\u201cNow,\u201d Kira said as she gently brushed hair back from his face, \u201ctell me about these dreams. What do you see?\u201d<\/p>\n
Teague\u2019s lips thinned and he glanced away again, exhaling in a heavy sigh.\u00a0 \u201cI am not the seer,\u201d he murmured, knowing the words were a lie\u2014and knowing full well that she<\/i> knew the words were a lie as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cTell me anyway,\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cGetting it off your chest may help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Or it could make it real.<\/i>\u00a0 He closed his eyes.\u00a0 Inside the cabin, there was no sound, no sign of their son stirring from his sleep.\u00a0 No rescue there, unfortunately.<\/i>\u00a0 He exhaled again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw their sons,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cI saw their sons and ours on horseback, riding into a mist along a river.\u00a0 Then I saw a girl, older, with the markings of a druid and Phelan\u2019s staff riding after them.\u00a0 I saw Neve and Marin, huddled together in darkness, heavy with child.\u201d\u00a0 I saw you, hair gone to white but face still so young, standing on a cliff and staring at the water as the boats sail toward you.<\/i>\u00a0 \u201cThe war is coming,\u201d he whispered softly.\u00a0 \u201cA war is here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew that,\u201d Kira said.\u00a0 \u201cYou told me that a long time ago, before this began\u2014before you even told me that the world was about to end.\u00a0 You told me about the war.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s worse than I imagined,\u201d he whispered, eyes sliding shut.\u00a0 \u201cD\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh<\/i>, oh, Kira.\u00a0 It\u2019s so much worse than I imagined.\u00a0 I knew that some would return, but I didn\u2019t realize.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDidn\u2019t realize what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat they\u2019d all<\/i> return,\u201d he breathed.\u00a0 \u201cI didn\u2019t realize that they\u2019d all return.\u00a0 They\u2019re all coming, Kira\u2014all of them, all of them that still walk the Otherworlds, all of them that have ever walked this world.\u00a0 They\u2019re coming and it\u2019s going to be worse than I ever could have imagined, even in my darkest nightmares.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s coming?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe others,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cThe others are coming.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2022<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Aoife stared into the crackling fire, arms wrapped tightly around her knees.\u00a0 Her side still ached where she\u2019d been shot, the wound that had nearly killed her.\u00a0 The wound had healed, but the pain was still there.<\/p>\n
Is that ever going to stop?<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been staring at the fire for hours,\u201d Gray said softly.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Aoife?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to leave,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0 \u201cI can\u2019t stay, Gray.\u00a0 Even if I want to stay, I can\u2019t.\u00a0 There\u2019s a war to be fought and I\u2019m a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you before that you didn\u2019t have to do it alone.\u201d\u00a0 He sat down next to her, on the rug in front of the fire.\u00a0 The lodge was quiet, though a storm howled outside.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not going to let you go alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not going to give you a vote,\u201d Aoife breathed.\u00a0 \u201cOne night I\u2019ll just\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou won\u2019t,\u201d he said softly.\u00a0 \u201cBecause I won\u2019t let you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t let you get wrapped up in this,\u201d she said.\u00a0 You\u2019re already too involved.\u00a0 I\u2019m not going to drag someone else down along with me\u2014not like all of them did in the past.\u00a0 Not me.\u00a0 Not this time.<\/i>\u00a0 She rubbed her side.\u00a0 Even if the idea is nice\u2014of not being alone.<\/i><\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been alone a long time.<\/i><\/p>\n
Gray\u2019s arm settled around her shoulders.\u00a0 Her eyes stung.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to protect you,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0 \u201cThe only way I can do that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not your decision to make.\u201d\u00a0 His arm tightened.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re already involved, Aoife.\u00a0 We\u2019ve already been sucked in and that\u2019s not changing.\u00a0 Teca and me and Kes and Wat\u2014we\u2019re all in this with you.\u00a0 You can\u2019t push us away now.\u201d<\/p>\n
She squeezed her eyes shut.\u00a0 But I have to.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have a choice.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cNow,\u201d Kira said as she gently brushed hair back from his face, \u201ctell me about these dreams. What do you see?\u201d Teague\u2019s lips thinned and he glanced away again, exhaling in a heavy sigh.\u00a0 \u201cI am not the seer,\u201d he … Continue reading