Forty-seven – 05

[This post is from Matt’s point of view.]

“I need you up here,” Thom said, his voice quiet but just loud enough that the words reached Matt. He gestured toward the spot between he and Thordin on the wall. Matt took a deep breath, squeezing his injured hand into a fist and wincing slightly at the sting.

J.T. grasped his arm and slapped a bit of gauze against the wound. Matt was too startled to pull away, and J.T. was fast with the tape he wound around Matt’s hand.

“Shouldn’t interfere with your grip,” J.T. said, meeting Matt’s gaze. Matt shivered as he realized that Jay’s eyes were as haunted as his own.

But what does he know that we don’t?

“Get up there,” J.T. said, nodding toward the wall. “Hurry.”

Matt swallowed hard and nodded, scrambling toward the perch he so often occupied, the one next to Thom. His warhammer bumped gently against his back as he climbed, a reassuring weight against his spine.

At least I’ve got something.

It was a lie he told himself—there was more than just the weapon on his back. He could feel the long-forgotten talent of his soul, the one that Cíar had tried not to use after his rescue from the Wild Hunt, from his own madness.

As if he knew that it would make him a target. Is that why I’ve tried to deny it for so long?

It wasn’t a question he needed to ask—he knew why he’d tried to deny it.

Fear.

Leinth’s voice jarred him from his thoughts. “Thom, the flag.”

Matt hauled himself up onto the top of the wall as Thom leaned forward, squinting through the rain to see a faint square of white out in the distance, deep within the lines.

“Shit,” Thom muttered, shifting his weight as if readying to climb down. Matt reached out to grasp his arm.

“They don’t want to talk to us,” Matt said.

Thom froze. “You mean—”

“They did come for her, Thom,” Thordin said softly.

“They came for Matt, too.”

Matt winced and shook his head slowly. “They’re not stupid. They know if they get her—” he broke off, his throat getting tight. He couldn’t say the words that came to mind and then immediately evaporated.

“They’ll have a way to get to you, too,” Sif said quietly, staring at him. Her gaze flicked toward Thordin for a moment, then back to Matt. “And you both know it.”

“And just made it worse,” Seamus said, his voice low.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Thom asked, his face still pale.

Matt winced.

“They’re bound, now,” Seamus said softly. “That’s what he did out on that field.”

“I just finished something that was started in another life,” Matt whispered, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment. “That’s all.”

He opened his eyes and looked out over the field.

She was looking back at him, even as the ranks of men head parted to let a man pass through them, his gaze on her and his tread bringing him unwaveringly toward her.

For a brief moment, he could see, almost feel, her brave smile.

We’ll get through this.

He wasn’t sure if the voice was his or hers.

Then she turned away and walked forward to meet the man coming toward her. Thunder growled in the distance and the hairs on Matt’s arms and the back of his neck stood up on end. He could feel the energy building in her and it made his heart skip a beat.

There may be hope yet.

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