\u201cHow the hell are we supposed to know that whatever\u2019s coming is actually hostile?\u201d\u00a0 Brandon was asking as Marin and Thom joined their friends by the fire.\u00a0 \u201cThe last time we had howling visitors, they happened to be Drew\u2019s naked half-brother and company.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGut instinct,\u201d Thom rasped, his throat still raw and his mouth sour.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll have confirmation soon enough.\u00a0 Something tells me our luck\u2019s been too good lately\u2014we\u2019re due to run out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlan for the worst and hope for the best,\u201d Jacqueline said as she straightened from her crouch next to the fire, slinging the strap of her messenger bag medical kit across her body.\u00a0 \u201cIf we\u2019re sitting back on our heels, that\u2019s the best way for all of us to get ourselves killed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly,\u201d Thom said.\u00a0 Marin pressed a mug of tea into his hand a moment later and he took a deep swallow, coughed, then started to talk again, his voice sounding more normal.\u00a0 \u201cCariocecus is trying to get us a direction and delay whatever\u2019s coming our way.\u00a0 Carolyn, do our little friends have any information for us on that right now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re coming from the south,\u201d Carolyn said, stepping closer to J.T. and wrapping both of her arms around one of his.\u00a0 \u201cAnd they smell like fur.\u00a0 I\u2019m really not getting much more detail than that from them, but I don\u2019t know how much more detail they\u2019d be able to give me to start with.\u00a0 This is kind of unknown territory for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s unknown territory for all of us, really.<\/i>\u00a0 Thom glanced at Phelan, who stood near the fire with his arms crossed tightly against his chest, staring at the flames.\u00a0 \u201cHave any tactics you\u2019d like to share?\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan\u2019s lips thinned for a moment, then he shook his head slightly.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u00a0 Just that they\u2019re berserkers that\u2019ll take a lot of killing.\u00a0 Chopping off a limb isn\u2019t going to stop them and neither is gutting them.\u00a0 You have to keep hitting them until they stop moving or they\u2019re going to get up and come after you again\u2014and sometimes they still do even when you\u2019re think they\u2019re down for good.\u00a0 Watch your backs.\u00a0 But no tactics.\u00a0 Just keep hitting them until they\u2019re dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are we dealing with?\u201d\u00a0 Thordin rumbled as he and Cameron joined the group.\u00a0 Neve was with them, pale-faced and unsteady as she leaned on her crutches, half hiding in Cameron\u2019s shadow.\u00a0 Phelan sucked in a sharp breath when he saw his cousin and then looked away again.<\/p>\n
\u201cHamrammr<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan spat the word like a curse.\u00a0 \u201cThe bitches sent skinwalkers after me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thordin let out a low whistle.\u00a0 \u201cThat explains the howling.\u00a0 Almost worse than the Dirae<\/i>, that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlmost,\u201d Phelan agreed grimly.\u00a0 \u201cBut those bitches lost track of me before you guys showed up.\u00a0 They were chasing Teague.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Cameron,\u201d Neve said.\u00a0 \u201cI doubt any of us will be safe from them, now that the Hecate knows exactly where we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOne threat at a time,\u201d Thom snapped, trying to keep everyone focused.\u00a0 \u201cIf they\u2019re coming from the south, we\u2019ve got two points we\u2019ve got to worry about.\u00a0 Either they\u2019re going to come up the river-side through the ravines, or they\u2019ll actually hit the walls.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll come up the ravines,\u201d Thordin said.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019re used to woodlands.\u00a0 We\u2019ll have advantage of high ground, but not much else.\u00a0 Our best chance is to cut them down while they\u2019re making their initial charges.\u00a0 Bows and shotguns.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cToo bad we don\u2019t have any silver shot,\u201d Cameron quipped.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wouldn\u2019t do us any good,\u201d Neve said.\u00a0 \u201cBut if we bless the shot and the arrows, that\u2019ll help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron frowned, opening his mouth to say something, then closed it again, apparently deciding that now wasn\u2019t the time.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the Vammatar fight all over again.\u00a0 All we can hope is that she didn\u2019t have some insane way of communicating our defenses back to her sisters before Phelan ended her.<\/i>\u00a0 \u201cRight,\u201d Thom said, nodding toward Paul as he arrived with an armload of guns and shot.\u00a0 \u201cPhelan, get to work on those.\u00a0 We\u2019ll set up the fire-line at the edge of the ravine.\u201d\u00a0 He paused a moment, thinking.\u00a0 \u201cWe could set a group on the bridge.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAssuming they come up that slope.\u201d\u00a0 Kellin frowned.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s too big of a risk to arrange anyone outside of easy reach of the warding lines.\u00a0 Maybe once we find a way to ward the bridge, too, but that\u2019s\u2014pardon the pun\u2014a bridge we\u2019ll cross at a later date.\u00a0 After<\/i> we make it through this alive.\u201d\u00a0 She held Phelan\u2019s staff out to him.\u00a0 \u201cWhat else do you need, draoi<\/i>?\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan winced at the title and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cHolly, which I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve got in hand already.\u00a0 The same things I needed the last time.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced toward Marin and beckoned her over.\u00a0 \u201cYou and Jacqueline help Kellin and I with this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe?\u201d Jacqueline and Marin said in the same voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d Phelan said firmly.\u00a0 \u201cBoth of you.\u00a0 Let\u2019s get started before we\u2019re too late.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another howl split the air and he shuddered visibly.\u00a0 \u201cWe may already be too late.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWork fast,\u201d Thom told him.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll take care of the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
And we\u2019ll pray that what worked the first time we faced an assault from that pantheon works a second time.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cHow the hell are we supposed to know that whatever\u2019s coming is actually hostile?\u201d\u00a0 Brandon was asking as Marin and Thom joined their friends by the fire.\u00a0 \u201cThe last time we had howling visitors, they happened to be Drew\u2019s naked … Continue reading