\u201cHell,\u201d Thom breathed, shaking his head and pressing long fingers to his temples.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the last thing we need.\u201d<\/p>\n
Their breath steamed in the air as he and Phelan trudged out toward the barrow\u2014J.T. and Marin were still out there, still doing whatever they were doing.\u00a0 Thordin was trailing a few dozen yards behind the men, still leery of the werewolf they\u2019d left back in camp under Matt and Cameron\u2019s watchful eyes.\u00a0 Thom didn\u2019t think that Gwilym represented any threat, but Thordin clearly didn\u2019t share that assessment.<\/p>\n
Phelan\u2019s jaw tightened and he shook his head slowly, his eyes on the footprints that marked J.T. and Marin\u2019s passage before them.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t have to tell me that.\u00a0 I already know it.\u00a0 There\u2019s nothing I can do to change that, though.\u00a0 We have to be prepared to deal with whatever\u2019s about to come our way.\u00a0 There\u2019s not a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long do you think we have?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI just record the stories, Thom.\u00a0 You\u2019re the one who sees the future.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan sighed, fingers flexing around his staff.\u00a0 There was a tense, tight set to his shoulders.\u00a0 \u201cHave you and Mar…?\u201d<\/p>\n
Thom took a ragged breath and glanced to his right, toward the clock tower, silent all these months since the end.\u00a0 It had been Marin\u2019s vision of the cloud and that tower that had been their first and only clue.\u00a0 He stared at it for a long moment, at the orange brick and green roof silhouetted against the snow and sky.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he said after a long moment.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s hard to tell anymore, when<\/em> we\u2019re seeing\u2014how long in the future it might be. It\u2019s only easy when we can see the kids. When Angie\u2019s in them, or my\u2014\u201d His voice faltered.<\/p>\n Phelan reached over and squeezed his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s all right, fear fiach<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI see him a lot,\u201d Thom said softly. \u201cMy son.\u00a0 Our son.\u00a0 He\u2019s…\u201d\u00a0 He squeezed his eyes shut against the sudden sting of tears. \u201cHe\u2019s a teenager when whatever happens to Mar happens.\u00a0 I know that something\u2019s going to happen, Phelan.\u00a0 I know something bad is going to happen when he\u2019s a teenager.\u00a0 I still don\u2019t know what it is, but we\u2019ll have to leave him.\u00a0 I think she knows it, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you two at least talking about it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes,\u201d Thom said, tearing his gaze away from the clock tower.\u00a0 \u201cBut we don\u2019t if we know it\u2019s going to lead to one of us lying to the other.\u00a0 It is what it is. I\u2019m not sure how much we\u2019ll ever have a hope of changing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing\u2019s set in stone,\u201d Phelan reminded him.<\/p>\n \u201cApparently, some things are.\u201d\u00a0 Thom shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll have to ask Marin if she\u2019s seen new monsters, new threats. I don\u2019t know that I have.\u201d<\/p>\n If I have, it could be that I just didn\u2019t want to remember.<\/em>\u00a0 He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared at the sun glinting off the snow.\u00a0 It wouldn\u2019t be the first time and it probably won\u2019t be the last.<\/em><\/p>\n Maybe someday I\u2019ll stop seeing things I\u2019d like to forget.\u00a0 Someday.\u00a0 That\u2019d be nice.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Probably won\u2019t ever happen.\u00a0 But it\u2019d be nice.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cHell,\u201d Thom breathed, shaking his head and pressing long fingers to his temples.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the last thing we need.\u201d Their breath steamed in the air as he and Phelan trudged out toward the barrow\u2014J.T. and Marin were still out … Continue reading