Matt frowned, then looked out toward the mists himself, startling slightly. \u201cOh,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou see him, then?\u201d<\/p>\n
Matt nodded. \u201cYeah. I see him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Leinth nodded. \u201cFetch Phelan. I\u2019ll try to negotiate until he and your sister get here.\u201d She shifted, swinging her legs over the far side of the wall. Matt blinked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait, what are you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTrust me,\u201d Leinth said, then dropped nimbly from the top of the wall to land in a crouch at its base. By the ancestors, I hope I actually do know what I\u2019m doing.<\/em><\/p>\n She straightened slowly, shaking out the folds of her cloak as she turned toward the line of ghosts that stood sentinel two dozen yards away. She could see their faces, their clothing\u2014men in Coast Guard uniforms, women in dresses a century and more out of date, teenagers in cutoff shorts and sweat shirts.<\/p>\n Ghosts of the lake,<\/em> she thought, her lips thinning.<\/p>\n \u201cOh Leinth,\u201d she breathed in her native tongue. \u201cYou\u2019d best hope you\u2019re not suddenly out of your league.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLeinth, don\u2019t go anywhere. I\u2019m coming down.\u201d<\/p>\n She glared up toward Matt, who\u2019d leaned over the edge of the wall to look at her. \u201cYou\u2019re going to go find Phelan like I told you. Trust me, but hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n Gooseflesh started to rise on her shoulders and arms, a chilly dampness sinking into her bones. She pointed in the general direction of the campfires. \u201cGo. I\u2019ll not say it again.\u201d<\/p>\n Matt looked like he might be planning on arguing, but his head disappeared a moment later and she heard his boots hit the ground on the other side of the wall and retreat quickly, his boots crunching in the crust of snow that still lingers.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s this, then?\u201d a curious voice said from behind her. Leinth stiffened, abruptly breathless.<\/p>\n \u201cLeviathan,\u201d she said, eyes widening as she met the blue-eyed gaze of Yam Leviathan. Lean of build with deep, dark hair, he looked far more like one of the drowned teenagers than an ancient river deitiy.<\/p>\n \u201cLady Winter,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat a surprise this is.\u201d<\/p>\n Will wonders never cease.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Matt frowned, then looked out toward the mists himself, startling slightly. \u201cOh,\u201d he said. \u201cYou see him, then?\u201d Matt nodded. \u201cYeah. I see him.\u201d Leinth nodded. \u201cFetch Phelan. I\u2019ll try to negotiate until he and your sister get here.\u201d She … Continue reading