\u201cHow the hell did she find you?\u201d Leinth demanded as Thom and Marin drew back within earshot. \u201cI couldn\u2019t even find you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe knew where to look,\u201d Seamus answered, his voice even and grim. \u201cI suppose it was only a matter of time if she\u2019s been tracking the Wild Hunt, and I suspect she\u2019s been doing just that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should have waited for Cam,\u201d Marin said. \u201cMy brother, the others. We should have waited.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no time,\u201d Seamus growled. \u201cThe six of us will have to be enough.\u201d<\/p>\n
And the Hunt, maybe,<\/em> Thom thought darkly, grimacing. He glanced sidelong toward Thordin and Sif, who\u2019d caught up quickly after he and Marin had crossed the ward line and headed for the bridge. The snow-covered concrete was slick under their boots but Seamus didn\u2019t seem at all inclined to slow down.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll need your help,\u201d Seamus said, glancing over his shoulder toward Thom. \u201cYou know the lay of the land. I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n Marin looked at her husband. \u201cWhere was she headed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s left of Au Sable,\u201d Thom said. \u201cShe was empty-handed, so I don\u2019t…how does this even work? Does she have his…his anima<\/em> in some kind of orb or something?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe won\u2019t know until she starts to gloat,\u201d Seamus murmured. \u201cUntil she tells me what she\u2019s really after.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI would think it\u2019s obvious what she\u2019s after,\u201d Leinth snapped. \u201cShe\u2019s looking for you<\/em>, Seamus. She wants the same thing everyone wants.\u201d<\/p>\n Seamus snorted. \u201cYou mean the thing that I\u2019m not anymore?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt wouldn\u2019t surprise me,\u201d Leinth said, her tone gentling fractionally even as bitterness leaked into it. \u201cDid they tell you that the Hecate came after him? She couldn\u2019t have you and now she wants your successor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe would have wanted him whether he was the Taliesin or not,\u201d Seamus muttered.<\/p>\n A chill shot down Thom\u2019s spine.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a lovely thought, isn\u2019t it?<\/em><\/p>\n Marin\u2019s fingers spasmed around his and Thom gave her hand a squeeze, glancing sidelong as they made it to the far end of the bridge. \u201cCome on,\u201d he murmured. \u201cWe\u2019ll need to lead the way.\u201d<\/p>\n Her lips thinned and she nodded, carefully unshouldering her bow.<\/p>\n \u201cSeamus,\u201d she asked softly, \u201cwill we need her alive?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019d be best,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAll right,\u201d Marin said, taking a deep breath and exhaling it slowly. \u201cI\u2019ll shoot to wound, then.\u201d<\/p>\n She jogged up the sidewalk, Thom at her side.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cHow the hell did she find you?\u201d Leinth demanded as Thom and Marin drew back within earshot. \u201cI couldn\u2019t even find you.\u201d \u201cShe knew where to look,\u201d Seamus answered, his voice even and grim. \u201cI suppose it was only a … Continue reading