{"id":1276,"date":"2012-06-22T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-06-22T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1276"},"modified":"2012-06-21T18:20:42","modified_gmt":"2012-06-21T22:20:42","slug":"winter-chapter-15-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1276","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 15 – 02"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. slumped onto the bench next to me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCan\u2019t you just\u2026I don\u2019t know, ask her to stay away?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI wish it worked like that.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan\u2019s eyes slid shut, his face still tilted toward the sky.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDo<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>you think I have any desire to see her again so soon?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I swear I get white hairs every time she shows up, whether she\u2019s coming for me or not.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Was she coming for you last time, Phelan, or had she just come to deliver a message?<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I still wasn\u2019t sure.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019d turned her words over and over in my head since then.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>S<\/span>omeday you will pay a price\u2026.you are stronger than any I have encountered before\u2026you have bent, but you have not broken.\u00a0 <\/span>That will not always be the case, <\/span><\/em>mo milse\u00e1in.\u00a0 <\/span>I promise.<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat will her price be?\u201d I whispered aloud before I could stop myself.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan\u2019s eyes snapped open.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I blew out a soft breath, shivering.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe warned us that someday, we would pay a price for everything we\u2019ve done.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Someday she\u2019d come and ask us for something.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She didn\u2019t say what or when, but someday\u2026\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I shivered again, my arms tightening around the knee drawn to my chest.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat does <\/span>mo milse\u00e1in<\/span><\/em> mean?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTrust me, you don\u2019t want to know,\u201d J.T. said with a shudder.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s too damned Wicked Witch of the West.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan was momentarily distracted by the question, looking at J.T.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWas <\/span>that<\/span><\/em> why you asked me what it meant?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhere the hell else did you think I\u2019d get Gaelic I didn\u2019t understand to ask you about?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. snapped, perhaps a little more harshly than he intended.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan just laughed, shaking his head.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right, all right.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He scrubbed a hand over his face, then looked at me, eyes growing serious again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSo she spoke to you, did she?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPhelan, she\u2019s been speaking to me since I saw the first potential end of the world.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Even as the words dropped like lead weights from my mouth, my spirit felt lighter, as if I\u2019d just revealed the single most terrible secret I ever could have carried.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Perhaps it was.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I glanced sidelong.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. looked horrified.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I reached over and squeezed his knee.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI only realized it after she came that night.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I never knew before, but I\u2026I recognized her voice.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid you tell Thom?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I shook my head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Why scare him even more than he already was?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I really haven\u2019t told anyone about it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I guess it didn\u2019t seem important, especially after we decided that we weren\u2019t going to talk about it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>How could I tell anyone I figured out who the voice was without telling everyone about that night, you know?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. grimaced, nodding.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGood point.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan just stared at us both for a moment before he shook his head.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBloody gods and monsters,\u201d he whispered, shivering himself.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His long, scarred fingers tightened around his staff and he leaned forward slightly, pressing his head against the wood.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid you know, Teague?\u201d he murmured, almost too soft for us to hear him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid you know all of this when you sent me here?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently, mindful of where the flesh was still tender and healing.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDoes it matter if he did?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>One corner of his mouth quirked into a smile and he turned his head slightly to look at J.T. and I.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOnly when it comes to how big of a smack he\u2019s going to get when I see him again.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There was a latent <\/span>if<\/span><\/em> in his words that almost made me wince.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019ll make sure you see him again, Phelan. \u00a0<\/span>Even if it <\/span><\/em>is<\/span> only so you can give him that smack for what he\u2019s put you through\u2014and us with him.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSo are you still keen to do it, then?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan asked after staring at us for a moment.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cEven with the risk we run?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I looked at J.T., saw the steel behind his eyes, then looked back at Phelan.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI guess we are.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right,\u201d he said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019ll need those torches again, and I\u2019ll have to see if I can harvest enough holly without killing those poor bushes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If I can\u2019t, I\u2019ll have to improvise.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He stood up, bouncing his staff between his palms.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDo you two want me to talk Thomas into it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. and I exchanged another look.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. looked momentarily pained.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I don\u2019t know what he saw in my eyes, but he turned back to Phelan and nodded.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think he needs to be there,\u201d J.T. said quietly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right,\u201d Phelan said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll take care of that first.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He headed up the hill alone.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. frowned briefly and glanced at me again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs he okay?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI was going to ask you the same thing,\u201d I murmured, pushing myself to my feet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think there\u2019s something he\u2019s not saying, but how would that be any different than usual?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. shoved his hands into his pockets as he got up, shaking his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSeems like we traded him for Thom in some ways.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We got Thom to open up and Phelan shut down.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCan\u2019t have that,\u201d I said, starting up the hill after him.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat do you think?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Once he\u2019s done telling my husband what we\u2019re planning, I\u2019m going to figure out what\u2019s eating Phelan O\u2019Credne.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 J.T. slumped onto the bench next to me.\u00a0 \u201cCan\u2019t you just\u2026I don\u2019t know, ask her to stay away?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI wish it worked like that.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan\u2019s eyes slid shut, his face still tilted toward the sky.\u00a0 \u201cDo\u00a0 you think … 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":[35,54,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-15","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-kA","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1276","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=1276"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1278,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1276\/revisions\/1278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}