He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, just once I wish that one of you could show up and not<\/i> utter some kind of ominous warning like that.\u00a0 Or spew threats.\u00a0 It\u2019s always one or the other.\u00a0 Why can\u2019t anyone just pop in to say hello?\u201d<\/p>\n
Leinth just stared at him for a long moment.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re trying to make light of the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am absolutely trying to make like of the situation,\u201d Phelan said.\u00a0 \u201cBecause if I don\u2019t, I have a feeling I\u2019m going to run screaming off in that general direction over there until I hit the lakeshore and find a way to drown myself.\u00a0 At least then my fate would be in my own<\/i> hands.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re the Taliesin<\/i>!\u201d\u00a0 Leinth practically shouted.\u00a0 \u201cYour life and fate stopped being wholly yours to command the day you shouldered that mantle!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t have to,\u201d Phelan said with stark honesty, staring back at her.\u00a0 He took two steps away from the fire, two steps closer to her and the limits of his wardings.\u00a0 \u201cI did it for Seamus, so he\u2019d have a snowball\u2019s chance in hell of being happy<\/i>.\u00a0 I gave him what few choices he could make after he agreed to marry into your clan.\u00a0 A great deal of good I did him, huh?\u00a0 He died.\u00a0 He was murdered<\/i>.\u00a0 Assassinated.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d Leinth said softly.\u00a0 \u201cNo, Phelan, he was lost<\/i>.\u00a0 There\u2019s a grave difference.\u00a0 No one knows what really happened to him.\u00a0 Not a single one of us.\u201d\u00a0 Pain hung heavy in her voice and Phelan almost\u2014almost<\/i>\u2014winced to hear it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell are you talking about?\u00a0 He was killed.\u00a0 They brought us his armor.\u00a0 Your<\/i> people brought us his armor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd they blamed his supposed death on me, on my<\/i> betrayal.\u201d\u00a0 A muscle in her jaw twitched.\u00a0 \u201cI would never have hurt him.\u00a0 I loved him\u2014more than my sister ever did and ever could.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou and yours think me a traitor,\u201d she said in a soft, shaking voice.\u00a0 \u201cBut I\u2019m not, Wanderer.\u00a0 I\u2019m not.\u00a0 I never was.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever happened to Seamus the Black was not<\/i> my doing.\u00a0 I had nothing to do with his disappearance at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen where is he?\u201d\u00a0 Phelan demanded.\u00a0 \u201cSurely you\u2019ve been looking for him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor centuries,\u201d she snapped.\u00a0 \u201cAnd if you can find him, I\u2019d damned well thank you for doing it!\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan rocked back against his heels, blinking at both her and himself.<\/p>\n
Do I actually believe she might be telling the truth?\u00a0 Is Seamus alive?<\/i><\/p>\n
Hell.\u00a0 I do, don\u2019t I?\u00a0 I really do.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cHell,\u201d he breathed, then glanced toward the east.\u00a0 \u201cIf he\u2019s still alive\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything that hunts you and more will be after him.\u00a0 The only thing more tempting than the Taliesin is the former<\/i> Taliesin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan swore and grabbed his staff, then stopped, realizing there was nothing to fight here.\u00a0 This was one battle he couldn\u2019t win.<\/p>\n
Not here, anyway.\u00a0 Not now.<\/p>\n
But maybe someday.<\/i><\/p>\n
Someday.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, just once I wish that one of you could show up and not utter some kind of ominous warning like that.\u00a0 Or spew threats.\u00a0 It\u2019s always one or the … Continue reading