and monsters—what are we going to do if I’m wrong?

The sick feeling in the pit of his stomach grew as he realized he didn’t have an answer.

Liked it? Take a second to support Erin on Patreon!
Become a patron at Patreon!
This entry was posted in Book 5, Chapter 09, Story. Bookmark the permalink.

Got thoughts?

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.