title: Warriors in Winter: In the Bleak Midwinter / The Holly and the Viking / A Season to Forgive (MacEgan Brothers, Book 7)
author:  Michelle Willingham 
description: RITA &reg; Award Finalist and Kindle bestselling author Michelle Willingham has written over thirty-five historical romances, novellas, and short stories. Currently, she lives in southeastern Virginia with her husband and children. When she&#39;s not writing, Michelle enjoys reading, baking, and avoiding exercise at all costs. Visit her website at: www.michellewillingham.com.
zlib_text: Freedom Fighters of Trelandar
  
  A Tale of Adventure in the Second Dark Age
  
  Book Nine of the Warlady Series
  
  By Jerome B. Bigge
  
  Chapter Thirty One
  
        "It must be `hard' for you after everything," Lana said to me as I poured her some eggnog, Carl having added a little whis- key to it here which gave it a bit more "punch" than otherwise... It was a pleasant day, temperature not that "chilly"; a typical winter day here in Trelandar, just chill enough that you needed to wear a jacket or a heavy woolen tunic if you went outside now. There was snow in the mountains, visible there upon a clear day from the back door, from the kitchen windows when one looked out. The peaks of the Sierras white against the deep blue of the sky. 
  
        "It's over with now," I answered back, my tone bitter here. My sister was dead, her ashes scattered, and Darlanis was living in her palace there in Trella already making plans for her inva- sion of Talon in the spring when the mountain passes would open. I di