Page 35 of Broken Veil
Carys glanced at Duncan, then at the clock.
Ten more minutes to their destination.
“Angus is fine, last I checked. He doesn’t need me holding his hand,” Duncan said.
“Never heard a thing more true.”
Laura yawned loudly from the back seat and made a show of stretching and leaning forward. “Can I ask something? Why is every man we meet in the Shadowlands a giant? No offense, but it makes the van really crowded. And this is a large van.”
Wade, Cadell, Godrik, and Lachlan all turned to look at her.
“I’m just saying,” Laura said. “Shadowlands men back home are normal-sized. Is it the Viking blood or something? Why are you all so tall?”
“Viking was a job, not a people,” Wade said.
Laura pursed her lips and sat back. “But do they like… stretch you or something?” She yawned again. “Just wondering.” She blinked and folded her hands on her lap before she let out a long sigh. “So much testosterone.”
Carys watchedWade move toward a dark, flowing river as they waited in the van. Naida had exited the car with the old man and walked part of the way with him, exchanging words while Wade gestured animatedly and pointed at the water in the distance.
Lachlan sighed. “What are we doing?”
“Waiting for Naida,” Duncan said.
After a few moments, Naida turned and walked back in the car.
“Start the car,” Godrik said. “I want to get far away from that old one.”
“Do you know what he is?” Carys asked.
“I have my suspicions.” Godrik opened the van door and let Naida inside.
She sat in the front-row seat where Wade had been and held up a hand. “Wait.”
She watched the old man through the windows, and Carys decided she’d waited for food long enough. She walked to the back of the van and the small kitchenette. “Anyone want some food?”
“Is there meat?” Cadell asked.
“Not enough for you.” She held up a bag of sliced roast beef. “Want a sandwich?”
Cadell sat back and grumbled, “No.”
“I’ll take one,” Laura said, “if you’re offering.”
“Cool.” Carys set about making two quick sandwiches, then grabbed a bag of pretzels for Duncan and walked back to the front.
Naida was still staring at Wade.
“Why are we still here?” Carys looked at Duncan, then at Naida.
“I don’t know,” Duncan said. “To make sure he… gets to the river safely?”
Naida’s eyes were narrowed, but rain had started to fall, and Carys could barely see anything out of the windows. “Naida?”
“The old one is safe,” Godrik said. “We should go.”
“He’s still walking,” Duncan said. “Where the hell is he going?”
“And he’s walking to nowhere.” Lachlan buckled his seat belt. “Let’s go. Let him go play with his eels.”
