[This post is from Matt’s point of view.]
“Well, there is that,” Phelan said, closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall. “Of course, we prepare for everything as usual and hope that we don’t need to actually use half the plans we make. Sound right?”
“As always,” Matt murmured. “Regardless, we know we’re dealing with both.”
“It’s a question of them being together.”
Matt nodded slowly. I wonder if we could send a group out to have a look around the immediate area—a day’s ride out or so in a couple directions. His brow furrowed as he leaned against the anvil, crossing his arms and staring up at the ceiling. There was nothing to make out in the shadows up there, just layers of old soot and a peppering of old scorch marks from sparks and metal fragments that had hit the roof over his nearly two decades of work there.
“Which do you think is the more immediate threat?”
Matt startled, tearing his gaze from the familiar constellation of marks above their heads to look at Phelan again, who regarded him now with a curious, serious look. “What do you mean?”
“The raiders or things rising again—which do you think is the more immediate threat?”
“A camazotzi just attacked my nephew in the ravine. Which do you think is the more immediate threat?”
Phelan just smiled. “Then we’re of a mind.”
“The question is what do we do about it?”
“Well, first, I think we need to get your privy council together,” Phelan said, standing. “And then we’ll go from there.”
