{"id":1464,"date":"2012-10-10T00:00:15","date_gmt":"2012-10-10T04:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1464"},"modified":"2012-10-09T20:14:53","modified_gmt":"2012-10-10T00:14:53","slug":"winter-chapter-23-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1464","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 23 – 03"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re awful morbid today,\u201d I said as we walked toward the walls.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kellin lofted a brow in my direction.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re the one that brought it up in the first place.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m just stating a fact.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We usually figure out what needs to happen in the eleventh hour.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s just our luck.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her nose wrinkled.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019re still too new at this, maybe.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Maybe we don\u2019t know enough, but I\u2019m not sure how we\u2019re supposed to learn outside of life and death situations.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Seems like Phelan can only talk so much about the hard lessons.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They don\u2019t have much impact without the situation that goes along with it, I guess.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Either that or we just rely too much on <\/span>hoping<\/span><\/em> something won\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat\u2019s only worked once or twice,\u201d I said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOnce or twice out of how many instances, though?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kellin shook her head as we came up to the wall.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut you\u2019re right.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Hoping it won\u2019t happen isn\u2019t going to be a long-term solution.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPreparedness will be, though,\u201d I said quietly, resting one bare hand against the wall.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They\u2019d done a good job of placing the blocks and chunks of concrete, brick, and other debris so that it was mostly smooth, even if it was cobbled together out of the pieces of a half dozen buildings.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kellin smiled briefly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOne way or another.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She dug her chalk out of the baggie she\u2019d stuffed into her pocket and began to sketch marks on the wall.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I took half a step back, watching her draw them, my arms crossed even as the hair on my arms and the back of my neck began to stand up, crackling with the energy that she was already gathering.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths, starting to try to find my center and drawing energy of my own to pour into the ward when the moment was right.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe should\u2019ve had Jay and Rory and some of the others to help,\u201d Kellin muttered.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I shook my head, opening my eyes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe can always get their help to strengthen them later.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah,\u201d Kellin murmured.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI guess you\u2019re right.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ve just got this feeling.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere\u2019s not anyone here that\u2019s going to try to take those apart this time, Kel.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Besides, it\u2019s going to be damned hard to do since we\u2019ve got wardings incorporated into the walls themselves with that copper ring we\u2019ve got buried around this whole damn place.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I reached out and squeezed her shoulder.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She grunted, nodding as she finished the last rune with a few swipes of the chalk in her hand.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDump now.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I pressed my hand against the markings and closed my eyes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The stone and brick warmed under my palm as I willed power into the wardings.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A shiver shot through me as the marks hungrily devoured what I offered them.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGods and monsters, Kel,\u201d I gasped when I pulled away.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat kind of runes <\/span>are<\/span><\/em> those?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPhelan showed me,\u201d she said quietly, almost distantly, her own hand still pressed against the wall.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThey\u2019re the ones they used to use in the days of old.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He said they might make for stronger wardings than what we had before.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I shuddered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDamn.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She managed a laugh as she stepped back, swaying slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah, well.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Hopefully they\u2019ll last longer, too.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hopefully.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>I stared at the marks.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>They seemed to almost pulse blue somewhere deep inside the walls, beneath the white chalk marks Kellin had made.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou can almost <\/span>see<\/span><\/em> the power, even without nothing running into it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou can feel it, too,\u201d J.T. said from behind us, lips thin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cRory practically fell off the roof back by the sheds when you two started dumping energy into those.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Said it felt like you\u2019d rung some kind of bell.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I smiled grimly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cA good bell, or a bad bell?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDon\u2019t know,\u201d J.T. said, eyeing the first ward.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut I\u2019m damned worried we\u2019re going to find out.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You two need some help?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Kellin and I exchanged a look.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She nodded.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe could probably use some, yeah.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Otherwise we\u2019ll make it through about three wardings before we both just drop.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGood to know that took as much out of you as it did me,\u201d I said to her with a faint, rueful smile.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The corner of her mouth twitched upward.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWell, I wasn\u2019t <\/span>going<\/span><\/em> to say anything.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. just stared at the two of us and shook his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll be back with Rory.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Don\u2019t do anything until I get back.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I flashed him a thumbs up and leaned against the wall to wait.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Kellin looked at me sidelong.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe fact that they all believe is going to make them stronger,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMost of them, anyway.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I tilted my head back and stared at the sky.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMost of them.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re awful morbid today,\u201d I said as we walked toward the walls. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kellin lofted a brow in my direction.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re the one that brought it up in the first place.\u00a0 I\u2019m just stating a fact.\u00a0 We usually figure … 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":[35,62,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-23","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-nC","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1464","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=1464"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1464\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1465,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1464\/revisions\/1465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}