They broke camp ten minutes later and rode hard, rode south, each cursing the darkness and the cold and the wind that stung faces, stung lips, and tore tears from their eyes as they pelted down the frozen roadway toward the friend that had decided all on his own that leaving them meant that they\u2019d be safe.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u2022<\/p>\n
\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere is he?\u201d<\/p>\n
He hated how his voice shook as he asked her the question.\u00a0 He hated that he still thought that she must<\/i> be lying, if she\u2019d been hunting for his cousin for as long as she said she had been\u2014she must have some<\/i> idea where Seamus was.<\/p>\n
What he hated more was the pained look on her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know, Wanderer,\u201d Leinth said.\u00a0 \u201cI wish I did.\u00a0 He would be safe<\/i> if I knew where he was because he would be protected.\u00a0 I would find a way to ensure that he was protected\u2014better than you and yours could ever hope to defend him from what hunts him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everything hunts him,\u201d Phelan said dryly, eyes narrowing slightly.\u00a0 \u201cBecause nothing\u2019s more tempting than the former Taliesin.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is what I said.\u201d\u00a0 Her eyes narrowed slightly.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re perhaps the most trying man I have ever met in my life, Wanderer, and that says a great deal because I loved Seamus and knew his brother, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
The back of his neck prickled, the hairs on his arms stirring.\u00a0 Phelan went tense for a moment, looking around slowly, taking a deep breath and drawing a tendril of power from the ground beneath his feet up and into his staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mother used to tell him the same thing,\u201d<\/i> \u00c9riu\u2019s voice said dryly.\u00a0 He caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and relaxed a fraction, frowning.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Spiritweaver asked a favor,\u201d <\/i>she said, as if that explained everything.\u00a0 \u201cSo here I am, about to tell you again that you\u2019re a bloody idiot and they\u2019re angry at you for running away.\u00a0 Oh, and Scandinavian bitches have sent their skinchangers for you again.\u00a0 Cameron and Thomas and some others rode out after your sorry carcass.\u00a0 It would be polite to be alive when they finally reach you.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
Leinth stared at the shade, her expression caught between annoyance and amusement.<\/p>\n
When she started to laugh, Phelan wasn\u2019t sure if he hated her or sympathized.<\/p>\n
\u201cFan-fucking-tastic,\u201d he sighed.\u00a0 \u201cJust great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now what am I going to do?<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They broke camp ten minutes later and rode hard, rode south, each cursing the darkness and the cold and the wind that stung faces, stung lips, and tore tears from their eyes as they pelted down the frozen roadway toward … Continue reading