\u201cBloody hell, Thomas, slow down, would you?\u201d\u00a0 Phelan jerked his arm from Thom\u2019s grip a few steps shy of the gate.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he wants this over quickly, then we\u2019ll end it fast.\u00a0 I\u2019m not above negotiating.\u201d\u00a0 Thom hefted the cross-bar on the gates with a wince and set it aside.<\/p>\n
Marin made a face.\u00a0 \u201cFor the love of all that\u2019s holy, Phelan, help him before he hurts himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hurts himself?\u00a0 I\u2019m about to hurt him.<\/i>\u00a0 Something about all of this tripped every instinct inside him that screamed that this was either a trap or just a very, very bad idea\u2014either way, stepping beyond the safety of Marin\u2019s wards wasn\u2019t something he relished.<\/p>\n
But she was glaring at him from atop the wall like Brighid once had and so he hurried to Thom\u2019s side to help him haul the doors open.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope you know what you\u2019re doing fear fiach<\/i>,\u201d Phelan said as he and Thom shoved one half of the gate doors open.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve got no idea what I\u2019m doing,\u201d Thom admitted as he stepped through the narrow gap between the doors.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m just hoping that Marin\u2019s more right than I am.\u201d<\/p>\n
I suppose that\u2019s a safe way to live if you\u2019re Thomas Ambrose.<\/i>\u00a0 Phelan shook his head and ducked after the younger man.\u00a0 Hope against hope and pray your wife\u2019s wiser than you are.<\/i><\/p>\n
I wish I could live that way.<\/i><\/p>\n
Phelan shifted his staff to his left hand and fell in behind Thom, who marched across the snow pack with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.<\/p>\n
Thirty feet away, well clear of the warding lines, Cariocecus stood alone, draped in a maroon cloak so dark it might as well have been black, leather armor underneath the color of ink. \u00a0His cold amber gaze met Phelan\u2019s and the once-druid felt a shiver inch its way down his spine.\u00a0 He set his jaw and lifted his chin.<\/p>\n
Show no fear and you will know no fear.<\/i><\/p>\n
It was a lie, but a comforting one to tell himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou wanted a parley?\u201d\u00a0 Thom said as they drew within a few feet of Cariocecus.<\/p>\n
The erstwhile war god inclined his head.\u00a0 \u201cI did.\u00a0 I decided to offer you the chance to quit the field without bloodshed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom\u2019s eyes narrowed.\u00a0 \u201cAnd what would we need to do to win that<\/i>?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cariocecus\u2019s gaze flicked toward Phelan, then back to Thom.\u00a0 Phelan felt his stomach drop straight out of his body and through the snow and turf beneath his feet.<\/p>\n
Gods and monsters.\u00a0 What the hell is the bastard about to ask for?<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cAbandon the nodes,\u201d Cariocecus said after a moment.\u00a0 \u201cLeave this place after the weather breaks and find yourselves a new place to live.\u00a0 Forget this place existed, that it was ever home.\u00a0 Move on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom didn\u2019t even blink.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
One corner of Cariocecus\u2019s mouth twitched in amusement.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t think you would agree.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo more than you would agree to quit the field and leave us in peace without a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cariocecus inclined his head.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re correct.\u00a0 You\u2019re dangerous, Seer.\u00a0 You and your lady-wife\u2026more dangerous than you could imagine.\u00a0 They fear you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey?\u201d<\/p>\n
That queasy feeling wasn\u2019t going away.\u00a0 Phelan squeezed his staff, trying to take comfort in the feel of the wood against his bare hand.\u00a0 Power flickered between his clenched fingers, faint green lightning sending shivers up and down his arm.<\/p>\n
This doesn\u2019t feel right.\u00a0 None of this feels right.<\/i><\/p>\n
He tried to chalk it up to knowing that they were about to fight a protracted battle against Cariocecus and his army of camazotzi<\/i> but his gut was saying that wasn\u2019t it.<\/p>\n
If it\u2019s not that, what is it?<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cThe others,\u201d Cariocecus said softly.\u00a0 \u201cThe rest.\u00a0 Those who would take this world for their own, shape it, possess it.\u00a0 They fear what you may become, what your presence means.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you don\u2019t?\u201d\u00a0 Thom asked.<\/p>\n
Cariocecus smiled for a moment, then looked at Phelan.\u00a0 \u201cIf they are resolved to combat, then only you must quit the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan arched a brow.\u00a0 \u201cPardon?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA promise made is a promise kept,\u201d Cariocecus said.\u00a0 \u201cNo harm is to come to you this day.\u00a0 You must quit the field.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve made no such promise,\u201d Phelan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou<\/i> did not,\u201d Cariocecus agreed.\u00a0 \u201cThe Lady of Sighs did.\u00a0 Quit the field, Wanderer.\u00a0 I will not break a promise to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan rocked back against his heels.\u00a0 Thom looked at him askance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell is he talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy sister.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan\u2019s lips barely moved as he spoke.\u00a0 \u201cHe cut a deal with my sister.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHis life.\u201d\u00a0 Cariocecus smiled.\u00a0 \u201cBut I can only guarantee it if he leaves the field here and now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan sucked in a breath and met that amber gaze.\u00a0 \u201cYou know that I can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo be it.\u00a0 I pray you reconsider.\u201d\u00a0 Cariocecus turned.\u00a0 \u201cThink on it.\u00a0 You have half an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then what?\u201d Phelan asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cHell,\u201d Cariocecus said.\u00a0 \u201cAs much as it pains me to destroy you, I will if I must.\u201d\u00a0 He looked back over his shoulder at Thom.\u00a0 \u201cThink on it, Seer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom turned and walked away.\u00a0 Cariocecus laughed.<\/p>\n
The pair headed back to their respective battle-lines, leaving Phelan shivering in no-man\u2019s land between them.<\/p>\n
He squeezed his eyes shut.\u00a0 Gods and monsters, cousins mine, pray for us today.\u00a0 Something tell me we\u2019re going to need all the help we can get.<\/i><\/p>\n
He turned and walked back to the walls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cBloody hell, Thomas, slow down, would you?\u201d\u00a0 Phelan jerked his arm from Thom\u2019s grip a few steps shy of the gate. \u201cIf he wants this over quickly, then we\u2019ll end it fast.\u00a0 I\u2019m not above negotiating.\u201d\u00a0 Thom hefted the cross-bar … Continue reading