Wings of the Raven Read Online Free PDF

“We’ll work it out. But I wish to hell you hadn’t had to come down here to tell me.”
    “I—I wanted you to know first,” I admitted. “I was afraid if I waited, someone would figure it out.”
    “Thank you.” This time he pressed a kiss to my forehead. Then he croaked out a rusty chuckle. “Your brothers are going to fucking kill me.”
    “I’ll defend you,” I said, trying for a laugh of my own, but it came out as a wheezing sniffle. “Hannah will help.”
    “I imagine I’ll survive their wrath.” I snuggled back into his chest and he rested his chin on the top of my head. “As long as the wedding is soon.”
    “W-w-wedding?” I tried to sound blasé, tried not to show the rush of feverish hope that filled me. “Who s-said anything about a wedding?”
    “You do want them to kill me then?” His wry attempt at humour was somehow comforting. If Will could laugh, even half-heartedly, then maybe everything would be all right. “Though it will be a toss up on whether they get to me first, or my grandfather. Granddad’s kind of a stickler when it comes to responsibility.”
    I’d met his grandfather at the wedding. Josiah Lightfoot had been a Wind Talker during World War II, and a Los Angeles cop for decades thereafter. Even in his late eighties, he was fierce and imposing. He’d more or less raised Will and Hannah while their archaeologist parents had travelled all over the world, and I couldn’t help but be glad he was still hale and hearty, so that my baby would have the pleasure of knowing him. But I saw Will’s point. I didn’t think a modern kids-first-marriage-maybe-later relationship was going to go over big with the senior Lightfoots, any more than it would with the aunt and uncle who’d taken me in after my parents died.
    “So do we meet in Vegas as soon as this mission is over, or do you want the whole formal deal?” The wry grin was back, but it didn’t mask the strain that was still in his eyes.
    I searched his face for any trace of resentment, and couldn’t find any. Still, I didn’t know how to respond. It wasn’t as if he’d actually proposed, and as much as I wanted to marry Will, I hadn’t wanted it to be for practical reasons. I wanted it to be for love. But that word hadn’t been mentioned. Instead I just shrugged and looked away.
    “Are you feeling okay?” As that idea occurred to him, he held me away from him and raked his gaze up and down my body. “You’re not sick or anything, are you?”
    For some reason, that ticked me off—maybe it was hormones, or maybe it was just the emotional roller-coaster I’d been on for the last few days since I’d begun to suspect. “No. I’m not totally stupid, you know. If I was having morning sickness, I wouldn’t have gotten on a plane. I’m tired, that’s all. For some reason, I haven’t been sleeping real well.”
    “I can imagine.” He let go of me with one hand to rub his temples and the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry, Carys . Both for my carelessness and for not being there for you when you first found out. You must have been scared shitless. I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
    “You’re doing your job,” I told him, mollified by his apology. “And yeah, I was kind of terrified. But now that I’ve had time to think about it…” I broke off, not sure I should admit to what I’d been about to say next. I really didn’t want him to take it the wrong way.
    “Yes?” He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Go on. I think in this situation, we need to know what each other is thinking. I mean, it just occurred to me… You do want to keep the baby, don’t you? Not…”
    “What?” I pulled back from his arms and glared at him, crossing my arms over my chest. “Of course I’m keeping the baby.” I’m pro-choice all the way, but I wasn’t sixteen or poor or uninsured. I was in a perfectly reasonable position to support a child, with or without Will’s help.
    “Thank you.” Will’s