She twisted her fingers together to keep them from shaking and to keep from reaching out to him. In awhile she would regain her strength. Besides, he had enough to worry about. And from his words it was her fault. That stupid ruse she had come up with hadn’t worked (never mind that he had been the one to ask her for help). She couldn’t help but blame herself.
“I’m sorry, I am. I should have known it wouldn’t work, done a better job or something…” It was a stupid thing to say because how could they have hoped to fool them? Right now, how could they believe they were safe? A shudder went through her. Finally, she reached out and took his hand.
Pulling his hand into her lap, worry etched its way into all the lines of her face. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be okay, I always am. We just need to figure out what to do next, what can hurt them or at least keep them away…” A pause, a jolt of horror going through her. “Do they know about me?
Leo shook her head as she spoke. “S'my fault. My idea. I thought…I don’t know what I thought.” His head dipped down to look at his hands and for a moment it appeared they were covered in black blood, but when she took one of his hands, the illusion snapped away and he sighed. He was tired. That was it. Almost two days without proper sleep would do that…right?
“I’ve ne'er read about them. They’re not in any of Baun’s pagan books either.” At her question, he took her hand in his and gripped tight. “No. No, I made sure of it. But…s'what I’ve been telling ye. You…need to get away from me…for the lad’s life s'well.” He leaned his head back against the couch and shut his eyes. Vertigo.
