{"id":1479,"date":"2012-10-22T00:00:40","date_gmt":"2012-10-22T04:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1479"},"modified":"2012-10-21T21:11:56","modified_gmt":"2012-10-22T01:11:56","slug":"winter-chapter-24-04","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1479","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 24 – 04"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat the <\/span>hell<\/span><\/em> is going on, Phelan?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. asked as they headed for the walls, trailing two steps behind Phelan.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNothing,\u201d Phelan growled.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Left the staff on the bed.\u00a0 <\/span>I shouldn\u2019t have, but how was I supposed to know I might need it?<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Gods and monsters, I should <\/span><\/em>always<\/span> expect to need it.\u00a0 <\/span>Idiot.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI thought we were past this whole lying to each other bullshit.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. caught Phelan by the shoulder and used his momentum to spin him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat the hell is going on?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan\u2019s gaze flicked between J.T. and Rory and he sighed, shaking his head quickly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThings might be starting too soon.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLike what?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The Shadow Man showing up to eat our faces prematurely?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat wouldn\u2019t happen.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019s a man of his word.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The thought made him shiver, though.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>As big as a bastard as Cariocecus has always been, can be, he\u2019s always been a man of his word.\u00a0 <\/span>Promises are sacrosanct, gifts are sacred.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>His voice dropped quiet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe gifted them time.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe said that we wouldn\u2019t see him until Midwinter Eve,\u201d J.T. said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s only another few weeks.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat they wouldn\u2019t see him, at least,\u201d Rory said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean all of us.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bloody loopholes.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d Phelan agreed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut he\u2019s careful.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Anything that happens would be totally unseen.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLike Marin suddenly dropping?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T.\u2019s eyes narrowed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCould he pull that off?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s not his style,\u201d Phelan said as he turned away and started walking again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The sisters, though\u2026could be, but I hope it\u2019s not.\u00a0 <\/span>I don\u2019t think that she\u2019s pissed them off enough.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThis is something different.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThen what the hell is it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan stopped and looked at the two men following him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know yet, but I\u2019m going to figure it out.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Trust me.\u201d <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u2022<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u2022<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019re getting closer,\u201d Cameron said as he reined up along the edge of the river.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow much further, do you think?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Neve asked, drawing her mount to a stop.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He looked at her, jaw tightening.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She was pale, still wavering in her saddle, eyes sunken into dark hollows.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow many more miles do you have in you today?\u201d he asked quietly without quite meaning to speak the words aloud.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCam.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLet him worry, princess,\u201d Thordin said as he swung off his horse and walked closer to the river\u2019s bank, checking the firmness and gauging the depth.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLying to him won\u2019t change the truth, and he knows the truth when he hears it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron looked at the other men and felt an odd pang of gratitude even as a faint feeling of fear welled up somewhere in the pit of his stomach.<\/span>\u00a0 Do I know the truth when I hear it?<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I suppose most of the time I do.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I just don\u2019t want to believe it sometimes.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>He exhaled quietly and reached a gloved hand over to Neve.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow many miles?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAs many as it takes,\u201d she said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow far?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Cameron said softly, shaking his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut we\u2019re close.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I can tell that much.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Less than another day, I\u2019d guess.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGood.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her fingers tightened briefly around his hand.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDo you want to camp here then, start fresh in the morning?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLet\u2019s find a good place to cross the river first, I think.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron glanced toward Thordin for confirmation.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The blonde man nodded.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cA good idea.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We could lose half a day trying to find a place to cross a river this wide safely.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Maybe we\u2019ll get lucky and there\u2019ll be a bridge somewhere that\u2019s still mostly intact.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mostly intact.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron winced at the thought of trying to get Neve across a bridge if she couldn\u2019t stay mounted.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLet\u2019s hope for fully intact,\u201d he said quietly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFully intact would be better, yes.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thordin swung up into his saddle again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou know, I don\u2019t think I ever asked what we\u2019re heading toward.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDestiny,\u201d Neve said softly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Both men blinked at her.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thordin was the first to speak.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI thought you didn\u2019t believe in that.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Said it was a lot of hogwash.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>For the first time in a long while, her smile reached her eyes.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI lied.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat the hell is going on, Phelan?\u201d\u00a0 J.T. asked as they headed for the walls, trailing two steps behind Phelan. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNothing,\u201d Phelan growled.\u00a0 Left the staff on the bed.\u00a0 I shouldn\u2019t have, but how was I supposed to … 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":[35,63,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-24","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-nR","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1479","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=1479"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1479\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1480,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1479\/revisions\/1480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}