The Hunt: A Custodes Noctis Book (35 page)

“Can we have a minute, Flash?” Galen asked.

“Sure, I’ll meet you at the car.” He turned to walk away, then paused, looking back. “I found a place, they said they could take you this afternoon.”

“What’re you talking about?” Rob asked.

“I thought it was time to finish my tattoo, Rob,” Galen answered.

“What?” A joyful smile lit Rob’s face. “Really?”

“It’s Tradition, isn’t it?”

“You guys have weird traditions,” Flash muttered and strode off down the path.

“It is Tradition.” Rob met Galen’s look, an uncertainty in his slate-blue eyes.

“I know, Rob, I’ve denied it, haven’t I? That led to where we are now.”

“We were needed, the
feorhbealu
were coming. You weren’t responsible.”

“I was.” Galen held up a hand to stop his brother. “It’s true, the
feorhbealu
would have risen and we were needed, but if I’d been sure who I was—what I was—the Hunt couldn’t have called me after the Ritual of Swords, you know that. I guess I thought I was trapped, and what Blake told us didn’t help, I honestly believed that once I’d denied my place, it would always be there, like the scar the Old One gave me. A part of my life I couldn’t escape. What I don’t think I realized was the fact that I was still denying who I was, especially after what happened four months ago.”

“That wasn’t your fault, either,” Rob said firmly.

“Maybe, maybe not. But while we were fighting the
feorhbealu
I knew.”

“Knew what?”

“That I’m a Keeper. It’s who I am, what I am supposed to be. I don’t want to deny that anymore, I don’t want to give up my place as
Custodes Noctis.
”

“Took you long enough,” Rob chided affectionately, tears glittering in his eyes.

“Yeah. It did.” Galen sighed, still hearing the soft song of the Hunt.

“Our lost brothers, Galen.”

“We’ll be back, Rob.”

“Yeah,” Rob said, regret in his voice and buzzing through the bond.

“I know,” Galen said gently, knowing the pull Rob was experiencing. Galen stared off across the fields, the mists silver in the light. He thought he saw the gray of an
each uisge
slipping through the trees. The sound of the ocean was beating a steady pulse in the background, and he could hear the ravens croaking from somewhere behind him. The bond with Rob hummed softly, a gentle nudge of affection singing along their connection. With a deep sigh, he turned and headed back towards where Flash was waiting.

“I told you, I’m not taking you anywhere,” Flash was talking to the ravens perched on the top of his SUV. “Damn birds are still talking to me,” he said when he noticed Galen.

One of the ravens took a tiny hop towards Flash.
“We serve our king,”
it said.

“Yeah, well, you can fly,” Flash told it. “You don’t need a ride. Or you can ride with them. I’ll take them back to the motel and you can wait on
their
car.”

It laughed, Galen heard mirth in the croaking chuckle. The bird looked at Rob and lowered its head.
“We will join you soon, we serve you, our king.”
It chuckled again, and hopped off the car, swooping at Flash before fluttering into the sky, its mate beside him.

“I’m not talking to any birds,” Flash grumbled, getting into the car.

“Galen?” Rob said softly, when Galen didn’t move.

Galen sighed. Rob was going to kill him, or at least growl, but getting the growling over now was better than waiting. “Rob, when I was healing Robert,” he began, stopping when he saw the look in his brother’s eyes. “You know.”

“I do. Did you think you could get away with it because the bond is compromised?” A fleeting sadness crossed his face. “I’m glad you told me, though. I would’ve been a little pissed if you hadn’t.”

“I suspect that’s an understatement.”

“Of the year,” Rob agreed.

“I don’t know what it means, Rob.”

“I don’t either. There might be an answer somewhere in the Sagas. Surely a Keeper has done something that epically stupid before.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Brat.”

“Any time.” Rob grinned, then the smile dropped away. “Whatever it is, Galen, we’ll find it together.”

“Yeah, we will.” They were quiet for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

“Are you two coming or what?” Flash demanded. “Those birds might be back or something.”

Rob nudged Galen with his shoulder. “You ready to head back home?”

“Yeah, Rob,” Galen said, smiling at his brother. “I am.”