The Hanged Man (43 page)
Authors: P. N. Elrod
“For all you knew I was killing Andrina.”
“The Seer's name is Sybil, not Cassandra. If Colonel Mourne takes what she says seriously, then so will I. Now, I won't say I wasn't worried, but it was your family matter to settle, not mine.” She felt his disquiet, but it flared and vanished.
“I said some terrible things.”
“You were provoked. She stole something irreplaceable and cut short an innocent life. In the end you took the right path. I don't know that I'd have been as wise or restrained.”
“Families,” she groaned. “They can be quite dreadful.”
“Or your best refuge.”
“Not that one.
This
is my family, my home. The Service isn't perfect, but I can be myself here. They understand me. But the days to come ⦠I'll have to make arrangements, somehow speak to my uncle and aunt, then go through Father's letters.⦔
“Mr. Fingate will help. So will I. So will James. You won't be alone.”
“It will still be awful.”
“And it can wait,” he said firmly. “Put it from your mind, at least for now.”
“Pendleburys. Damn the Pendleburys. I'd change my name if I could.”
“Indeed?”
The blazing soaring uplift of spirit in him was unmistakable: hope.
Oh, God, he can't be thinking of
that
. It's absurd
.
Absolutely absurd.
And yet â¦
His warmth surged. Enveloping her.
She floated on it.
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P. N. “Pat” Elrod
is the author of twenty-four commercially published novels, more than twenty short stories, and an editor and coeditor of several story collections. Aside from this, she loves her dogs Sasha and Megan,
Doctor Who, Buffy,
and
Stargate SG-1
. You can sign up for email updates
here
.
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EDITED BY
P. N. ELROD
My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding
My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon
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Contents
Â
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE HANGED MAN
Copyright © 2015 by Patricia Elrod
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Larry Rostant
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
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New York, NY 10010
Tor
®
is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
eBooks may be purchased for business or promotional use. For information on bulk purchases, please contact Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department by writing to [email protected].
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-0-7653-2971-4 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4299-4664-3 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781429946643
First Edition: May 2015