All the air left her lungs as she stood next to her brother, staring blankly at her cousin. “Seamus,” she whispered. “Déithe agus arrachtaigh, you’re alive. What are you doing here?”
“You sound surprised,” he said, a wry twist to his lips as he came to hug her tightly. “The only one of us that isn’t here is Teague, it seems.”
“Neve’s here?” Aoife looked between the two men, her brows knitting. “Déithe, how did that happen?”
“Luck or fate,” Phelan said, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket, his staff caught in the crook of his arm. “I’m not entirely certain at this point, but there’s a reason out there in the universe.”
Aoife studied him for a moment. He did look well—better than she’d expected, all things considered. He was thinner than she thought he should be, though, and paler as well. She chewed the inside of her lower lip, watching him even as he watched her. Seamus watched her as well, though only for a moment before he looked beyond her at someone else.
Gray. Aoife gulped down a breath and turned, shooting her mud-spattered companion an apologetic smile. “Sorry,” she whispered as she reached for his hand.
He shook his head even as he took her hand. “It’s okay. You were understandably a little busy.” His gaze flicked from her to Phelan and then to Seamus, one brow climbing higher and higher toward his hairline. “Gentlemen. My apologies for the interruption.”
Seamus crossed his arms. “Friend of yours, Aoife?”
She felt a blush creep across her cheeks. “You could say that.” Breathe. Just breathe. This will go just fine—absolutely fine. “This is Gray Miller. Gray, meet my cousin Seamus and my brother Phelan.”
Gray nodded to them. “It’s nice to finally meet you both.”
Phelan smiled crookedly. “We’ll see about that. Give me a few days and you’ll want to strangle me just like everyone else.” He pivoted on a heel. “Come on. Let’s get you two fed and cleaned up and you can meet the rest.”
“The rest?” Aoife echoed.
“Mmhm. The rest.” Phelan grinned over his shoulder at them and started walking.
Well, Phelan isn’t totally oblivious to his charm…..
Whose charm would that be?
Phelan apparently realizes the effect he has on people:
Phelan smiled crookedly. “We’ll see about that. Give me a few days and you’ll want to strangle me just like everyone else.”