No one was near the fire when he finally made his way out into the tents beyond their sleeping quarters, but there was a kettle of water steaming on the stones around it.\u00a0 He helped himself to it, making a mug of tea and lingering there, watching the flames crackle and dance.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou slept late.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan glanced over his shoulder toward the sound of Neve\u2019s voice, smiling faintly.\u00a0 \u201cDid I?\u00a0 I\u2019m not even sure what time it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLate morning.\u00a0 Jac said you were still asleep but I didn\u2019t expect you\u2019d be asleep that long.\u00a0 You never sleep this late.\u201d<\/p>\n
He shook his head, turning back to the fire.\u00a0 \u201cI guess I just needed the rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe,\u201d his cousin agreed.\u00a0 \u201cOr maybe a certain woman in your life did something that none of us have ever been able to get you to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan froze, looking sidelong at her.\u00a0 \u201cWhat would that be?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStart thinking about what\u2019s best for you and someone else together instead of just what\u2019s best for someone else.\u201d\u00a0 One corner of Neve\u2019s mouth curled into a smile as she leaned against the single crutch she was still using.\u00a0 Her leg was much better now, though probably not as much as she might have hoped\u2014not fully healed yet, but slowly getting there.\u00a0 \u201cThat was always your problem, you know.\u00a0 You were always more concerned with everyone else and not taking care of yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything I ever did was because I was a selfish ass,\u201d Phelan whispered.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t delude\u00a0 yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019m the one spouting delusions,\u201d Neve said.\u00a0 \u201cYou may think you were being selfish, but I\u2019ve known a lot of selfish men in my life, Phelan, and you\u2019re not one of them.\u00a0 Stupid sometimes, yeah, but not really selfish.\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes slid shut and he tilted his head back, sighing softly.\u00a0 \u201cI wish you were right,\u201d he whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am right,\u201d Neve said, poking him in the side.\u00a0 Phelan winced, stumbling sideways.\u00a0 \u201cAnd the only one who could ever overrule me is your sister, and she\u2019s not here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan sucked in a breath, feeling a pang of guilt.\u00a0 \u201cAoife.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure she\u2019s fine,\u201d Neve said quickly.\u00a0 \u201cReally, she must be.\u00a0 We\u2019d know if she wasn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou felt it the same as I did,\u201d Phelan said, staring at the fire again.\u00a0 \u201cShe wasn\u2019t fine then.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut she\u2019s not dead.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure she\u2019s somewhere safe.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope so,\u201d Phelan whispered.\u00a0 \u201cShe knew about Seamus.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neve shivered, leaning against him.\u00a0 Phelan wrapped his arm around his cousin and squeezed her close.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow could she have kept that secret from us?\u201d Neve asked, her voice barely audible over the sound of the fire.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe must have made a promise, something to keep him safe,\u201d Phelan said with a slight shrug.\u00a0 \u201cCan you think of a better reason?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen that must be it.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan looked down at her.\u00a0 \u201cIf he\u2019s out there, we\u2019ll find him, Neve.\u00a0 You know we will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCameron said the same thing,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want him to go.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want any of you to go.\u00a0 It\u2019s a fool\u2019s errand.\u00a0 He\u2019s probably dead by now, even if he wasn\u2019t then.\u00a0 Even if he survived to have children with Leinth.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust one child,\u201d a woman\u2019s voice rasped weakly.<\/p>\n
Phelan almost jumped out of his skin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
No one was near the fire when he finally made his way out into the tents beyond their sleeping quarters, but there was a kettle of water steaming on the stones around it.\u00a0 He helped himself to it, making a … Continue reading