[This post is from Seamus’s point of view.]
He looked askance at his sister, startled and slightly unsettled. Neve stared back, one brow arching slightly.
“I surprised you,” she said softly.
“A little,” Seamus admitted, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. “You’re usually the one that counsels caution, not to listen to bad feelings that may not have basis in reality.”
She snorted. “Something tells me that your bad feeling probably does have basis in reality. You’ve seen more of what we’re going to end up facing than any of us, I think except for maybe Phelan and maybe Sif—and I’m not confident that either one of them have a better handle on what’s out there and may be trying to target us than you do, Seamus.”
He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, tugging her close to his chest and holding her for a few long moments. Neve leaned against him, wrapping one arm around him and squeezing.
“I’m here if you need me, Seamus. I know it’s been a long time since you had someone close to lean on and I know you have Leinth, but…”
Seamus pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I know what you mean, Neve. I know there’s things that I would rather not burden her with, but at the same time, I’m not certain I want to burden you with them, either. You and Cameron have enough to worry about as it is without adding any issues I may or may not have to the mix.”
Neve laughed a little and shook her head. “We have fewer problems on our own than you think, really. Mostly, we have the same problems as everyone else, though I think sometimes he considers taking me south to the other settlement, as if it’s safer there than it is here. I don’t think he’ll follow through on that thought process, though. At the end of the day, we’re safer here. I know that for a fact.”
“You sound very certain.”
“That’s because I am.” She gave him another squeeze before she gently extricated herself from his embrace. “When you want to talk about it, you know where to find me.”
Seamus didn’t stop her as she stepped away from his side and headed back toward the safety of the walls. He watched her retreating back, his heart giving a painful squeeze.
Something was coming, and he feared that he would be powerless to protect her and everyone and everything else he was coming to hold dear.
