Twenty-six – 03

He woke alone.

Phelan blinked up at the rafters, at the herbs he’d hung to dry from them, and counted his heartbeats for a few long moments before he stretched and groaned.  The spot where Jacqueline had been was cool; she must have been gone for a while.

“What did she do to me?” he murmured into the silence.  “That’s never happened before.”

The suggestion to sleep had pressed down on him like a heavy blanket, wrapping him in its warmth and carrying him away.  He’d felt magic before, but nothing like that.  His eyes slid shut again.

I knew that she had a gift.  I didn’t realize how strong it was.  Does she?

She’d healed him before—at least twice, now.  He didn’t remember what it had felt like either time, but he did know that she’d pulled him back from the brink of death both times.  No one needed to tell him that; he knew without asking, beyond doubt.  This hadn’t been healing, though, not like those times.  It didn’t seem right for that.

But it’s part of her power.  There’s no doubt of that.

He took a deep breath and opened his eyes again.  “Enough,” he muttered to himself.  “Get out of bed, Phelan.  Time to figure out what time it is and what needs doing.  Laying around isn’t doing anyone any good.”

He needed to check on Matt at the forge, to check on the wardings along the ravine and the wall.  He needed to talk to Neve, to pick her brain about who might be the next to come—her and Thordin both.  He needed to track down Marin and Thom and find out if they’d seen or sensed anything in the area that he might have missed in his addled and distracted state.

It’s only a matter of time.  He’d said that to Jacqueline the night before.  He remembered that.

The howl of a lonely wolf reached him, even tucked safely into the heart of their shelter, faint and far away.  He shivered.

It’s only a matter of time.

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This entry was posted in Book 4, Chapter 26, Story, Winter. Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to Twenty-six – 03

  1. I love wolves but in this case.. not so much. I hope Jacqueline can help him sleep deeper and longer. He needs it.

    Thanks for the latest update. 🙂

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