\u201cHas she forgiven you yet?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron winced at the question.\u00a0 \u201cMostly, I think. \u00a0It\u2019s hard to know what I\u2019m being forgiven for, though.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t make any sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe feels like you kept an awful secret from her, Cam,\u201d Thordin said as he suppressed a sigh.\u00a0 \u201cBloodlines that trace to Seamus and<\/i> to Leinth?\u00a0 Especially when she thought that Leinth was the enemy?\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t be able to blame her for being upset.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I don\u2019t blame her for being upset,\u201d Cameron said, turning his face aside to shield his eyes from the worst of a stinging gust of wind, \u201cbut I don\u2019t understand why she blames me<\/i> for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho else is there for her to blame?\u201d\u00a0 Thordin asked.\u00a0 \u201cShe can\u2019t blame Seamus because he\u2019s dead, she can\u2019t really blame Leinth because she\u2019s not here, I think she\u2019s angry at Phelan, too, for not saying anything\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Thordin snorted.\u00a0 \u201cHow was I to know anything?\u00a0 I was, for all intents and purposes, dead when your many times over great grandfather was born of their loins.\u201d\u00a0 He shivered in the wind as they trudged up the hill toward the dark heat of Matt\u2019s forge.\u00a0 The storms that had plagued them for three days hadn\u2019t shown much sign of letting up, but the weather had eased enough that they could move short distances away from the main tents\u2014up to the forge, to the makeshift smokehouse, even to the edge of the ravine in some places.\u00a0 Marin and Kellin had been out once or twice in the blinding snow and cutting wind to check on the wardings that they\u2019d set; Thom had gone out to check the walls and the watchtower, though they didn\u2019t dare post anyone in the tower with the weather the way it was.<\/i><\/p>\n
If anyone wanted to attack us, now would be the time to do it because we\u2019d be caught completely unaware.<\/i><\/p>\n
Thordin grimaced.\u00a0 Of course, they\u2019d have to brave this weather to get to us, which means it would be someone that\u2019s likely got as big of a bone to pick with me as they would anyone else here.<\/i><\/p>\n
That was the problem with being what he was\u2014enemies both new and old had your number and the old ones had a very, very long time to nurse a grudge.<\/p>\n
Another gust sent Cameron stumbling into him and almost toppled them both.\u00a0 The wind moaned like a thing alive, something hungry and mean.<\/p>\n
\u201cHellfire,\u201d Thordin breathed as he straightened, grasping Cameron by the shoulder of his jacket.\u00a0 \u201cMove faster, my friend.\u00a0 Let\u2019s get under cover before the next blast hits.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNext blast?\u00a0 Next blast of what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSnow and ice,\u201d Thordin said, guts twisting.\u00a0 It was as if he could feel something\u2019s eyes on him\u2014something malevolent and as hungry as the wind sounded.\u00a0 \u201cAnother wave of the worst part of these storms.\u00a0 Better to be in that damned forge with Matt than elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cameron shuddered and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cRight.\u00a0 You\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I\u2019m right,\u201d Thordin muttered, squinting toward the steel-colored sky.<\/p>\n
Something was out there.\u00a0 He could feel it, and he didn\u2019t like it one bit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cHas she forgiven you yet?\u201d Cameron winced at the question.\u00a0 \u201cMostly, I think. \u00a0It\u2019s hard to know what I\u2019m being forgiven for, though.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t make any sense.\u201d \u201cShe feels like you kept an awful secret from her, Cam,\u201d Thordin … Continue reading