{"id":1307,"date":"2012-07-13T00:00:56","date_gmt":"2012-07-13T04:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1307"},"modified":"2012-07-12T20:00:04","modified_gmt":"2012-07-13T00:00:04","slug":"winter-chapter-16-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1307","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 16 – 03"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Twenty minutes later, the four of them crowded into the small office off the lodge\u2019s main room.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Ter\u00e9zia slowly unwrapped her mirror and laid it on the desk.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her gaze drifted to Aoife for a moment and her brows knit.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAre you sure that you want me to do this?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife looked at her like she was crazy.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOf course,\u201d she said quietly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Ter\u00e9zia nodded firmly and planted her hands to either side of the mirror.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her fingers drifted to the edges of the mirror.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know if you\u2019ll be able to see anything,\u201d she said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI wasn\u2019t that good at this before the end, and since the end no one\u2019s really looked at the mirror while I was working.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Gray looked away, frowning.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSometimes I could see flickers when I was watching you,\u201d he said after a moment, his voice quiet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI tried not to look most of the time.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou never said anything,\u201d Ter\u00e9zia said quietly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI didn\u2019t see a reason to,\u201d he said, looming protectively over Aoife.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He rested his hands on her shoulders.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt wasn\u2019t quite my business, was it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Only slightly,<\/em><\/span> Ter\u00e9zia thought, lips thinning.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife sighed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cEnough.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Let\u2019s do this.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Anxious tension had set her rigid in the chair, her eyes looking darker, haunted.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I wonder how long it\u2019s been since she saw him\u2014her brother.\u00a0 <\/span>Hell.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I wonder how long it\u2019s been since she\u2019s seen anyone in her family.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Probably a long time.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kes slid into a chair at the side of the desk and watched as Ter\u00e9zia drew a deep breath and let her eyes flutter closed for a moment.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She murmured a few Latin words under her breath, her focusing mantra, and forced her body to relax.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her fingers slid over the edges of the polished silver mirror and she felt her hands and arms begin to tingle.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So much power tonight,<\/em><\/span> she thought briefly, then forced herself to focus.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan O\u2019Credne.\u00a0 <\/span>The Wandering One.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife had murmured that appellation during her fevers, and Kes had been able to confirm that Phelan was, indeed, the Wanderer\u2014she\u2019d asked Aoife flat-out once, and that information had come back to Ter\u00e9zia.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A few heartbeats later, the reflection of the ceiling above them went white, misty.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The mists began to part slowly, resolving itself into the image of a red-haired man staring up at the night sky, leaning against a staff.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There were two other figures standing with him, a dark-haired woman and a dark-haired man.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>All three were silent, just staring at something beyond the range of Ter\u00e9zia\u2019s scrying.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife sucked in a breath and swallowed hard.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Ter\u00e9zia winced as the image wavered.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCareful,\u201d she said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s hard to hang onto the image without them feeling me watching.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMichigan, you said,\u201d Aoife whispered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow can you be sure?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCrystal on a chain with a map,\u201d Ter\u00e9zia said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt got a little easier once I knew who I was looking for.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You kept saying his name while you were sleeping and all, so I got curious and started looking.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd that\u2019s the same group as the one that threw acid in your face and set your hands on fire?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Gray asked.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The image wavered again as Ter\u00e9zia glared at him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYes,\u201d she said, jaw tightening for a moment.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThough none of them were involved.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTeca, I think they\u2019re starting to notice,\u201d Kes said, her eyes glued to the mirror.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Sure enough, the trio there were starting to look wary\u2014and mostly at the sky rather than anything else.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBreak off,\u201d Aoife said, sounding pained, her eyes still on the image of her brother.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They never wavered, even as Ter\u00e9zia let go of the image and the mirror faded to white, then to clear again.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She was almost afraid to ask, but she did anyway.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat was him, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife nodded, leaning back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt was,\u201d she said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe looks\u2026tired.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>More tired than I feel.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She scrubbed both hands over her face.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think I know who our cousin sent him to, but I\u2019m not quite sure.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWho?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kes asked, drawing one knee up to her chest, her heel catching on the edge of her chair.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think he sent Phelan to see to his wife\u2019s cousin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m pretty sure of it, actually, but I could be wrong.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She rested her head against Gray\u2019s chest and sighed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCan you show me on the map where he is?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think so.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Ter\u00e9zia wrapped up the mirror again and stood up.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She snagged a rolled-up map of North America from one of the side tables and spread it across the desk.<\/span>\u00a0 Now where\u2026Lake Michigan coast, so that was the western side\u2026<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHere.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Her finger rested on a point near the shore of Lake Michigan, somewhere between Holland and Grand Haven.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s not entirely an exact science for me,\u201d Ter\u00e9zia said, \u201cbut it\u2019s a good educated guess.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife shook her head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cEither way, there\u2019s no way to get to him before the worst of the snows.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Assuming I was even strong enough for the journey.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She smiled a wry little smile.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd assuming that anyone here would let me leave.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere is that,\u201d Gray said, smiling down at her.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think Elton would tie you to a bedpost to keep you here if he had to.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019s been complaining about how long you\u2019ve been taking to heal up.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust the nature of the beast sometimes,\u201d she said softly, starting to get up from her chair.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow much of that stew was left?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cEnough for seconds,\u201d Ter\u00e9zia said, standing as well.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid you want some?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A wolf howled, somewhere close.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Close enough that there was barely an echo.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A second answered a moment later.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat the heck is that?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kes moved toward the window, covered with a heavy shade.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere aren\u2019t any wolves this far south.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She lifted the shade.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A man with amber eyes stared right back at her through the thick glass.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kes shrieked, joined by Ter\u00e9zia and Aoife.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Where the hell\u2014<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/em><\/strong>The man stared at them for half a second, then spun away, melted into the form of a wolf, and ran off into the night.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What the hell was <\/em><\/span>that<\/span>?<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Aoife sprinted for the door.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Twenty minutes later, the four of them crowded into the small office off the lodge\u2019s main room.\u00a0 Ter\u00e9zia slowly unwrapped her mirror and laid it on the desk.\u00a0 Her gaze drifted to Aoife for a moment and her brows … 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":[35,55,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-16","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-l5","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1307","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=1307"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1307\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1308,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1307\/revisions\/1308"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1307"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1307"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1307"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}