“Are you kidding me? She was Lochlaan’s? How did you find her?” Iasked.
Merc chuckled as Phoebe hit a target perfectly on the tree they were using as target practice. Ethan, Michan, and Octavia were paying attention to what Phoebe was showingthem.
“She found me actually. It was late one night when I heard the bell. But the ringing sounded a little different. It sounded like the bell had just been knocked over. I went to check, and she was laying there, almostdead.”
“What? Lochlaan just dumped her there?” I asked as the anger began tobuild.
“Not exactly. He got violent with her and left her for dead in his castle while he went out with the Carpe Noctem. Lochlaan’s servants thought she was dead, and they brought her to the edge of the forest. They knocked the bell over andran.”
“Bloody hell,Merc.”
“I took her to the shelter and tried nursing her back to health. I could not help her as she needed. I had never wanted to help someone so much in my life. Before Phoebe, you were the last person that I would have given my lifefor.”
“Whathappened?”
“I carried her to Derwin’s. He tried to help. He gave her a few different potions that helped but did not cure her. And she was in so much pain. Derwin told me that I could save her one of two ways. One, I could bite her and turn her into a monster like me. Or, I could save her by letting her go,” Merc paused and turned to look at me. “I was overcome with selfishness. Though I would be turning her into a monster like me, I no longer wanted to be alone,River.”
“You are not a monster,Merc.”
“Am Inot?”
Merc pushed his sleeves all the way up to his shoulders and revealed that the skin that covered his arms was completely gray now. Then he raised his shirt and pulled up the legs of his trousers to his knees. His chest, stomach, and lower legs were all gray. The sins of others were destroyinghim.
“You are not a monster, Merc,” I repeated. “You were always kind to me. You were my only friend; myfamily.”
He smiled and jostled myshoulder.
“Phoebe is everything tome.”
“She seems very sweet and loyal,Merc.”
“And beautiful,” Merc bragged as hesmiled.
“Yes, she is beautiful as well,” I agreed withhim.
“Of course, you roll in with the fucking Queen of Drishane. You and I need to sit down with an ale, little brother,” Merc elbowedme.
Rain began to pour down again, sending all of us back inside. As we all warmed up, I told Merc, Phoebe, and Derwin how I stumbled upon the Queen of Drishane. This was also news for Ethan, Michan, Liam, and Sean. These folks were my family, and I was not ashamed to tell them. I had nothing to hideanymore.
Derwin had grown quiet, and when everyone went to sleep, I sat down at his table across from him. He was studying his ironplate.
“What is it, Derwin?” Iasked.
“A storm is coming, River,” Derwinwarned.
Something told me that he was not referring to theweather.
