{"id":1270,"date":"2012-06-18T00:00:48","date_gmt":"2012-06-18T04:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1270"},"modified":"2012-06-17T20:32:52","modified_gmt":"2012-06-18T00:32:52","slug":"winter-chapter-14-04","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1270","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 14 – 04"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She slept for a time.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>When she woke again, the sun was half-gone in the west, twilight moving in.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her skin prickled with ambient power.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Neve sucked in a deep breath, slowly trying to prop herself up on her elbows.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her body sill felt like a herd of horses had trampled her, but the pain was a touch duller now.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He must have gotten her to swallow some kind of pill when she\u2019d been awake before.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCameron?\u201d <\/span>What\u2019s going on out there?\u00a0 <\/span>Why am I\u2014<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Her brows knit, something stirring in the back of her mind, just beyond the reach of her thoughts.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There was a reason for this\u2014a reason for the power in the air\u2014and it had nothing to do with the two of them.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Or did it?<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Her heart began to beat a little faster when he didn\u2019t answer right away.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She fought her way into a sitting position, hissing and hunching as pain shot through her ribs and spine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her voice became a croak.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCam?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He appeared a moment later, eyes widening at the sight of her sitting up.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShit,\u201d he muttered, drying his hands on the seat of his pants as he hurried to her side.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNeve, what\u2019re you doing?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhere were you?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She gulped down air as if she was drowning, but she hadn\u2019t felt anything pop and she didn\u2019t <\/span>feel<\/span><\/em> especially short of breath.<\/span>\u00a0 I didn\u2019t just accidentally puncture my lung, did I?<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Her fingers closed around his arm, tightening painfully for a moment before she forced herself to relax.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFishing.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There\u2019s a jetty about twenty-five yards down and the water gets pretty deep down at the end.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I caught a few fish that look likely for dinner.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He knelt down, sliding one arm behind her shoulders and pulling their packs and saddles over behind her with his free hand, stuffing her pillow between her back and the pile.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHere, lean back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>What\u2019s the matter?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNothing,\u201d she lied.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou didn\u2019t answer, that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She scrubbed her hand over her eyes and shivered a little, tugging one of the blankets up a little, wincing at the sight of livid bruises that hadn\u2019t been there before.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He frowned and nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She nodded slightly, staring out the open tent flap and past the fire to the lake beyond.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A mist was rising.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Her blood sang, fingers tingling.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What is\u2026<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat day is it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He stared at her strangely for a moment, his brows knitting.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy?\u201d he asked, elongating the word.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She straightened slightly even as he tried to get her to lay back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBecause I\u2019m starting to see something out on the water,\u201d she whispered, hands fisting in her blankets again.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Out in the mist, lights like will\u2019o\u2019wisps flickered in and out of sight as the sun set.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Neve\u2019s breath caught in her throat.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Is it?<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCan\u2019t you see them?\u201d she breathed, pointing.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLook, Cam.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Look out on the water, into the mists.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He shot her a look that told her that at least for the moment, he thought she was crazy.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Then he looked out at the water.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His body tensed next to her, his eyes widening slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He half rose to his feet, groping for the scabbarded sword that lay in one corner of the tent.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s okay,\u201d she murmured in his ear.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThey\u2019re not here to hurt us.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His voice shook.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cW-what are they?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGhosts,\u201d she murmured, her hand tightening around his.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGhosts?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGhosts.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Souls.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Call them whatever you want.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She smiled sadly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think it\u2019s Samhain, Cam.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The only time the veil is as thin as it is now is on Midwinter\u2019s Eve.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Neve rested her head against his chest, wincing slightly as she moved her leg, rewarded with a stab of pain shooting up from her knee through her thigh and into her hip.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhen I was a girl, we would feast on this night and then the maidens would dance for the souls of the dead, to show them the way to their rest.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife and I would lead the dancers, and our brothers would speak the words to send the dead on their way.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron shivered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSounds morbid.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt wasn\u2019t,\u201d she said softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt was beautiful and heart-wrenching, but it wasn\u2019t morbid.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She rested her forehead against his chin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomeday, you\u2019ll understand.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At least I hope you will.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomeday, huh?\u201d he said softly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMmhm.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Someday.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She slept for a time.\u00a0 When she woke again, the sun was half-gone in the west, twilight moving in.\u00a0 Her skin prickled with ambient power. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Neve sucked in a deep breath, slowly trying to prop herself up on … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,53,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-14","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-ku","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1270"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1270\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1271,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1270\/revisions\/1271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}