Wayfarer's Keep Quotes

“Sometimes, it sucked when being a good friend meant you had to be a bastard.”
― T.A. White, Wayfarer's Keep

“You look awful,” Fallon said in an abrupt voice.

  Shea snorted as a laugh escaped her. “Gee, thanks. I’ll remember to clean up next time I slay a monster.”

  Fallon’s eyes were warm, the color of molasses as his lips tilted up. “My love, if you wanted my attention, you only had to ask. There was no need to go out and kill the biggest thing you could find.”

  She gave him an arch look. “That’s a mighty big ego you have there, thinking I did all this for your regard.”
― T.A. White, Wayfarer's Keep

“Someone needs to remain on over-watch. We don’t know when those bats will come back.”

  Trenton tilted his head. “That’s already taken care of. A couple of pathfinders and your friend Dane showed up shortly after we started using the Koa to help defend it. They’ll stay here. Braden’s also sent some of his warriors to protect the poor darlings.”

  He sent a wicked glance at the woman at his side. The woman rolled her eyes but didn’t contradict him.

  Good enough for Shea. She slid the sword into its scabbard as Gawain did the same.

  “Let’s see what Fallon wants, then,” she said, clapping Trenton on the shoulder and easing past him.

  He barely controlled his wince before he followed her.

  “What’s the matter? One of the bats get a little too close?” Gawain asked in a sarcastic tone.

  Shea hid her grin when her guard sent the clan leader a nasty glare.

  “More than a little close,” Eliza said with a sidelong glance. “When we showed up, one of them had him by the arm and was about to drag him over the cliff. Good thing we arrived when we did or else someone would have had to scrape the poor darling off the rocks below.”

  Trenton gave her a dour look and Shea choked back a laugh. She could just imagine how much he hadn’t enjoyed being rescued.

  “You’re getting a bit slow from your easy assignment,” Gawain said, prodding the other man.

  Trenton slid a dark look his way. “You’ve seen the types of situations she gets herself into. Does this seem like a cushy assignment to you?”

  Gawain gave a small shrug, conceding Trenton’s point with a small smirk.

  Shea ignored the banter. She did not get herself into situations. She saw a problem and fixed it. Not her fault that things often avalanched from there.”
― T.A. White, Wayfarer's Keep

“She hadn’t made it far when a whoop drew her attention from rehearsing her excuses to Fallon about where she’d been.

  She turned to find herself lifted off her feet in a back-breaking hug, a hulk of a man grinning down at her.

  “Eamon!” she cried in surprised delight.

  “Lass, you have no idea how happy I am to see you,” he said.

  Shea wrapped him in a hug and held tight.

  Buck popped up next to them. “Is this a group hug?” He didn’t wait for a response, wrapping his arms around them both.

  “You know, if the warlord sees this, he’s going to kill you both,” Trenton drawled.

  Buck leaped back, a cocky grin on his face.

  “What? You don’t think he’d make an exception for one of the Badlands’ heroes?” Buck asked, referencing how he and the other’s who’d gone on the mission were now called.

  Trenton gave him a wry look. “Considering he’s threatened to kill me at least twice a day since we’ve been back, I’m not sure how much weight your new title will carry with him.”
― T.A. White, Wayfarer's Keep

“Trenton groaned once the beast had finally stilled, and gingerly sat up. He cradled his arm to his side. “I just got these ribs healed.”

  Shea shifted next to him, wincing as her palms stung. Blood dotted the skin and tiny specks of dirt and rock decorated them. Her muscles protested as she scrabbled to her feet, her sleeve torn and ripped, along with the knee in her pants.

  “I can’t believe that worked,” Wilhelm said as he climbed to his feet next to her.

  Neither could Shea.

  “You know, when you first assigned me to her care, I thought you were punishing me for some unknown transgression,” Trenton told Fallon as he staggered upright, his face a mask of pain. “Little did I know you were giving me the most dangerous assignment in your army.”

“Neither did I,” Fallon said in a rueful voice as he sat up. The bashe’s final convulsion had knocked them all off their feet.

  Wilhelm’s smile was faint as he looked at what they’d done. “They’re going to tell stories about this. Our children’s children will speak of this battle one day.”
― T.A. White, Wayfarer's Keep

“Dane?” Shea asked, surprise in her voice.

  The man paused then reached up and removed his goggles. The move made him seem even more unfamiliar, forcing his hair to stick straight up in tuffs. He peered closer at them, his face equally surprised.

  “Shea! You’re alive.” He sounded excited and happy.

  “Not just her,” Witt said, relaxing his stance but not yet putting his sword away.

  “Witt, my friend!” Dane started to bound down the stairs but was brought up short by the rope around his waist. He turned and snapped, “Do you mind? I’m trying to greet people I thought were dead!”

  “Keep your pants on,” an irate female voice growled back. “This isn’t the place for such things. You can do your happy dance when we get out.”

  Shea arched an eyebrow at the second voice and bit back a grin as Dane turned back to them and let out a heavy sigh.

  “Guess the reunion will have to wait. Grumpy britches back there will have a cow if we don’t get a move on.” Dane turned to walk up the stairs. “Follow us. They tell me the path has moved a bit since the last time you’ve been through, Shea.”

  With that, the mist swallowed him again, though his voice echoed back to them as he argued with his companion.”
― T.A. White, Wayfarer's Keep

“Trenton’s disgusted look answered that question even as Wilhelm shook his head and said, “They’ll be almost as useless as the sword. With something that big, it probably won’t even notice unless we hit an eye.”

  Which most likely still wouldn’t kill it.

  The same with any attacks on the body. At most, they’d be a minor nuisance.

  “That leaves one option,” Shea said in a resigned voice.

  “You have a plan, then?” Witt asked, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

  “Yup, but I don’t think any of you are going to like it.” Shea’s expression turned sour. If she was being honest, she didn’t like her plan either.

  Trenton stared at her for several beats before he shook his head. “No, that’s crazy.”

  “It’s the best option we’ve got
,” Fallon agreed, his mind already following where hers had gone.

  Surprise and understanding dawned on Wilhelm and Witt’s faces as they realized what she was thinking.

  “I feel like your plans get worse and worse the longer I know you—like gone ‘round the bend crazy worse,” Trenton said. To Fallon, he said, “At least tell me we’re not letting her do the honors.”

  Fallon’s eyes were dark as he stared at Shea. It was obvious he wanted to order her to abandon their group and head to the Keep by herself, even at the expense of his own safety. It was just as obvious she would refuse.

  “No, we’re not,” he agreed with Trenton. “One of us will do it.”

  “I didn’t expect anything else.” Shea gave Fallon a half smile. “I could never make that throw. That’s why Wilhelm will do it.”

  Wilhelm lifted an eyebrow. “I will?”

  “Wait a minute. Why not me?” Trenton asked in outrage.

  Shea ignored him to answer Wilhelm’s question. “I’m not skilled enough with a spear. Same for Witt, and the doubter over there is still recovering from cracked ribs and internal bleeding. And if we let Fallon do it, I’m pretty sure Caden would murder us all once he found out about it. That leaves you.”

  “Hey!” Trenton protested.

  Fallon looked like he wanted to argue, but he must have seen her point. Of the five of them, Wilhelm was the one with the best marksmanship. Beyond all of the other reasons, that was the one that counted the most and Fallon knew it.

  Wilhelm stared off into the mist with a considering expression before looking sideways at Shea, his face serious and intent. “We’ll only get one chance at this.”

  “Guess you’d better make the shot count, then,” she told him.

  “Incoming,” Witt murmured.”
― T.A. White, Wayfarer's Keep

“Your friends aren’t afraid of that little scrap of mist, are they?” Reece asked with a sly smile.

  “We’re Trateri,” Buck said, jutting his chin out and giving the other man a crazy grin. “We’re afraid of nothing.”

  Eamon grunted, his expression even more severe than usual.

  Reece’s lips twisted. “Then, you’re stupider than you look. Only a fool feels no fear in the face of that.”

  He jerked his head toward the mist that waved at them with smoky tendrils.

  “Doesn’t look too bad to me. No worse than the last time, at any rate.” Buck clapped a hand on Shea’s shoulder and tugged her in front of him. “And you forget, we have this one on our side. She wouldn’t lead us astray.”

  A crafty expression dawned on Buck’s face. “Or is it that you’re the one afraid and you’re hoping for a little solidarity on this side?” His face turned understanding. “It’s okay. Not everyone can be as great as us. We understand and will console your pitiful fears.”

  He held his arms out and gestured for Reece to come and give him a hug.

  Reece looked at her friend like he thought he’d lost his mind. An apt reaction given Buck’s nature. Shea had to conceal a smile or else risk tipping Reece off to the game. It was rare for her cousin to be out-Reece’d, but it looked like Buck was more than capable of matching him.

  “Go on,” Eamon rumbled. “His hugs are miraculous. They’ll soothe your mind.”

  Reece got an odd expression on his face, and he slowly started backing away from the three of them. This time Shea’s mouth trembled with the need to laugh. She got her face under control and gave her cousin a sympathetic look, her eyes big.

  “Yes, cousin. They’ll change your life.” Her voice sounded slightly strangled by the end.

  Trenton snorted from where he leaned against the cliff.

  Reece gave them a disgusted look and he stalked off without responding. Shea’s laugh burst from her before he’d even gone a few feet. It came from deep inside and nearly doubled her over.

  Buck watched her with exasperation. “What was that face at the end? You looked like you were trying not to shit yourself. I’ve told you before that you have to fully commit or you’ll never be convincing.”

  “You’re ridiculous,” Shea said, her laughter finally petering off. “Trying to make him hug you. What were you thinking?”

  Buck shrugged and gave her a cat-like smile. “I was thinking his face irritated me and I wanted him to go away.”

  Eamon lips tilted up as he watched the two of them with amusement. It was the equivalent of a laugh in the normally serious man.

  “Pretty impressive stronghold if this is the only way into it,” Trenton said. “I assume few ever breech it.”

  “Nothing human anyway,” Shea agreed. ”
― T.A. White, Wayfarer's Keep