They were both silent for a few long moments, J.T. working the bellows and Matt staring into the bright heat of the forge, looking like his mind was a thousand miles away.\u00a0 At length, he sighed and pulled the metal out of the heat and started hammering it again.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think it\u2019s that important, huh?\u201d he asked between hammer strokes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI absolutely think it\u2019s that important,\u201d J.T. said.\u00a0 \u201cIf I were to tell your sister and Thom, they\u2019d think the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy haven\u2019t you, then?\u201d<\/p>\n
J.T. snorted.\u00a0 \u201cBecause they\u2019ve got more than enough on their minds already, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI guess,\u201d Matt said, brows knitting for a moment.\u00a0 \u201cAre we going to keep this from them?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think that we\u2019ll be able to,\u201d J.T. said, then heaved a heavy sigh.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll eventually have to tell them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell who what?\u201d\u00a0 Marin slipped into the warmth of the forge, pushing back the hood of her jacket and dusting some of the snow off and onto the floor, where it hit and melted quickly.<\/p>\n
Matt opened his mouth to answer her, then closed it, glancing at J.T.<\/p>\n
\u201cUh-oh,\u201d Marin said as she tugged off her gloves.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s going on that you\u2019re not sure you want to tell me about?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPhelan\u2019s being ridiculous,\u201d J.T. said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mean about leaving?\u00a0 I knew about that.\u00a0 We just have to figure something out.\u00a0 I really don\u2019t think that he\u2019s got his heart set on it, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n
J.T. winced.\u00a0 I think he does.\u00a0 It\u2019s not going to be easy, making him stay.\u00a0 He\u2019s convinced himself it\u2019s for the best and something tells me that once he decides something\u2019s for the best, swaying him is no easy task.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cYou do, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter what he said today and what \u00c9riu said after that?\u00a0 Yeah, I think I do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marin shivered at the mention of the spirit, then shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cNeve and I are trying to come up with some kind of plan.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll need to work fast,\u201d J.T. said.\u00a0 \u201cBecause I\u2019ve got a feeling as soon as he thinks he\u2019s healed enough, he\u2019s going to try to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe we should let him,\u201d Matt suggested.\u00a0 He blinked as they both stared at him as if he\u2019d grown a second head.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u00a0 We let him start to wander away, then we collect him again when he ends up sprawled on his face in the road.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re underestimating his stubbornness, Matt,\u201d Marin said, a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe,\u201d Matt agreed.\u00a0 \u201cBut right now, it\u2019s the only plan we\u2019ve got.\u00a0 Use that<\/i> was motivation to come up with something better.\u201d<\/p>\n
J.T. choked on a laugh as Marin put her hands on her hips.<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cWe will.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They were both silent for a few long moments, J.T. working the bellows and Matt staring into the bright heat of the forge, looking like his mind was a thousand miles away.\u00a0 At length, he sighed and pulled the metal … Continue reading