The woman pushed back her hood and planted the butt of her bow into the snow at her feet, ice-blue eyes narrowing as she watched their approach.<\/p>\n
\u201cLeave,\u201d she barked at Thordin.\u00a0 \u201cI asked for the Seers and the Seers alone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you know that I\u2019m not one of them?\u201d\u00a0 Thordin fired back as Thom and Marin scrambled to catch up with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know how I know.\u00a0 Go.\u201d\u00a0 Her voice dropped slightly.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t speak to the dead.\u00a0 I speak to those still living, those who may fight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will speak to me,\u201d Thordin said.\u00a0 Thom reached for his arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cThordin\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
He shoved Thom away.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019ll speak to me,\u201d he snapped, glaring over his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cThere is much to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t speak to the dead,\u201d the woman repeated, turning her attention to Thom and Marin.\u00a0 \u201cI come on the behalf of my brethren.\u00a0 The end of all things has come and the last battle looms.\u00a0 I come to learn who will stand and fight with us against the coming tide.\u201d\u00a0 She straightened and began a slow circuit around Thom and Marin, studying them like a predator circling a potential kill.\u00a0 \u201cI heard tales of you, even where I was, so far from here.\u00a0 I had to come to see what the Wanderer had found, learn whether or not you would be of assistance to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have our own war,\u201d Thom said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cWhat would aiding you do for us?\u201d<\/p>\n
Marin\u2019s elbow dug hard into his side.\u00a0 He struggled to keep his expression impassive, watching the woman as she prowled around them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve already made many enemies,\u201d Thom continued.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know that we can afford to borrow more.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA valid and wise question,\u201d the woman said, stopping in front of them.\u00a0 \u201cBut the fact of the matter is, either you are with us or you are against us.\u00a0 There is no in between.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t the days of old, Sif,\u201d Thordin said.\u00a0 \u201cThere are a thousand shades of gray to our existence now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBe silent<\/i>, Odinson!\u00a0 I do not speak to you.\u00a0 You are dead<\/i>.\u00a0 I do not speak to the dead.\u00a0 My offer is not for the dead.\u00a0 My question is for the living only, now hold your peace lest I forget what happened so many centuries ago and put you<\/i> to the question as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom just stared at her as Thordin went rigid.\u00a0 \u201cThordin,\u201d he said softly, \u201cwho is she?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA woman I loved,\u201d Thordin whispered.\u00a0 \u201cA very, very long time ago.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The woman pushed back her hood and planted the butt of her bow into the snow at her feet, ice-blue eyes narrowing as she watched their approach. \u201cLeave,\u201d she barked at Thordin.\u00a0 \u201cI asked for the Seers and the Seers … Continue reading