{"id":1526,"date":"2012-12-03T00:00:41","date_gmt":"2012-12-03T05:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1526"},"modified":"2012-12-02T21:10:30","modified_gmt":"2012-12-03T02:10:30","slug":"winter-chapter-26-05","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1526","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 26 – 05"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I stayed there, watching Jacqueline work for what felt like an eternity before I heard Thom shouting my name.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I looked up from the woman\u2019s pale face and toward the sound, frowning.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOver here!\u201d I called.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His voice drifted back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI need you over here!\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I glanced at Jacqueline.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs this going to be okay if I go?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She shook her head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDo what you need to do, Mar. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I think I\u2019ve got a handle on this.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I nodded and shrugged out of my jacket.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I laid it on the ground and eased the woman down onto it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019ll be back if I can.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSure.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If you can\u2019t, send someone with a stretcher.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Jacqueline\u2019s jaw was firmly set.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m going to need one to get her back to camp and someplace warm.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The woman caught my hand and squeezed with what seemed like every meager ounce of strength she had left.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThey found Cameron,\u201d she whispered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI know that they did.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Bring him to me.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Please?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>My mouth was dry as I nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOf course.\u201d I had no idea who she was talking about, but I had a sick feeling I was about to find out and that it probably wasn\u2019t going to be pretty.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I met Jacqueline\u2019s eyes again and she grimaced.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThom needs you.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Get going.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I nodded and jogged toward the sound of my husband\u2019s voice.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He and J.T. were crouched next to another fallen figure as Thordin and Kellin scoured the ground not far from them, seemingly looking for something.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThom, what did\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I stopped dead and stared at the man on the ground.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I knew him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019d seen him before.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGods and monsters,\u201d I breathed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHe\u2019s the rider.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019s the Dragon.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cRight now, he\u2019s had his bell rung and maybe some smashed ribs,\u201d J.T. growled, waving smelling salts under the man\u2019s nose.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPhelan needs to aim his spells a little better.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t think this was entirely Phelan,\u201d Thom said, his face pale\u2014paler now that I\u2019d named the man for who he was.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He must have seen visions of him, too.\u00a0 <\/span>I wonder what <\/span><\/em>he<\/span> saw.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo,\u201d I agreed softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThis doesn\u2019t feel like him.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom gave me a strange look and shook himself.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cMore than likely it was that thing burning over there.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The man at our feet groaned as he came around, blinked blearily at the gray sky.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He winced and put a hand to his ribs as he forced himself up on an elbow, looking at J.T., Thom, and I.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He took exactly two ragged breaths, staring at us before he swallowed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhere are Thordin and Neve?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou should be asking where your damned sword is!\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Thordin growled from behind us.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTo hell with the sword,\u201d the other man said, sitting up fully with a slight wince.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhere\u2019s Neve?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe\u2019s over here,\u201d I said, nodding in her direction.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe\u2019s asking for you.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I looked at J.T.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJacqueline said we need a stretcher.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The girl\u2019s in a lot of pain.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The man\u2019s jaw tightened as he forced his way to his feet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNo shit,\u201d he muttered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe has been since that damned monster threw her into a tree a month ago.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His gaze swept the field and eventually fell on the burning hulk, lingering there for a few achingly long moments.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A triumphant <\/span>ah-ha!<\/span><\/em> came from Thordin\u2019s direction and he marched back over to us and thrust a sword into his companion\u2019s hand.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou drop this again and I\u2019m going to glue it to your hand,\u201d he warned, eyes narrowed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s older and more sacred than anything you\u2019ve ever held in your life.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot everything,\u201d the Dragon muttered, even as he re-sheathed the blade.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He brushed past me and headed for where Neve lay with Jacqueline tending to her.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. was quick to follow.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow many extra mouths for dinner?\u201d my brother asked as he materialized at my shoulder.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThree,\u201d I said, watching as the Dragon crouched over his lady.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThough I\u2019m not sure how much any of us will be eating.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>His eyes narrowed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThis is a talking night, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Without a doubt, little brother.\u00a0 <\/span>Without a doubt.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Thom\u2019s arm slid around my shoulders.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCome on,\u201d he murmured.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cLet\u2019s take care of that stretcher that Jac asked for.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I nodded mutely and let him lead me away.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I stayed there, watching Jacqueline work for what felt like an eternity before I heard Thom shouting my name.\u00a0 I looked up from the woman\u2019s pale face and toward the sound, frowning. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOver here!\u201d I called. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His … 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":[35,65,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1526","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-26","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-oC","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1526","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=1526"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1526\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1528,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1526\/revisions\/1528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1526"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1526"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1526"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}