\u201cFor pity\u2019s sake,\u201d Thom muttered.\u00a0 \u201cKnock it off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan jerked around to face him.\u00a0 \u201cDid you really just\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom held his ground.\u00a0 \u201cAbsolutely.\u00a0 Who else would?\u00a0 We\u2019ve got bigger issues to deal with than your guilt complex right now.\u00a0 Whether any of this is your fault or not doesn\u2019t matter.\u00a0 What matters is that we damned well live through it.\u00a0 Right?\u00a0 Right.\u00a0 Now let\u2019s get on with this.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced toward Matt.\u00a0 \u201cWas someone getting weapons?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matt nodded.\u00a0 \u201cPaul was handling the guns and Rory was gathering up blades and bows.\u00a0 I think Greg was helping.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Tala\u2019s getting Neve moved somewhere safe?\u201d\u00a0 Phelan\u2019s question was half plea, half demand.\u00a0 Thom looked at him sideways, brows knitting for a moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was going to try,\u201d J.T. said before Matt could answer.<\/p>\n
\u201cTry,\u201d Phelan echoed, his expression darkening.\u00a0 \u201cTrying doesn\u2019t imply success.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marin touched his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cThink about how stubborn you are and multiply it by three, Phelan.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re implying that she\u2019s more stubborn than I am,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know that she is.\u00a0 Better not to deny it.\u201d\u00a0 Marin\u2019s hand slid into Thom\u2019s and squeezed.\u00a0 \u201cKeep your head in reality.\u00a0 That\u2019s what\u2019ll help us and you know it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan made an upset sound in his throat and broke into a jog.\u00a0 Matt fell in behind him and Thom would have started to jog as well if Marin\u2019s grip hadn\u2019t restrained him.<\/p>\n
Why am I thinking this means something\u2019s wrong?<\/i>\u00a0 He frowned, looking at her.\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI love you,\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n
His stomach dropped to his knees.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you know, Marin?\u201d he asked in a whisper.<\/p>\n
She shook her head slightly.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know anything,\u201d she whispered back.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t.\u00a0 I just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have a feeling.\u201d\u00a0 I hate it when she gets a bad feeling.<\/i>\u00a0 A shiver shot down his spine and he swallowed bile.\u00a0 I really hate it when she gets a bad feeling.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cYeah.\u201d\u00a0 Her fingers tightened.\u00a0 \u201cBut we\u2019ll be okay.\u00a0 We always are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Except for when we\u2019re not.<\/i>\u00a0 He swallowed hard and nodded slowly.\u00a0 \u201cRight,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re right.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Something screamed to his left and he hit the dirt, diving and rolling and swearing at whatever had just taken a swing at him with a mace that emitted a deafening whistle when someone swung it.\u00a0 All he could see was the creature\u2019s bright golden eyes within the shadowed recesses of its hooded cloak as he tumbled away.\u00a0 He came to his feet, cursing under his breath as he realized he\u2019d lost his blade.<\/i><\/p>\n
That\u2019s not good.\u00a0 Hellfire.<\/p>\n
\u201cThom!\u00a0 <\/i>Down!\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
He whipped toward the sound of Marin\u2019s voice, spotted her perched on a rooftop with an arrow notched and ready.<\/i><\/p>\n
He hit the ground just as she let fly.<\/i><\/p>\n
His attacker screamed as the arrow thudded home.<\/i><\/p>\n
Then, Marin screamed as one of its allies threw her off the roof.<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThom?\u00a0 Thom!\u201d<\/p>\n
He pitched forward, stomach heaving.\u00a0 Marin\u2019s hands curled into the fabric of his jacket as he offered his breakfast up to the world, gagging and coughing, eyes tearing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d\u00a0 she breathed in his ear as he rested his elbows against his knees, wheezing and trying to gather enough moisture in his mouth to spit and rid his tongue of the taste of his own vomit.\u00a0 Her fingers tangled in his hair.\u00a0 He squeezed his eyes shut.<\/p>\n
Another howl echoed off the trees and the ruins.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo time,\u201d he rasped.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll tell you later.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her fingers tightened, but she nodded.\u00a0 \u201cAll right,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n
She helped him straighten and they dashed off in their friends\u2019 wake.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cFor pity\u2019s sake,\u201d Thom muttered.\u00a0 \u201cKnock it off.\u201d Phelan jerked around to face him.\u00a0 \u201cDid you really just\u2014\u201d Thom held his ground.\u00a0 \u201cAbsolutely.\u00a0 Who else would?\u00a0 We\u2019ve got bigger issues to deal with than your guilt complex right now.\u00a0 Whether … Continue reading