\u201cLeinth,\u201d Neve said, breathing the name as if it was a prayer and a curse all at once.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom tore his gaze away from the figure he\u2019d seen once before, after the raiders had come, had attacked their home.\u00a0 She had brought a warning, then, one that had shivered his bones.<\/p>\n
If you cross them, not even the Wanderer or a princess of Avalon will be able to save you.<\/i><\/p>\n
He glanced at Cameron, who seemed to be the figure\u2019s focus\u2014or at least had been until Neve had appeared.<\/p>\n
Neve is a princess of Avalon.<\/i><\/p>\n
Thom felt his stomach start to sink.<\/p>\n
Cameron twisted toward the sound of Neve\u2019s voice.\u00a0 \u201cYou know her?\u201d<\/p>\n
Neve nodded, limping forward with Marin at her side.\u00a0 \u201cI do.\u00a0 Though I never expected to see her again.\u201d<\/p>\n
The dark-cloaked figure with the gleaming eyes drifted forward.\u00a0 Though the snow and ice swirled around her, she didn\u2019t seem touched by the cold, by the sting of wind or the shards of frozen water.\u00a0 \u201cSome things are certain, princess,\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cEven as some things fade, others remain constant for the full measure of time.\u00a0 Like winter and the moon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were all supposed to be dead,\u201d Neve said, stopping next to Cameron.\u00a0 Thom felt Marin\u2019s fingers lace through his, felt her shiver next to him.<\/p>\n
She recognizes her, too.\u00a0 She must.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cMost of my brethren are,\u201d the figure said, sounding sad for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cBut I survived to wait and watch.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m the only one.\u201d\u00a0 She took a step closer, gaze drifting toward Cameron.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been watching his sons.\u201d<\/p>\n
What the hell is she talking about?<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have any children,\u201d Cameron said haltingly.\u00a0 \u201cNot yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neve swore softly.\u00a0 Marin\u2019s fingers dug into his hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy god,\u201d Marin breathed, \u201cshe was talking about Cameron when she warned us.\u00a0 She was talking about him.\u201d<\/p>\n
She was talking about more than one, though.<\/i>\u00a0 Thom\u2019s lips thinned.\u00a0 Who else is coming?<\/i>\u00a0 He felt vaguely queasy.\u00a0 Did Neve know that her lover was one of Seamus\u2019s descendants?<\/p>\n
Judging by her reaction, I\u2019d say probably not.<\/i><\/p>\n
Cameron edged forward.\u00a0 \u201cWho the hell are you and what do you want?\u201d he demanded, eyes narrowing as he stared at the woman.\u00a0 \u201cYou show up here, uninvited and talking in riddles, and I don\u2019t appreciate it.\u00a0 None of us appreciate that kind of bullshit at this point.\u201d\u00a0 His jaw tightened.\u00a0 \u201cWe shoot<\/i> people who start spewing that kind of bullshit at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom winced, reaching over and grasping Cameron\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cBack off, Cameron.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Cameron said.\u00a0 \u201cNot this time.\u00a0 She\u2019s going to tell us what the hell this is all about.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s been watching over you<\/i>, dumbass,\u201d Thom snapped.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s been watching over you because you\u2019re some kind of ridiculously distant descendant of hers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron stiffened, slowly looking back toward Leinth again.\u00a0 He looked her over one more time and then rocked back a step, almost stumbling back into Neve.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d she whispered, her face as pale as the snow.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know her,\u201d he whispered.\u00a0 \u201cI know her.\u00a0 I\u2019ve seen her.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t\u2014I didn\u2019t know it until just now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom sucked in a slow, deep breath.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t going to end well.\u00a0 I hope I\u2019m wrong about that, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been watching you for a long time,\u201d Leinth said softly.\u00a0 \u201cYour many times over grandfather would be proud\u2014as am I.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron stared at her for another moment, swallowed hard, then swept Neve into his arms and stormed back into the safety of the tent, leaving Marin and Thom beyond the walls to face the dark-cloaked figure alone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cLeinth,\u201d Neve said, breathing the name as if it was a prayer and a curse all at once.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d Thom tore his gaze away from the figure he\u2019d seen once before, after the raiders had come, … Continue reading