18
Better for All of Us
Thomas stood in the shadow of Oswy’s hall, the night quiet around him. The sun had set two hours ago and the people were asleep, the buildings silent. Rain dripped around him, but it was no ordinary rain: Thomas felt the effect of the Ward’s work, evident as soon as he stepped outside. This rain was unnatural, caused by Brorda and Hilda using their Gift, and held a subtle fizz of Fey power.
The air was fresh, scrubbed clean by the rain. A tonic to his frazzled emotions. The events of the day cascaded through his mind in a whirling kaleidoscope, foremost among them the picture of Torht as he took hold of the hot iron bar.
He took a breath, trying to settle his stomach, setting the memory aside to focus on the night’s task. Which didn’t help to soothe his jangled
