Not at first, anyway, not until I began to see the way the light filtered through the trees, reflecting off the snow.<\/p>\n
We came out of the Morrigan\u2019s shadow warp at the center of the bridge over the ravine, standing in snow that was up to the middle of our calves.\u00a0 Carolyn gave a little yelp of surprise and I\u2019ll admit that I jumped a little when I realized where we were.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
The Morrigan interrupted me.\u00a0 \u201cThe line below us is one reason he wants this place, child,\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cWhy he comes, why he will not stop unless you defeat him soundly and sue for peace at the coming battle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey know about the lines here, cousin,\u201d Phelan snapped, clearly more than a shade annoyed with his so-called relative.\u00a0 \u201cThey know how important they are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her glare turned artic-cold.\u00a0 \u201cDo they understand what\u2019s at stake, Taliesin?\u201d she hissed.\u00a0 \u201cDo they understand the magnitude of what they may face, of what they must do?\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan fell back a step.\u00a0 I reached out a hand to steady him, one he didn\u2019t shake off the way I expected him to.\u00a0 His muscles bunched under my hand as he swallowed hard.\u00a0 His voice was hoarse as he spoke.\u00a0 \u201cWhy do you think I\u2019m still here, cousin?\u00a0 I didn\u2019t have to come just because Teague asked me to.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t have to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou stay because you love them,\u201d the Morrigan said, her voice halfway to a snarl.\u00a0 \u201cDo not act like it is because of everything they will face.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI stay because I love them and<\/i> because I won\u2019t let them face it without me,\u201d Phelan whispered.\u00a0 He drew himself up straight, then took Carolyn and I each by the hand.\u00a0 \u201cThank you for your warning, cousin.\u00a0 We know the threat we face is dire but we\u2019re not going to fail\u2014and we\u2019re not going to turn into monsters in the doing.\u00a0 What good are bloody heroes if we turn into the very things we fight?\u201d<\/p>\n
The Morrigan stared at him for a long moment, expression hard and stern before it softened into something close to understanding\u2014possibly even affection.\u00a0 \u201cI know where you\u2019ve heard that before.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was right,\u201d Phelan whispered, then closed his eyes for a moment.\u00a0 His fingers tightened around mine and Carolyn\u2019s.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re going now.\u00a0 Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Morrigan inclined her head to the three of us before she turned and walked away.\u00a0 I watched for a moment as something erased all trace of her passage\u2014an errant wind, something magic.\u00a0 I shivered.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on,\u201d Phelan muttered.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s get back behind the wards before something tries to take advantage of an unforeseen opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat was that all about?\u201d\u00a0 Carolyn asked, her voice hushed.\u00a0 I looked past Phelan toward her.\u00a0 Her face was pale, fear lighting her pale eyes.<\/p>\n
I shook my head slightly.\u00a0 \u201cA warning, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd an object lesson\u2014and more.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan\u2019s voice was frighteningly grim.\u00a0 \u201cShe was trying to make a point to me and she was trying to see what the two of you are made of for whatever reason.\u201d\u00a0 His expression darkened.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s interested in J.T.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s interested in J.T. because he can see dead people,\u201d I said, eyes narrowing.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s a fucking death goddess, Phelan.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than that,\u201d he said, tone still grim.\u00a0 \u201cAnd don\u2019t let her hear you say that\u2019s all she is, either.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPerish the thought,\u201d I said, trying not to snap.\u00a0 I took a pair of breaths and tried to settle down.\u00a0 \u201cWhy now<\/i>?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf she waited any longer, I\u2019m guessing that Cariocecus would have known she was here and thrown even more crap at us,\u201d Phelan muttered.\u00a0 \u201cNot that she\u2019d help us, but he\u2019s the type that prepares for every contingency.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he won\u2019t notice right now because he\u2019s too busy frying other fish?\u201d I guessed.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrying other fish?\u201d\u00a0 Carolyn asked.\u00a0 \u201cWhat other fish is he frying?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Hecate,\u201d I growled quietly as we crossed the line of wards.\u00a0 Power shivered through my bones as we crossed that boundary and not for the first time, I was impressed by the work we\u2019d done on them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe who?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGreek bitch,\u201d Phelan said.\u00a0 \u201cNasty type who\u2019s gunning for me and a half dozen others, including Cameron and probably both<\/i> of your men.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carolyn just stared at him for a moment before she snorted.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, I never really thought of them that way.\u00a0 Our men.\u00a0 But they are, aren\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan shook his head. \u201cWithout the two of you, I think they\u2019d both end up spiraling into madness.\u00a0 They\u2019re lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n
Carolyn sighed.\u00a0 \u201cSpeaking of, I should get back to Jay.\u00a0 Maybe he\u2019s lucid now.\u201d<\/p>\n
I reached over and squeezed her shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cYou want me to come with you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s okay.\u201d\u00a0 She smiled.\u00a0 \u201cBut thanks, Mar.\u00a0 You should probably get up to the forge and see if Thom and Matt need help.\u00a0 They might.\u201d\u00a0 She tilted her head toward the faint flicker of blue and green light that lit on her shoulder before it vanished from my view.\u00a0 \u201cA little fairy godnephew of mine told me so.\u201d<\/p>\n
I managed to laugh and nod.\u00a0 \u201cWill-do.\u00a0 Let me know if you need anything, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
She sobered and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I will.\u201d<\/p>\n
She broke off from Phelan and I.\u00a0 He stood for a moment and watched her go before he sighed softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is going to get harder for them before it gets better,\u201d he murmured.<\/p>\n
\u201cStory of our lives, Phelan.\u201d\u00a0 I squeezed his hand.\u00a0 \u201cCome on.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got work to do, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
He grunted and followed me up to the forge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Not at first, anyway, not until I began to see the way the light filtered through the trees, reflecting off the snow. We came out of the Morrigan\u2019s shadow warp at the center of the bridge over the ravine, standing … Continue reading