\u201cI\u2019m not sure I like how zen you are about his,\u201d Matt said as they walked.\u00a0 \u201cThe bastard tried to kill all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd now we\u2019ve got some kind of advantage,\u201d Thom said.\u00a0 \u201cThat would be why I\u2019m zen.\u00a0 He needs us more than we need him.\u00a0 If we decide we want to give him peace, then it\u2019s going to be peace with conditions\u2014including that he stays the hell out of our way and<\/i> warns us of any nastiness coming well before it hits our wards and our walls.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess I hadn\u2019t thought of it that way.\u201d\u00a0 Matt shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket to ward off the morning chill.<\/p>\n
\u201cClearly not.\u201d\u00a0 Thom smiled.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry.\u00a0 You\u2019ll learn.\u201d\u00a0 And probably faster, now, if the visions are true.\u00a0 We\u2019ll have to push, if I\u2019m right.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to be right, though.<\/i>\u00a0 Thom\u2019s lips thinned momentarily and he glanced away, hoping neither man saw the expression.<\/p>\n
If either of them did, they had the grace\u2014or the sense\u2014to keep their mouths shut.<\/p>\n
\u201cJ.T. is avoiding me,\u201d Phelan announced as they reached the nearest corner of the tents they were still using to house supplies and additional workspace.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not entirely sure why.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you sure it doesn\u2019t have anything to do with the ghost that was following you around?\u201d\u00a0 Matt asked.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m guessing she\u2019s not here right now because my skin\u2019s not crawling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan\u2019s gaze grew distant and he shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s keeping her distance, watching from afar.\u00a0 It\u2019s probably better that way.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced at Thom.\u00a0 \u201cBut she said she\u2019s not leaving until the children are born.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mean Neve and Cameron\u2019s baby and Tala\u2019s twins?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe mentioned yours, too,\u201d Phelan said.<\/p>\n
Thom tried to smother a frown.\u00a0 That was something I didn\u2019t want to hear.<\/i>\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re not even sure that\u2019s happening anytime soon.\u00a0 She could be here for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor J.T.\u2019s sake, I hope not,\u201d Phelan said with a rueful smile.\u00a0 \u201cFor some reason, I don\u2019t think he\u2019s a fan\u2014Marin, either.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom winced.\u00a0 \u201cShe might not be, but that might have something to do with the implication that she\u2019s pregnant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs she?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Thom said honestly.\u00a0 At least not yet.<\/i><\/p>\n
Phelan made an interested noise and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI suppose we\u2019ll know soon enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matt glanced at his brother-in-law with one brow arched slightly.\u00a0 Thom shook his head.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s nothing to say or do until we know for sure.<\/i>\u00a0 Thom ducked past the shelves draped in tarps that housed the unsorted books that had been rescued from the library\u2014a project Marin had been working on with Jacqueline and Carolyn these days, especially on the days when the weather had turned foul.\u00a0 He could smell breakfast already, which meant that the rest of camp would be rousing themselves soon.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was awake?\u201d\u00a0 Matt asked behind him, clearly talking to Phelan.<\/p>\n
\u201cTala and Marin when I left,\u201d Phelan said.\u00a0 \u201cProbably a few more, now.\u00a0 They may or may not have mentioned Cariocecus\u2019s offer to whoever else is up.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t tell them not to.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe you should have,\u201d Thom said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you figure?\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom smiled over his shoulder at Phelan.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re not worried about how they\u2019ll spin it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cI have no real feelings one way or the other when it comes to whether we take his offer or we don\u2019t.\u00a0 That\u2019s up to you guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNone, huh?\u201d\u00a0 Something about that surprises me.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cNot really.\u00a0 It\u2019s your decision.\u201d\u00a0 He spread his hands.\u00a0 \u201cThis was your home before it became mine.\u00a0 The choice is yours about whether or not you want to deal with him squatting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matt made a face.\u00a0 \u201cInteresting way of putting it, Phelan.\u201d<\/p>\n
The once-druid laughed.\u00a0 \u201cGlad you approve.\u00a0 It felt like a good way to describe it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is,\u201d Thom agreed as they drew within sight of the fire.\u00a0 \u201cTrue and accurate.\u00a0 It\u2019s something we\u2019ll have to discuss when we make the decision.\u201d\u00a0 And I have to hope that no one comes to this with their decision already made.<\/i><\/p>\n
Beyond maybe my wife, that is.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cI\u2019m not sure I like how zen you are about his,\u201d Matt said as they walked.\u00a0 \u201cThe bastard tried to kill all of us.\u201d \u201cAnd now we\u2019ve got some kind of advantage,\u201d Thom said.\u00a0 \u201cThat would be why I\u2019m zen.\u00a0 … Continue reading