He felt the drums before anything else.<\/p>\n
At first, he\u2019d thought it was a dream until he felt Jacqueline shift against his side and murmur something into his neck. Phelan opened his eyes and stifled the urge to groan. The throb of those drums in the distance resonated down through his very soul. He knew those drums.<\/p>\n
They ride.<\/em><\/p>\n His lips brushed Jacqueline\u2019s temple and he eased out of bed, balling a blanket against her to fill the space where he\u2019d been laying. She didn\u2019t need to be involved. Not this time.<\/p>\n \u201cSleep,\u201d he whispered, pushing a measure of his own gift into the whispered word, fingers catching in her hair as he brushed his hand over her head. \u201cSleep.\u201d<\/p>\n He was dressed before Rory knocked on the door. His ribs twinged, side ached. Rory winced as Phelan opened the door.<\/p>\n \u201cI should let you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Phelan shook his head. \u201cIt\u2019s no use. I know they\u2019re coming.\u201d Not for me, though. Not this time.<\/em><\/p>\n The thought should have cheered him, but he only felt hollow.<\/p>\n His fingers closed around his staff and he took his satchel of herbs from the peg near the door. For a moment, he thought about taking Jacqueline\u2019s as well, but thought better of it.<\/p>\n Sif was waiting in the darkness of the corridor, holding a lantern. Their gazes met for a moment. Her eyes narrowed. He sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cFor what it\u2019s worth,\u201d he said in a whisper, \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs well you should be,\u201d she hissed back. \u201cOne of you should have found a way to tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe couldn\u2019t tell what we didn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n Rory relieved Sif of the lantern, shaking his head. \u201cCan we not do this right now? Trouble\u2019s practically on our doorstep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo practically about it,\u201d Phelan muttered, hand tightening around his staff. It was warm to the touch, warmer than it should have been.<\/p>\n He slipped past Rory and started to move faster as the drums set his bones shivering.<\/p>\n There would be only one chance at this and they\u2019d best make it count.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" He felt the drums before anything else. At first, he\u2019d thought it was a dream until he felt Jacqueline shift against his side and murmur something into his neck. Phelan opened his eyes and stifled the urge to groan. The … Continue reading