Thordin went rigid, his hands falling away from Sif\u2019s shoulders like ashes drifting on the wind.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe child had quickened by the time that trap was sprung,\u201d she said, her voice still barely audible.\u00a0 \u201cI had no choice.\u00a0 He would have been killed for who his father was and I knew you wouldn\u2019t want that, even as stubborn as you are.\u00a0 You wouldn\u2019t have wanted your child condemned for being his father\u2019s son.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cChristus<\/i>,\u201d Thordin breathed.\u00a0 \u201cFor all you knew, he had a hand in my betrayal.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe didn\u2019t,\u201d Sif said, stepping toward him even as Thordin fell back a step, back into arms\u2019 reach of Thom and Marin.\u00a0 \u201cI know that he didn\u2019t.\u00a0 For all of his faults, your brother loved<\/i> you.\u00a0 He said that he wished he knew who\u2019d done the dead so he could feed them their own entrails.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thordin shook his head hard, turning away.\u00a0 \u201cI know my brother.\u00a0 For all that we came from\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe loved you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou keep saying it in the past tense,\u201d Marin said softly.\u00a0 \u201cDid something happen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s probably dead,\u201d Sif said simply.\u00a0 \u201cHe walked off into the night one dark evening and no one has ever seen him again.\u201d\u00a0 She drew herself straighter, tearing her gaze from the back of Thordin\u2019s neck and turning her eyes to Marin and Thom again.\u00a0 \u201dEnough of this.\u00a0 I\u2019ll have your answer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re spoken for, Sif.\u00a0 Have a closer look at them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom flinched at the sound of Phelan\u2019s voice, twisting toward his limping figure.\u00a0 Phelan just grinned.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour brother\u2019s got\u00a0 good head on his shoulders, le\u00e1nnan<\/i>.\u00a0 He took one look at what was brewing and came to find me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJacqueline\u2019s going to kill you,\u201d Marin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe,\u201d Phelan agreed.\u00a0 \u201cThen again, maybe not.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thordin put his hand lightly on Phelan\u2019s shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s right, you don\u2019t have to be out here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course I do.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan looked right past the three of them to Sif.\u00a0 \u201cThe sisters three are gunning for me and mine, Sif, and they\u2019re not the only ones.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou and yours.\u00a0 You can\u2019t possibly\u2014\u201d\u00a0 She stopped, staring at Marin and Thom for a long moment, then blinked and looked at Phelan again.\u00a0 \u201cAes Dana<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we dared, most of them would trace their descent straight back.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan patted Thom\u2019s shoulder and then stepped between him and Marin.\u00a0 Thom stepped up with him, ready to steady him if the need arose.<\/p>\n
Sif swore quietly and shook her head hard.\u00a0 \u201cHe won\u2019t like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe doesn\u2019t have to,\u201d Phelan said in a quiet voice.\u00a0 \u201cNor does he have to believe that ragnarok has actually come, because it hasn\u2019t.\u00a0 I would know.\u00a0 They would know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe world already ended,\u201d Marin said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re what\u2019s left.\u201d<\/p>\n
Understanding dawned in Sf\u2019s eyes.\u00a0 \u201cThe war began before we ever realized it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCome sit by our fire,\u201d Marin said.\u00a0 \u201cRest a while and tell us your story.\u00a0 I think we\u2019d all like to hear it.\u201d\u00a0 She cast a meaningful look at Thordin.<\/p>\n
He just walked away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Thordin went rigid, his hands falling away from Sif\u2019s shoulders like ashes drifting on the wind.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u201d \u201cThe child had quickened by the time that trap was sprung,\u201d she said, her voice still barely audible.\u00a0 \u201cI had no choice.\u00a0 He … Continue reading