Phelan\u2019s fingers tightened around her shoulder even as he reached his free hand back to catch Jacqueline\u2019s hand. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to let him go that easily, and he won\u2019t give up the fight, Sif. You know him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s so tired,\u201d she whispered, head bowed. \u201cI know it would be easier for him if he just…drifted away.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe won\u2019t,\u201d Phelan said, injecting every ounce of conviction he\u2019d ever felt into his voice. Gods and monsters, this is the last thing we need right now. This is worse than Marin or Thom\u2019s angst\u2014worse than <\/em>mine, too. Damn.<\/em> \u201cHe\u2019s stubborn, Sif, more stubborn than even me.\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed bitterly and shook her head. \u201cStop trying to comfort me, Wanderer. You\u2019re terrible at it.\u201d She sighed and looked up at him, a tear making a slow trek down her cheek. \u201cLeave us. I\u2019ll call if something changes, though I\u2019m not entirely confident it will anytime soon.\u201d<\/p>\n Jacqueline squeezed Phelan\u2019s fingers as she peered around him at Sif. \u201cWe\u2019re doing everything we can, Sif.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know you are,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd you\u2019re a fine healer, Jacqueline, as is Jameson, but I don\u2019t know that it will be enough. When he\u2014the last\u2014\u201d She broke off, jaw tightening. \u201cEven the last time he faced a lindworm\u2014the sire of the one we faced on the ice\u2014it went badly. We never spoke of it because to speak of it would display weakness that his father found unacceptable and forbade us from revealing, but it nearly killed him then. I don\u2019t know if he was stronger then…or now.\u201d<\/p>\n Phelan winced, dread coiling in his belly.<\/p>\n Probably then, physically. In other ways…<\/em> He took a deep, slow breath. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be okay, Sif.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAye,\u201d she said. \u201cKeep lying to me, Wanderer. Keep lying to me. Perhaps at some point I\u2019ll begin to believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n Gods and monsters, I hope so.<\/em><\/p>\n Damn you, Thordin. Don\u2019t make a liar out of me. I\u2019ll drag you back from the other side to kill you myself if you do.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gods and monsters\u2014what are we going to do if I\u2019m wrong?<\/em><\/p>\n The sick feeling in the pit of his stomach grew as he realized he didn\u2019t have an answer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Phelan\u2019s fingers tightened around her shoulder even as he reached his free hand back to catch Jacqueline\u2019s hand. \u201cWe\u2019re not going to let him go that easily, and he won\u2019t give up the fight, Sif. You know him.\u201d \u201cHe\u2019s so … Continue reading