{"id":1488,"date":"2012-10-31T00:00:06","date_gmt":"2012-10-31T04:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1488"},"modified":"2012-10-30T08:57:36","modified_gmt":"2012-10-30T12:57:36","slug":"winter-chapter-24-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1488","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 24 – 08"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan dropped the piece of chalk in his hand, fingers suddenly nerveless, a frisson of fear arcing up and down his spine.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201c<\/span>D\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh<\/span><\/em>,\u201d he growled, pushing away from the wall.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNow what?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. asked, frowning darkly as he bent over and scooped up the dropped piece of chalk.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He offered it back to the flame-haired man.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019ve got a look.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSomething isn\u2019t right,\u201d Phelan muttered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He snatched the chalk from J.T.\u2019s hand and shoved it deep into his pocket.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His fingers itched for the staff he\u2019d left laying on his bunk.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>For the second time, he cursed himself for a fool.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I should have gone to get it before we came out here.\u00a0 <\/span>I wasn\u2019t thinking.<\/span><\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>His skin puckered with a chill that wasn\u2019t from the weather.<\/span>\u00a0 Do I have <\/em><\/span>time<\/span> to get it now?<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Do I have a <\/em><\/span>choice<\/span>?<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>He swung away from the wall, breaking into a jog a few steps away from the edifice of concrete and broken brick.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. stayed with him, his first few steps shivering the ground at Phelan\u2019s heels.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The bigger man rivaled some berserkers Phelan had known in sheer presence and girth, as gentle a giant as J.T. was.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cStart explaining, Phelan.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI can\u2019t explain when there\u2019s nothing to explain yet,\u201d Phelan snapped, hating himself for the sudden harshness frustration brought to his voice.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Settle down.\u00a0 <\/span>You\u2019ve got no idea what\u2019s out there yet.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And that\u2019s why I\u2019m snapping at him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span><\/em>D\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh<\/span>, Phelan.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>He blew out an explosive breath and shook his head firmly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m sorry.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I am, I\u2019m sorry.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I don\u2019t know what\u2019s out there, I just feel something and it\u2019s not right.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThen why are we heading back into camp and not out there to Thom and Greg and Rory?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBecause I\u2019m the godsdamned idiot who left his staff on his bed,\u201d Phelan growled.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAnd whatever\u2019s out there is something I don\u2019t want to face without it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. missed a step behind him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI <\/span>don\u2019t know<\/span><\/em>,\u201d Phelan said again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201c<\/span>D\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh<\/span><\/em>, Jameson, I don\u2019t know.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Go get your sword, <\/span>col ceathrar<\/span><\/em>, and hurry.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The big man cursed under his breath and broke off, headed toward his shed even as Phelan ducked into his own.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He hesitated a moment to let his eyes adjust to the slightly warmer darkness indoors, taking a few deep breaths and trying to settle down.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The scent of herbs and leather calmed him slightly, helped his thoughts clear.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Ifreann.\u00a0 <\/span>This isn\u2019t like me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ve never been this unsettled.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Then again, he\u2019d never been quite as close to dying as he\u2019d been a few weeks ago.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His jaw tightened as he strode across the plank floor to his bed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>As his fingers closed around the haft of his staff, the voice from his dream of the Morrigan echoed in his thoughts.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSomeday, <\/em><\/span>go leor gr\u00e1 amh\u00e1in<\/span>, someday I will come to carry you home.\u00a0 <\/span>It will not be this day, nor the next, but someday I will come.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You\u2019ve served us well, but someday, <\/span><\/em>leanbh<\/span>, that service will come to an end and I will be there to bring you home.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The words still made him shiver.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He grabbed his kit and threw the long strap of the small leather bag across his body.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Better to have the herbs and oils at hand, just in case.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>With both hands around the worked wood of the staff, he took another few breaths, trying to find his center.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There was something about this group that kept him slightly off-balance\u2014probably the sheer power concentrated in one spot\u2014but at the same time, was oddly comforting.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 They\u2019re your family, <\/em><\/span>leathcheann<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2019s why.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 These people are family and they\u2019re your home and you\u2019re terrified of having to leave them someday.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot going to happen,\u201d he murmured to himself before he turned and walked back out into the winter chill.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Carolyn was at his elbow almost as soon as he stepped out into the light.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He blinked at her, eyes drifting momentarily to the sword she\u2019d strapped to her side, to the rifle in her other hand and the faint glimmer of her fae companion, Longfellow, perching on her shoulder, hanging onto the woman\u2019s hair.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat do you think you\u2019re doing?\u201d he asked.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMarin said you would need me.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan blinked.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe\u2019s awake, then?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe said she felt like something threw her down two flights of stairs, but yeah.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Jac talked her into staying put.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Carolyn looked past him, eyes lighting on J.T. for a moment as he joined them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The big man gave her a stern, grave look and she shook her head slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut she said that I should get my ass to wherever you were and stick with you until it\u2019s over.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Until what\u2019s over?<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>He kept the question trapped behind his teeth and nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll right, if that\u2019s what she says.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His gaze flicked toward J.T., whose claymore poked up over his shoulder.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLet\u2019s get going.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Phelan dropped the piece of chalk in his hand, fingers suddenly nerveless, a frisson of fear arcing up and down his spine. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cD\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh,\u201d he growled, pushing away from the wall.\u00a0 \u201cNow what?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s the matter?\u201d\u00a0 … 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-1488","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-o0","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1488","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=1488"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1488\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1489,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1488\/revisions\/1489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1488"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1488"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1488"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}