After a long, silent moment, the woman nodded. \u201cI believe you,\u201d she said, then glanced sidelong at one of her men. \u201cRelease them, bring some bread and tea. Time to demonstrate that we\u2019re actually civilized.\u201d She drew herself up straighter and looked Thom in the eye. \u201cLara Duchnes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThom Ambrose,\u201d he said quietly, meeting her gaze. \u201cBut I already told you that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did,\u201d she agreed. \u201cYour father worked for the government.\u201d<\/p>\n
His blood ran cold. \u201cHow\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t ask questions you don\u2019t want to know the answers to,\u201d Seamus said quietly, looking at Thom. They were words he\u2019d heard far too often.<\/p>\n
Maybe I don\u2019t want to know the answers, but the question\u2019s still out there.<\/em><\/p>\n Lara just smiled at him. \u201cI know a lot of things. Probably more than I should.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why all the questions?\u201d J.T. asked, his voice a soft rumble. \u201cWhy the damned games<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI had to know if you\u2019d be truthful with me,\u201d she said softly, staring at Thom again. \u201cHe was. You can\u2019t fake that kind of sincerity, that kind of emotion. He<\/em> convinced me.\u201d<\/p>\n Good to know I\u2019m good for something.<\/em> Thom exhaled, letting an unbidden shiver come unhindered.<\/p>\n Seamus cleared his throat. \u201cWhere did your truthseeking gift come from, Miss Duchnes?\u201d<\/p>\n One corner of her mouth quirked upward in a sly smirk. \u201cWhat makes you think I have one?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGut instinct,\u201d Seamus said, his voice still gravelly, as if speaking had somehow become hard sometime between the hilltop and now. \u201cNow match us truth for truth. Where did it come from?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt you\u2019d believe me if I said it was Queen Mab,\u201d Lara said glibly, crossing her arms, her expression going blank.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Seamus said. \u201cNot at all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll tell you, then, Taliesin that was,\u201d she said, stepping close to where he sat. \u201cLady Nyx, mistress of the shadows, birthed my line. For what is light without the shadow to define it?\u201d Her gaze flicked toward the others as she straightened slightly. \u201cBut worry not. I mean no harm to any of you. I can sense what you are and I know better.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be damned if I don\u2019t know better.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After a long, silent moment, the woman nodded. \u201cI believe you,\u201d she said, then glanced sidelong at one of her men. \u201cRelease them, bring some bread and tea. Time to demonstrate that we\u2019re actually civilized.\u201d She drew herself up straighter … Continue reading