youngest sister spoke again. “He couldn’t take the guilt. My brother was a good, decent man.”
Was she implying Mum wasn’t?
I took in her flushed cheeks. She missed her brother. “I wish I’d known him.”
Margaret tapped her cane. “Perhaps that was the demon he’d come to face. Maybe he had to explain everything to Hercules.”
“Do you remember who he went to see?” I leaned forward.
The son replied, “He visited all his friends, and Hercules Thana.”
I didn’t miss the way he’d separated Herc from all his friends. “Did Murphy say anything about the meeting with Herc?”
“Never, but I could tell he was out of sorts after.”
“How many times did they see each other?”
“At least three occasions that I’m aware of.” He lowered his gaze. “Before the last time.”
Before Murphy died.
Margaret interrupted the heavy silence. “My grandson was an expert rock-climber.”
“Mum,” her son hissed.
She shot him a dry look. “I’m too old to not say what I want. Manners take time I don’t have.”
“What are you saying?” That sounded like an accusation.
Rhona walked into the garden. “Hey, I was looking for you. Everything okay?”
Wade said this family wasn’t fans of the Thanas, and that was obvious by the sudden stiffness in their postures.
They hadn’t liked Hercules, and Rhona was lumped in there too.
The talking was over.
“Thank you for telling me more about Murphy. I know it doesn’t mean much, but I wish I’d had the chance to know him better. To every account, he was an incredible person.”
“He was,” the brother said hoarsely.
“If you ever want to know more—maybe see pictures—just let us know,” the youngest sister surprised me by saying.
I smiled at her. “I’ll do that.”
The father approached as the family began to leave. He took my hands, leaning in. “No matter why Ragna and my son left the valley, I can assure you that Murphy intended to return to you both. He was leaving at 2:00 p.m. once their group returned from rock-climbing. There was nothing he wouldn’t have done for that beautiful, kind woman. And though he never told us of a child, I have no doubt he felt the same love for you, regardless of who your blood father might have been.”
This was all so fucked up. I’d hated Murphy for most of my life, then felt so hopeful after piecing together the timeline of his death. Now I just felt bitter that his death robbed my life of much-needed security. He’d left a blatant hole in this family’s lives—and mine.
I’d filled that hole with anger for twenty-one years.
I wanted Murphy to be my father again. Then Rhona would be head steward, and everything would be fine.
Mum would still be my mum.
Rhona lingered in my periphery, arms crossed. She was either oblivious to the Frey’s dislike or uncaring.
Probably the latter.
“Thank you.” I hugged the man’s middle tight and whispered, “Who went rock-climbing with Murphy and Hercules that day?”
He moved his mouth close to my ear. “One other steward.”
“Who?” I breathed.
“Pascal.”
5
I winced as another flag went up.
“That’s six hundred,” Pascal murmured.
From the high observation tower in the middle of Lake Thana, I watched the annihilation of our tribe in Water. The playing field was on a part of the lake tucked behind the hill where Herc’s will was read.
“Six hundred and one,” she said.
Ugh. Embarrassing.
You came here to learn. But still. Bet Sascha was having a fucking laugh over this. And his pack. Cheeks burning, I studied the surface below. The water was clear and with the calm evening, visibility was easy.
The Luthers used rope against us to great effect in this grid. My stewards had oxygen tanks, and the Luthers—stronger and faster swimmers—merely trussed up our players, safe in the knowledge they could breathe for the duration of the game.
Cliffs lined a small part of the lake’s perimeter. The stewards stationed there were safe, and they could fire at any werewolves within range. Of which there’d been a paltry number.
Problem one: The cliff couldn’t fit one thousand stewards. The battle had to occur in the water. Our weakness there in comparison to the Luthers was undeniable. The equipment needed to give us much-needed speed was horrendously expensive.
Herc had a Water savings account. I’d traced the equipment bought over the last two years. He didn’t choose Water because he wanted some defence when they eventually came here again, but that shit was costly.
Problem two: Our method of communication didn’t work here. Once my stewards slipped under the surface, they were on their own, so our plan couldn’t be adapted.
“Six hundred