“Shadowspawn.”
Seamus sighed, nodding. Neve’s voice was flat and her expression was dark—darker than he’d ever seen it.
That didn’t bode well for him at all and he knew it.
“How far out where you?” Neve asked.
She’d dragged him out into the snow when all he’d wanted to do was sit down by the fire and work some of the soreness out of his muscles. Leinth hadn’t seen fit to rescue him yet, either, though she’d muttered something about getting him a bath when Neve had dragged him out here, into the fading sunshine and a stiff, chilly breeze.
This wasn’t what he’d hoped for when they returned, but it was certainly close to what he’d expected. He just really hadn’t expected his sister to be the one interrogating him.
“Who sent them, Seamus? What were they, really?”
“I’m still trying to figure it out on both counts,” he murmured, scrubbing a hand over his face. “If I knew, don’t you think I’d say something?”
“Do they know that you don’t know?”
He winced and shook his head. “No. No, they don’t. You’re not going to tell them, either. I just…”
“You just what?” Neve started to pace, her arms crossed tightly beneath her breasts. “You just what, Seamus?”
“I just need time,” he snapped. “Déithe agus arrachtaigh, Neve, settle the hell down. Can’t you give me time to think?”
“I don’t know that we have that kind of time, Seamus.” She pressed her lips tightly together. “Something hit Cariocecus just outside our wards.”
“I know. I heard.”
“Did anyone tell you that Phelan’s gone half crazy, too?”
Seamus snorted. “He’s always—”
“I’m serious. This isn’t a joke, not this time. Something’s affecting him. Anselm saw it, Seamus. The Wild Hunt knows that something isn’t right with him right now.”
Seamus grimaced. “Even if Anselm knows, that doesn’t mean the whole Hunt knows. He’s wise enough to know when to keep things close to the vest.”
“Are you willing to bank on that?”
Seamus rubbed at his temple. “Yes.”
“You don’t sound certain.”
“I’m certain,” Seamus said, fighting not to grind his teeth. “You have to trust them, Neve.”
“I do trust them,” she whispered. “I trust you. It’s the rest of the world outside of this place that I don’t trust. Not one bit.”
Seamus stared at his sister and sighed. “Too many times betrayed.”
She nodded slowly. “And it’s only going to get worse.”
Neve turned and started walking back into the tents.
So, the dang place is “on edge”. I’m thinking they all need to pay attention to the nervous, edgy ones. If that many feel something isn’t right.. I’m guessing it isn’t.
I’ve been packing to move so I am short on time. Just want you to know I appreciate your writings and thank you for the posts.
“On edge” is is one of the way of putting it. “Just had enough now!” is another way.
BTW:
“How far out where you?” Neve asked.
where/were?