{"id":1534,"date":"2012-12-10T00:00:46","date_gmt":"2012-12-10T05:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1534"},"modified":"2012-12-09T15:06:07","modified_gmt":"2012-12-09T20:06:07","slug":"winter-chapter-27-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1534","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 27 – 02"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAny change?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. twisted and blinked at Phelan.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His eyes felt gritty, but he couldn\u2019t sleep yet.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Not until they were sure that Neve Vaughan was out of the woods.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That whole <\/span>out of the woods<\/span><\/em> part might take more time.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFever seems like it\u2019s down, at least,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe antibiotics Jacqueline pumped into her seems like it might be doing the trick.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan nodded slightly as he came over and set his bag down next to the bed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. watched as the thin red-head reached down and almost reverently brushed dark hair out of his cousin\u2019s face.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201c<\/span>D\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh<\/span><\/em>,\u201d he murmured.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe still looks like hell.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His gaze drifted over to Jacqueline, who was curled asleep in a nearby chair, wrapped in a blanket.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid she\u2014?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think she tried,\u201d J.T. said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She might have succeeded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Seems like your cousin\u2019s sleeping a little easier now, so either Jac did something or pumped more drugs into her while I wasn\u2019t looking.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I don\u2019t think it\u2019s the latter.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He scrubbed a hand roughly over his face, grimacing at the stubble he found there.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>What time <\/span>was<\/span><\/em> it, anyway?<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He could see the shade of Constance lurking just out of the corner of his eye.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He glanced in that direction and bit back a sigh.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think we\u2019re about to have trouble,\u201d J.T. said quietly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs that why the hair is standing up on the back of my neck?\u201d Phelan asked.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNo trouble,\u201d <\/em><\/span>Constance\u2019s ghostly voice whispered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust keeping watch.\u00a0 <\/span>Just in case.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIn case of what?\u201d <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>J.T. asked, stomach folding painfully in on itself.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn case she tries to leave him,\u201d <\/em><\/span>Constance said simply, her ghostly eyes glowing with other-earthly light, gaze drifting away from J.T. and toward the woman in the bed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIn case another Death comes for her.\u00a0 <\/span>I am to keep watch.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>To tell her.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan\u2019s brows knit.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m hearing\u2026pieces of this, I think.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>What\u2019s she saying?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. ignored him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Constance\u2019s nose wrinkled in mock annoyance.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>If he didn\u2019t know better, he\u2019d never have thought a ghost could be annoyed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m a guard against Death taking her, Jameson.\u00a0 <\/span>Do you need to know something beyond that, or are you satisfied with knowing that I\u2019m here to help, not harm?\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He frowned slightly and nodded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI think I am.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He glanced at Phelan.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe\u2019s here to safeguard Neve.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Must be worse than we thought.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSafeguard her against\u2014\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan cut himself off, mouth snapping shut.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His eyes seemed to briefly erupt with green fire before he brought himself tightly under control again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWho sent her?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhy is that\u2014\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201c<\/span>D\u00e9ithe agus arrachtaigh<\/span><\/em>, Jameson, <\/span>who sent her<\/span><\/em>?\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. looked at Constance\u2019s shade.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>The ghost shifted uncomfortably, looking away for a moment.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe maiden,\u201d<\/em><\/span> she finally said.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDid you catch that?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. asked Phelan.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOnly because I was trying.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>A thin line of red trickled from Phelan\u2019s nose.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He scowled and dug a rag out of his pocket, shoving it up against the offending nostril.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His voice came muffled from behind it.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe maiden, huh?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>That could be any number of death goddesses I\u2019ve had the pleasure and displeasure of encountering.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not permitted to say more on the matter,\u201d <\/em><\/span>Constance warned.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. waved a hand.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI\u2019m not going to ask more.<\/span>\u00a0 I\u2019m<\/em><\/span> fine with knowing what I\u2019ve already been told.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 And if it\u2019s a maiden, then it\u2019s not the Morrigan again.<\/em><\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Of course, that means there\u2019s some other death goddess watching us and that should make me really, really uncomfortable.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>So why the hell doesn\u2019t it bother me?<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Because stranger shit is happening to us lately and I\u2019m a big boy and I can roll with the goddamned punches.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan gave him a gimlet-eyed look, then shook his head slightly and sank down onto the edge of Neve\u2019s bed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf she\u2019s here to watch over my cousin, then whoever she\u2019s serving can\u2019t be all awful.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019ll just have to trust her on this one.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019re the one who\u2019s told me to trust the ghosts I knew,\u201d J.T. reminded him.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI did,\u201d Phelan said quietly, staring down at his cousin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut that was well before one showed up to purportedly keep death watch over my cousin.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThey kept death watch over you, too,\u201d J.T. said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBack when killing Vammatar almost got you killed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I didn\u2019t realize it at first, but they were there the whole time.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>On the edges of camp, watching and waiting.\u00a0 <\/span>Then <\/span><\/em>she<\/span> came and they drew near again.\u00a0 <\/span>As if it was suddenly safe again.<\/span><\/em><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan sucked in a deep, ragged breath.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou never told me that.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou never asked,\u201d J.T. said, following his friend\u2019s gaze to the pale face of the woman in the bed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAll of you people have guardian angels watching over you, y\u2019know that?<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSo do you guys,\u201d Phelan said softly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s just half of them are the flesh and blood kind.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. frowned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cSpeaking of those, where did Cameron go?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He was here before you got here and he stepped out for a minute and he hasn\u2019t come back in.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI imagine he\u2019s with Marin and Thom, getting grilled for information in the oh-so-delicate way they go about that sort of thing,\u201d Phelan said, sounding weary.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>A faint whistle reached both of them in the same moment.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Phelan cursed under his breath as J.T. stood up abruptly.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Horror was etched on Constance\u2019s ghostly face.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019d best hurry,\u201d<\/em><\/span> the ghost whispered.<\/span>\u00a0 \u201cYour enemies are legion and some are knocking at the door.\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAny change?\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 J.T. twisted and blinked at Phelan.\u00a0 His eyes felt gritty, but he couldn\u2019t sleep yet.\u00a0 Not until they were sure that Neve Vaughan was out of the woods.\u00a0 That whole out of the woods part might … 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":[35,66,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-27","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-oK","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1534","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=1534"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1534\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1536,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1534\/revisions\/1536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}