Phelan could feel the unrest even before they came back into sight of the walls. A faint pounding rose behind his eyes as they rode, possibly due to whatever he\u2019d managed to wrest free of Lake Michigan\u2019s frigid depths or because of something else. He wasn\u2019t sure of either, nor was he entirely certain that it mattered.<\/p>\n
Matt waited for them at the gates, tired and spattered with Thordin\u2019s blood\u2014more blood than Phelan thought. He grimaced and shivered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs he–?\u201d Phelan stopped, the words sticking in his throat. He couldn\u2019t be dead<\/em>. It wasn\u2019t possible.<\/p>\n \u201cYou better hurry,\u201d Matt said. \u201cJay can\u2019t afford for Jac to be distracted worrying about you while they\u2019re trying to save him.\u201d<\/p>\n Phelan swore softly and swung down from his mount\u2019s ack, tossing the reins to Matt and breaking into a jog toward s back, tossing the reins to Matt. \u201cIt\u2019s as bad as I thought, then.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably worse,\u201d Matt answered, jerking his head toward the tents. \u201cGo, and hurry. Neve and Seamus are there. Sif\u2019s beside herself. I\u2014she\u2019s crying, Phelan.\u201d<\/p>\n Far worse than any of us dared to think it might be, then.<\/em> He broke into a run despite his lingering dizziness, knowing that Marin and Thom would both be on his heels.<\/p>\n Part of him thought that Matt should be there as well, btu something kept him from saying it. The man whose soul had once been the Ridden Druid\u2019s had good instincts. Phelan knew that he needed to trust them as much as he trusted Marin\u2019s or Thom\u2019s.<\/p>\n He sucked in a sharp breath. You can\u2019t die on us now, Thordin. You can\u2019t. Your part in this story isn\u2019t over yet.<\/em><\/p>\n It was what he wanted <\/em> to believe. If Marin or Thom had seen something to prove it, they hadn\u2019t told him outright, but he wanted to believe that it was true.<\/p>\n It\u2019s what I have to believe. Otherwise, there\u2019s nothing else left to hope for.<\/em><\/p>\n Gods help us all.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Phelan could feel the unrest even before they came back into sight of the walls. A faint pounding rose behind his eyes as they rode, possibly due to whatever he\u2019d managed to wrest free of Lake Michigan\u2019s frigid depths or … Continue reading