{"id":1498,"date":"2012-11-09T00:00:25","date_gmt":"2012-11-09T05:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1498"},"modified":"2012-11-08T19:02:16","modified_gmt":"2012-11-09T00:02:16","slug":"winter-chapter-25-03","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1498","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 25 – 03"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThank every power that is or was that we\u2019re clear of all that,\u201d Neve muttered for the fifth or sixth time since they\u2019d cleared the outskirts of the devastated city that had once been the second largest in the state.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThank you, thank you.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron\u2019s jaw tightened painfully.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Even months later, even with the cold, it still smelled terrible\u2014and felt <\/span>worse<\/span><\/em>.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There had been times when he and Thordin had needed to dismount and lead the horses on foot.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron was completely convinced that he now wore the remnants of several someones on his boots.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut are we still going in the right direction?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thordin asked, gaze sliding toward Cameron.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He took a long, deep breath and exhaled it, then nodded slowly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Yeah, it feels like we are.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Getting really close now, too.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thordin frowned, glancing toward Neve, back to Cameron, and then to Neve again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAre we sure he\u2019s not just sensing the nexus?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNexus?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron asked, brow arching.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat the hell is a nexus?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cA power node,\u201d Neve said, frowning slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut no, I don\u2019t think he\u2019s feeling that.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ve been sensing it for days.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs that what\u2019s making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron rubbed his gloved hand against the back of his neck, trying to settle those selfsame hairs.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It had been going on for almost a week, almost since they\u2019d crossed the water.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thordin raised a brow at the question and Neve nodded slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOdds are that it is,\u201d she murmured.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>There was something strange in her voice.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron reached across the gap between them to snag her mount\u2019s reins out of her hand.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNeve?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m\u2026fine.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It was a lie.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He frowned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re not,\u201d he said softly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She shivered slightly, lips thinning into a white slash in her wind-burnt face.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThere\u2019s nothing you can do,\u201d she said, her voice a bare whisper.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron glanced at Thordin, who shrugged slightly as if to indicate that he didn\u2019t have any more clue than Cameron did.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That does it.<\/em>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron tossed his own reins to Thordin and slid off his horse\u2019s back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll ride with you,\u201d he said to Neve.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She opened her mouth to protest and he shook his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDon\u2019t argue with me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>There\u2019s something wrong.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI can feel it,\u201d she whispered, eyes unfocused, distant.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His brow furrowed.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFeel what?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI can feel <\/span>him<\/span><\/em>,\u201d she said next, ignoring the question.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWho?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron demanded.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWanderer?\u201d Thordin guessed, brow lofting slightly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHer cousin?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron frowned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe\u2019s close, then?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYes,\u201d Neve said, her voice distant.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCan\u2019t tell how close, but close.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron nodded and swung up onto the horse behind Neve, wincing as she flinched slightly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He slid one arm around her waist and knotted the reins around his fist.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBloody hell,\u201d he murmured.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re burning up, Neve.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d she mumbled.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He glanced at Thordin again, frowning.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>All his companion could do was shrug and shake his head.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cStubborn.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSo I\u2019m starting to realize,\u201d Cameron said, then looked at Neve.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLean back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m not going to fall off.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe don\u2019t have to ride double,\u201d she said, but there was little force in her voice to back up her argument.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll be the judge of that,\u201d he said before he kissed her ear and gently set his heels into the horse\u2019s flanks.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt won\u2019t be for very long, anyway.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>We\u2019re almost there.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe\u2019re riding into a fight,\u201d she said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDo you realize that?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His stomach dropped.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI didn\u2019t,\u201d he said slowly. \u201cBut I do now.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>What\u2019re we going to be riding into?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Her throat convulsed and she turned her head, pressing her forehead into the crook between his shoulder and his jaw.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He winced at the heat in her face and swallowed hard as he felt the first of her tears splash hot against his flesh.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNeve?\u201d he whispered.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDon\u2019t make me say,\u201d she whispered.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Those words alone were enough to make his blood run cold.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMust be bad,\u201d Thordin observed quietly, then held out his hand.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPass me her bow and the quiver.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Might need it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI can still draw,\u201d Neve said sharply, lifting her head, face streaked with tears.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut for how many shots, Neve?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thordin held out his hand for the bow.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCam,\u201d Neve said, voice pleading.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He shook his head and handed the weapon to Thordin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe\u2019s right,\u201d he said softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou know he\u2019s right, Neve.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She slumped into his arms and squeezed her eyes shut.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A sob shook her and he closed his eyes for a brief moment, drawing her even closer.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he whispered.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSo am I.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She pressed her face against his neck again, voice muffled as she repeated the words, \u201cso am I.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank every power that is or was that we\u2019re clear of all that,\u201d Neve muttered for the fifth or sixth time since they\u2019d cleared the outskirts of the devastated city that had once been the second largest in the … 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":[35,64,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-25","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-oa","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498","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=1498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1499,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1498\/revisions\/1499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}