Cameron and Seamus trailed behind them, both still on horseback, leaving Thom to bring up the rear, leading his mount and J.T.\u2019s back home again. He cast another glance toward the patch of blood in the snow and grimaced.<\/p>\n
What the hell happened while we were gone?<\/em><\/p>\n A shiver wracked him and he tore his gaze away, starting to walk again. That particular mystery would be solved soon enough.<\/p>\n Instead of heading into the tent, though, Thom found himself heading toward the half-timber, half canvas stables, still leading the two horses, half lost in thought. He was on autopilot and barely realized what he was doing until he was halfway through untacking J.T.\u2019s horse when he heard Marin\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n Thom sucked in a ragged breath, fingers tightening around the edges of J.T.\u2019s saddle. \u201cAre you?\u201d<\/p>\n She came over to him, pale-faced but otherwise just the same as she\u2019d been when he left. His throat tightened and he dropped the saddle, wrapping her up in his arms and squeezing her tight against his chest. The rent muscles in his back protested, but he ignored them as he buried his face in his wife\u2019s hair.<\/p>\n \u201cI missed you,\u201d he murmured. \u201cI\u2019m not doing that again. Someone else can go. It won\u2019t be me.\u201d<\/p>\n Marin choked on a laugh. \u201cWe both know that\u2019s not true.\u201d She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close.<\/p>\n Thom swore as the touch set his back on fire.<\/p>\n She let go immediately, blinking, brow creasing in concern. \u201cThom, what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe got jumped by something,\u201d he said, voice tight as he tried to master the sudden agony. \u201cSeamus called them shadowspawn. I\u2014I hadn\u2019t seen anything like them before, Mar, but I don\u2019t think they followed us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be fine,\u201d he said, perhaps a shade too quickly. His wife squeezed her eyes shut.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n She took him by the hand and led him out of the stable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Cameron and Seamus trailed behind them, both still on horseback, leaving Thom to bring up the rear, leading his mount and J.T.\u2019s back home again. He cast another glance toward the patch of blood in the snow and grimaced. What … Continue reading