{"id":1279,"date":"2012-06-25T00:00:47","date_gmt":"2012-06-25T04:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1279"},"modified":"2012-06-24T15:09:11","modified_gmt":"2012-06-24T19:09:11","slug":"winter-chapter-15-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1279","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 15 – 03"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Matt waved to me as I came up the hill toward the forge, his face smudged with mud.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I waved back, looking around to see where Phelan had dragged Thom off to.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>They hadn\u2019t gone far, just beyond the forge toward the edge of the ravine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Their heads were bent close to each other\u2019s; they were already deep in conversation when I joined Matt inside the hip-high brick-and-stone enclosure for his forge.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s looking good,\u201d I said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The oven\u2014the heart of the forge itself\u2014had another coat of clay drying over the original brick enclosure.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The bellows were mounted on either side already, propped up against wood and brick struts.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Matt nodded, wiping his hands on the seat of his jeans.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019re hoping that we\u2019ll get everything enclosed before winter really starts\u2014that way we can get work done when the weather\u2019s foul.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019re going to need stuff, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMore than likely,\u201d I said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHorseshoes, hammers, that kind of thing.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBullets and swords,\u201d my brother added with a wry twist of his lips.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m not stupid, Mar, and neither is anyone else.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019re going to be fighting for a long time.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI hope not,\u201d I said quietly, looking away from him and toward Phelan and Thom.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut I have a feeling I\u2019m wrong.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Matt crossed his arms, following my gaze.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019re they talking about, anyway?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan just kind of dragged him off when he got here and didn\u2019t say why.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Not that I\u2019m not used to that kind of thing happening lately, but still\u2026\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>\u201cJust something we\u2019re going to do out by the burials tonight, Matt.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan wanted to be the one to tell Thom about it\u2014maybe to try to get him to talk J.T. and I out of thinking it\u2019s a good idea.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat do you want to do?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust some rituals to honor the dead.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s that time of year.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAlmost November already?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Matt shook his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s easy to lose track of the days.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I guess we\u2019d better work faster.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Maybe I can rope Rory into helping me up here so this shit can get done faster, before he first November storm.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We still thinking they\u2019re going to come early?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cProbably,\u201d I said, still watching Thom and Phelan.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thom turned back toward the forge and smiled when he saw me, lifting his hand to wave.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I waved back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan, meanwhile, started to walk away from us, toward the bridge.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Damn it,<\/em><\/span> I thought, frowning.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I squeezed Matt\u2019s arm.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s a good idea, Matty.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Y\u2019should talk to him.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhere are you going?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>he asked as I hopped the wall and headed for Thom.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHopefully to catch Phelan.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I caught up with Thom first, his brows knitting as I stole a quick kiss before I started to walk on.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He caught me by the arm, spun me back toward him.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019s your rush?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 God, they\u2019re so frickin\u2019 blue today.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I swallowed, trying not to get distracted by the brightness of his eyes in the sunshine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPhelan told you what we\u2019re planning to do tonight, right?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe wants me to talk you out of it,\u201d Thom said, nose wrinkling.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWouldn\u2019t tell me why, though.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019s pissed off because I said I thought it was a good idea, risk or no risk.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That\u2019s what I thought.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I kissed Thom\u2019s jaw lightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat\u2019s why I\u2019m in a rush,\u201d I said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomething\u2019s eating at him, and I\u2019m not sure it has to do with what we\u2019re going to do tonight, but I\u2019m going to find out\u2014one way or another.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOh.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He looked over his shoulder.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI guess you\u2019d better hurry, then.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He said he was going to go take a walk.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Not down into the ravines, though\u2014he gave me his word on that, but he said he didn\u2019t want anyone to come with him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Breaks the rules, but\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I squeezed Thom gently.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll catch up to him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Think you can help Matt talk Rory into helping with the forge?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cProbably.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Let me know what happened when you get back?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I squeezed him again, then headed off after Phelan at a jog.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Halfway to the bridge, I caught up with him.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He glanced at me sidelong and blew out an annoyed sigh.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGo back to camp, Marin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m poor company right now.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI realize that,\u201d I said evenly, falling into step with him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut you\u2019re not going to get rid of me that easily.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>What\u2019s wrong with you?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m not sure I want to talk about it,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat\u2019s just too bad,\u201d I said, shoving my hands into the pocket of my sweatshirt.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBecause I\u2019m not going to leave you alone until you talk to me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He made a sound that was half sigh, half growl, shaking his head firmly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>My hand snapped out of my pocket and locked around his arm as I stopped walking.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He tried to jerk himself from my grip and failed, finally half-turning to glare at me.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy is it so damn important, <\/span>le\u00e1nnan<\/span><\/em>?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Can\u2019t you just let it go?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d I said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomething\u2019s eating at you, Phelan, and I think I know you well enough now that if you don\u2019t let whatever\u2019s upsetting you out to see the light of day, it\u2019s going to consume you.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If whatever\u2019s bothering you consumes you, you\u2019re not going to be of any use to any of us.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>So tell me what\u2019s wrong so we can make it right.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He turned away again, shoulders hunching.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s happening too fast.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m afraid a reckoning is coming, and I\u2019m not ready for it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cA reckoning?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYes,\u201d he said, his voice dropping to a bare whisper.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd I\u2019m not ready to give up everything I hold dear in order to balance the sheets.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt waved to me as I came up the hill toward the forge, his face smudged with mud.\u00a0 I waved back, looking around to see where Phelan had dragged Thom off to. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They hadn\u2019t gone far, just beyond … 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-1279","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-kD","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1279","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=1279"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1279\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1280,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1279\/revisions\/1280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}