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celebration with more intensity than ever.
After a long reel during which he and Rhia had to dance with everyone in attendance, Marek excused
himself. Rhia waved to him, with more energy in her hand than he felt in his entire body, as another
Bobcat swept her into his arms.
He saw his new father-and brother-in-law at one of the tables, and brought them fresh mugs of meloxa.
He d added extra honey, since the fermented crabapple drink was an acquired taste, he d been told. He
sank his wedding-weary frame onto the bench beside Tereus.
 This drink  Lycas pointed in the general direction of his mug   is amazing. I have to bring some
back to Asermos.
 Absolutely not, Marek said.  We barely have enough here as it is.
 I ll pay any price. The Wolverine gazed into the liquid depths.  I d trade a hundred barrels of ale for
one flask of this.
 You have a deal. They clinked their mugs together, almost missing.
Tereus laughed.  So how are you holding up, Marek, with the baby coming in the middle of all this?
Marek felt his lopsided smile disappear.  I keep dreaming the baby goes away. He covered his eyes
with his fingertips.  What does that mean, Tereus? In all my dreams, the baby either disappears or we
accidentally throw it out. He related the first nightmare, with the baby in the waste bucket.
 Is this before or after it s born? Tereus asked.
 Before. It s always tiny and looks more like a doll or a little bird than a person.
 I see. Tereus grew somber, though he seemed to be trying to keep a calm face.  Excuse me for a
moment.
Marek watched his father-in-law approach Elora, and this time it wasn t to dance with the healer.
Though he couldn t hear their conversation through the crowd s babble, their drawn brows and tight
mouths gave him a chill.
 I have the same dream, Lycas said, bringing Marek s attention back to the table.  Except I have our
baby mine and Mali s baby on a leash, like a dog. The moment it pulls on the leash, even a little bit, I
let go.
 That s not the same dream at all.
 My point is, we all have nightmares about being a parent. We dream the baby will have two heads, or
no skin, or that we ll forget to feed it. Lycas took a long sip of meloxa.  My child will be born to two
warriors. What kind of life is that? Even if it doesn t lose us in battle, it ll have to hear us scream at each
other. At least your baby will have a quiet life. At least you and Rhia  He gripped his mug and rapped
its bottom edge against the table.
 At least we what?
 You ll never let each other go.
Marek looked across the tables, past the half-conscious Kalindons picking at the meal s remains. Elora
and Tereus now sat next to Rhia, speaking to her with urgency.
Coranna sat down on the other side of Rhia and joined the discussion. He noticed that his wife s shoulder
angled away from her mentor, betraying the chill that had overtaken their relationship in the past few
months.
They often argued when they thought he was out of earshot, about those who lingered on the Other Side
and what to tell their surviving loved ones. As Rhia matured into her powers, the two Crow women had
increasingly irreconcilable ideas about how to serve their Guardian Spirit. Marek often felt caught in the
middle.
Tereus and Coranna began to speak across Rhia, descending into argument. Her eyes flicked from side
to side, following the conversation, growing wary and suspicious. She caught Marek s gaze. Awe and
passion welled within him so hard it made his ribs hurt.
A slow smile spread across her face, and she stood, keeping the connection their eyes had forged.
 You re right, Marek said to Lycas.
 About what?
Marek didn t answer. He stood and moved to meet Rhia at the end of her table.
When he reached her, she slid her arms around his waist.  They want me to go back to Asermos to be
under Silina s care.
 The Turtle woman? He held back an I-told-you-so.  Why?
 Between your dreams, the Raven prophecy and the fact that I haven t gained much weight, Elora and
my father think I should be cautious. She leaned her head against his neck.  Coranna thinks I should
stay and continue my training, since the voices have faded but not stopped. No one s bothered to ask me
what I want.
Marek knew what he wanted to take her and the baby wherever they would be safe, regardless of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]