I slipped through the tent, wraith-quiet and trying not to draw anyone\u2019s attention.\u00a0 For once, no one waylaid me.\u00a0 I emerged into the winter sunshine, clutching my journal against my chest.\u00a0 The wind was still cold, but I was starting to be able to feel the very barest hints of spring.\u00a0 It would come eventually.<\/p>\n
The wards pulsed faintly, comfortingly, still strong.\u00a0 I could feel them the same way I could feel the sunshine or the breeze.\u00a0 I leaned against the wall for a moment, closing my eyes and letting their power wash over me, power I\u2019d infused into them myself.<\/p>\n
One hand strayed toward my belly, still mostly flat even though I could sense the spark that was my son.\u00a0 Someday, Phelan and I would teach him to tend these wards, and he\u2019d acquit that responsibility admirably.<\/p>\n
Someday after I\u2019m gone, it\u2019ll be his duty.<\/i><\/p>\n
I squeezed my eyes shut and swallowed a sigh.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t a question of if.\u00a0 It was only a matter of when.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n
I winced slightly at the sound of Neve\u2019s voice, opening my eyes and turning to look at her.\u00a0 \u201cYou know that I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d she said softly.\u00a0 \u201cBut it seemed polite to ask first before I just jumped straight to what\u2019s wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou say that like you know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can suspect, anyway.\u00a0 You saw something and it wasn\u2019t good.\u00a0 Was it about Thordin?\u201d<\/p>\n
I choked on a laugh.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re way too good at this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her shoulders rose and fell in a shrug as she joined me in leaning against the wall.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of time to perfect my technique and a lot of family to practice it on.\u00a0 Teague and Phelan and Seamus…they all liked to be closed-lipped about it all at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw him with Sif,\u201d I whispered.\u00a0 \u201cI think she was dead.\u00a0 There was a man in white and he was laughing.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t seem to notice or care when Thordin came after him.\u00a0 It just…Neve, what good are my visions if I can\u2019t stop some of the worst things from happening?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know that it\u2019s not all set in stone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d\u00a0 I squeezed my eyes shut and swallowed against a lump in my throat.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s just so damned hard, Neve.\u00a0 It\u2019s too damned hard to know what choices not to make and what chances to take.\u00a0 What if I make the wrong call and cause that to happen?\u00a0 What if by trying to prevent it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
She squeezed my arm.\u00a0 \u201cStop,\u201d she whispered.\u00a0 \u201cJust stop, Marin.\u00a0 Don\u2019t walk that path.\u00a0 That way lies madness.\u00a0 Just trust yourself.\u00a0 Trust us<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her for a long moment before I burst into tears.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I slipped through the tent, wraith-quiet and trying not to draw anyone\u2019s attention.\u00a0 For once, no one waylaid me.\u00a0 I emerged into the winter sunshine, clutching my journal against my chest.\u00a0 The wind was still cold, but I was starting … Continue reading