Leave, talk to anyone, or try to warn the rest of the town, and
you’ll regret it. Don’t forget your son will be sleeping in the room with me.”
He motioned at Kate to head for the stairs while at the same time releasing the
shield imprisoning Tom.
Once upstairs they woke Thaddeus and
forced the confused teenager to relocate to what had been his parent’s
bedroom. When they were all inside Tyrion sealed the door and window to make
certain no one could leave. Removing his boots, he lay down on the bed. He
didn’t bother giving any instructions to the others. They could sleep on the
floor or stand all night, either way he didn’t care. He closed his eyes.
***
The warmth of someone beside him was
comforting, the touch of another’s skin. The tight ache that seemed to
constantly clutch at his heart eased a bit. Tyrion was surprised, he hadn’t
expected Kate would be willing to chance getting near him after what she had
seen the day before.
Stretching out his hand, he felt the
gentle curve of her hip. He traced her leg down to the knee, which had been
thrown over his own leg. She was close against him and her warm breath
fluttered against his neck. He could feel her arm across his bare chest.
He didn’t remember taking off his clothes,
but he was glad they were gone. Opening his eyes, he found soft morning sunlight
filtering into the room. The others were gone, but he didn’t mind, he was
alone with Kate. He pulled a lock of her hair across his face, enjoying the
soft feel of it accompanied by the scent of summer flowers.
He closed his eyes again. This was a
moment not to be disturbed. It needed to go on, but he felt her move and
seconds later the soft touch of her lips on his.
He returned the kiss, but the taste of
iron brought with it a feeling of guilt. Her lip had been split when he struck
her. I’m so sorry, he thought. It was necessary, or they’d have
seen through our deception.
He was considering how to apologize when
she pulled away. Studying her face clearly in the morning light, he noted that
today it was even more bruised and swollen. Kate’s eyes held a look of sadness
and resignation.
“Thank you, Tyrion, for the music.” The
words came from her lips, but the voice was Garlin’s.
He stared at her in horror, and a feeling
of immense dread swept over him. “No!” he shouted, wanting to deny what he
knew was coming. Her head vanished, exploding into a red mess of gore and
blood. He screamed again, searching the room with all his senses, trying to
find the source of her death, but he knew it had been him.
Tyrion thrust himself out of the bed, his
hand flailing to find his sword.
Kate sat in the corner holding her sister
while Tad was close beside her. All three of them were staring at him with
frightened expressions.
It was a dream.
Glancing down, he saw that he still wore
his leathers from the day before. His sword was still belted at his side, and
Kate’s crossbow lay on the floor. He had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion,
and the others had been too fearful to approach him. The other pillows were
still on the bed.
They slept on the floor,
without pillows or blankets.
As the world sorted itself out, falling
into place within his head, he searched for words to reassure them. “Are you
hungry?” was the best he could manage.
The boy nodded, and Brigid whispered in
her sister’s ear. “They have to pee,” said Kate in a neutral tone.
That made sense. He felt the urge as
well. Casting his senses outward, he located Alice and Tom Hayes. They were
still downstairs. Tom sat nervously at a table while Alice was in the kitchen.
Tyrion unsealed the door and gestured
toward it, “Let’s go down. We can take care of our bladders and bellies…” The
words sounded stupid in his ears, but he had no gift of eloquence.
Kate ushered the two teens in front of her,
and they went down.
Tom greeted them with a nervous look,
making room at the table but keeping his mouth shut. After they
you’ll regret it. Don’t forget your son will be sleeping in the room with me.”
He motioned at Kate to head for the stairs while at the same time releasing the
shield imprisoning Tom.
Once upstairs they woke Thaddeus and
forced the confused teenager to relocate to what had been his parent’s
bedroom. When they were all inside Tyrion sealed the door and window to make
certain no one could leave. Removing his boots, he lay down on the bed. He
didn’t bother giving any instructions to the others. They could sleep on the
floor or stand all night, either way he didn’t care. He closed his eyes.
***
The warmth of someone beside him was
comforting, the touch of another’s skin. The tight ache that seemed to
constantly clutch at his heart eased a bit. Tyrion was surprised, he hadn’t
expected Kate would be willing to chance getting near him after what she had
seen the day before.
Stretching out his hand, he felt the
gentle curve of her hip. He traced her leg down to the knee, which had been
thrown over his own leg. She was close against him and her warm breath
fluttered against his neck. He could feel her arm across his bare chest.
He didn’t remember taking off his clothes,
but he was glad they were gone. Opening his eyes, he found soft morning sunlight
filtering into the room. The others were gone, but he didn’t mind, he was
alone with Kate. He pulled a lock of her hair across his face, enjoying the
soft feel of it accompanied by the scent of summer flowers.
He closed his eyes again. This was a
moment not to be disturbed. It needed to go on, but he felt her move and
seconds later the soft touch of her lips on his.
He returned the kiss, but the taste of
iron brought with it a feeling of guilt. Her lip had been split when he struck
her. I’m so sorry, he thought. It was necessary, or they’d have
seen through our deception.
He was considering how to apologize when
she pulled away. Studying her face clearly in the morning light, he noted that
today it was even more bruised and swollen. Kate’s eyes held a look of sadness
and resignation.
“Thank you, Tyrion, for the music.” The
words came from her lips, but the voice was Garlin’s.
He stared at her in horror, and a feeling
of immense dread swept over him. “No!” he shouted, wanting to deny what he
knew was coming. Her head vanished, exploding into a red mess of gore and
blood. He screamed again, searching the room with all his senses, trying to
find the source of her death, but he knew it had been him.
Tyrion thrust himself out of the bed, his
hand flailing to find his sword.
Kate sat in the corner holding her sister
while Tad was close beside her. All three of them were staring at him with
frightened expressions.
It was a dream.
Glancing down, he saw that he still wore
his leathers from the day before. His sword was still belted at his side, and
Kate’s crossbow lay on the floor. He had fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion,
and the others had been too fearful to approach him. The other pillows were
still on the bed.
They slept on the floor,
without pillows or blankets.
As the world sorted itself out, falling
into place within his head, he searched for words to reassure them. “Are you
hungry?” was the best he could manage.
The boy nodded, and Brigid whispered in
her sister’s ear. “They have to pee,” said Kate in a neutral tone.
That made sense. He felt the urge as
well. Casting his senses outward, he located Alice and Tom Hayes. They were
still downstairs. Tom sat nervously at a table while Alice was in the kitchen.
Tyrion unsealed the door and gestured
toward it, “Let’s go down. We can take care of our bladders and bellies…” The
words sounded stupid in his ears, but he had no gift of eloquence.
Kate ushered the two teens in front of her,
and they went down.
Tom greeted them with a nervous look,
making room at the table but keeping his mouth shut. After they
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