She glowered at him. "And how would you explain it?"
"Do we know for certain that these creatures don't exist? Perhaps it's just that no one--"
"If you say that no one who sees them ever lives to tell the tale, I'll scream. That's what my sister always says."
He laughed. "
I'll not say she's right, but think of it this way: What if there were things like death worms in past ages? That would explain the tales. Since then, most of the creatures have died, but there are still a few, in far-flung places like the Wastes. So few that they're rarely spotted, and when they are, some might live to tell the tale, but who would believe them? Such creatures aren't supposed to exist."
"And the shadow stalkers?"
"Spirits are real. Everyone knows that. Shadow stalkers are a twisted form of them. The Forest of the Dead is an unnatural place. It's filled with the spirits of the damned, however hard the Seeker works to put those spirits at rest. Does it not make sense, then, that that bad spiritual energy could warp itself into shadow stalkers, waiting for the right opportunity?"
"Waiting for me," she whispered. "A weak Seeker. One who can't hold them back."
"I meant the blood moon. I saw it, even if you didn't."
"But it's true that I'm a weak Seeker. In past springs, the court Seeker came. She's powerful. I'm not. I wasn't ready. I tried, but--"
"This wasn't your fault."
She said nothing, but sat there, her stomach twisting. Tova rose from his spot behind her and nudged her face.
"Tova's agreeing with me," Ronan said. "You're too hard on yourself."
She said nothing.
"Ashyn . . ."
"I don't think I caused it. I just think I ought to have been able to stop it. I ought to have been stronger. Moria . . ."
"Your sister couldn't stop it either."
"But she tried. She came for me, and she got us out. She fought every threat."
Even our father. I fear I'd have stood there and let that thing kill me.
He moved closer. "You don't need to be like your sister. You didn't break down when faced with death worms. You remembered what they were and how to deal with them. You tended my wounds. Don't forget, you found Beatrix."
"I tripped over Beatrix's dead body."
His lips twitched. "Ah, yes. Sorry. But you still found her."
She gave him a look, and he laughed softly, then he leaned closer until she could see the sparkle of his eyes in the darkness, feel the warmth of his breath on her cold skin, and then he was right there, his face in front of hers.
"You did fine," he said.
She nodded, scarcely able to draw breath as she waited, her gaze locked with his. He leaned closer. His lips parted.
"Now go to bed," he whispered. "You need your rest."
He backed away, giving Tova a pat, and then shooing them both off.
"I'll call you for a shift later," he said. "Get some sleep."
And that was it. She hung there feeling confused and cheated. Then embarrassed and annoyed with herself.
"Ashyn?" he called as she began walking away.