{"id":1551,"date":"2012-12-24T00:00:33","date_gmt":"2012-12-24T05:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1551"},"modified":"2012-12-24T00:01:39","modified_gmt":"2012-12-24T05:01:39","slug":"winter-chapter-28-02","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=1551","title":{"rendered":"Winter – Chapter 28 – 02"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat happened?\u201d she blurted, already half out of bed before the thin woman pushed her back down again.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cStay there,\u201d the woman snapped as she moved to help Cameron and the bear of a man he was leaning against.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhere\u2019s Jac?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe\u2019s coming,\u201d the big man said as he helped Cameron into a chair, then crouched to peel back the edges of his shirt from the rent in Cameron\u2019s side.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe went to grab extra supplies.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I think we\u2019re going to need it.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Neve asked again, her gaze meeting Cameron\u2019s.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She didn\u2019t like the guilty look she saw there.<\/span>\u00a0 What the hell did you just go toe-to-toe with, Cam?
\n<\/i><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Dirae<\/span><\/i> were beyond the walls,\u201d Cameron said, leaning back in the chair and squeezing his eyes shut.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat was I supposed to do, not help?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOne of them clawed you again?\u201d she asked, heart pounding painfully.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou almost died the last time.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBut I didn\u2019t,\u201d he said, opening his eyes and glancing at the big man next to him.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow does it look?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot as ragged as I thought it would, all things considered,\u201d the big man said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPretty deep, though.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Care, can you bring one of those lamps over here?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I need a little more light.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Neve took a few ragged breaths, trying to gather her thoughts.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Dammit!\u00a0 <\/span>What did we pack it with before?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Why didn\u2019t I let Teague give me some of that herb mix before we left?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I\u2019m an idiot.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>I should have brought some along, just in case.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou need to clean it,\u201d she said, swallowing hard.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cEven when you do, it\u2019s still going to get bad.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Needs\u2026some kind of poultice.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Is Phelan here?<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He\u2019ll know what to pack it with.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The big man looked over at her, blinking.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cHow do you know?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cOne of those things got a piece of me before,\u201d Cameron said, voice tight with pain.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWas a few months ago.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s where the scar came from.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cScar?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCheck the other side.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron looked at Neve and gave her a brave smile.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWe won, at least.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou couldn\u2019t have done that without getting hurt, though?\u201d she whispered.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her hands curled into fists.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>And I was in bed, doing absolutely nothing to help when he got hurt.\u00a0 <\/span>Some guardian I turned out to be.
\n<\/span><\/i><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI tried, Neve,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI really tried.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>His lips thinned and he hissed as the big man crouched at his side poked around at the wound\u2019s edges.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cDammit, J.T., what are you doing down there?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cTrying to figure out how deep it is, now hold still.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs it deep?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Neve asked.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know yet, he needs to hold still and people need to stop bothering me.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. hunkered down and peered closer.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBring that light in a little more, Care.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Neve\u2019s hands fisted in the blankets, squeezing so tightly she could have sworn that her nails were tearing tiny holes in the fabric.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her eyes watered, not from pain but from fear and frustration.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I can\u2019t lose you, Cam.\u00a0 <\/span>Not now.
\n<\/span><\/i><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWere any of the others hurt?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron asked.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI didn\u2019t really get the chance to look once that hag showed up.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hag?
\n<\/i><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCuts and scrapes,\u201d J.T. said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNothing as bad as the last time we went toe-to-toe with something before today.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You got the worst piece of it, I think, but I\u2019m going to have a look at Rory\u2019s face and Thom\u2019s arm once I\u2019m done in here.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat about your back?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron asked, biting back another hiss.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJac can take a look at it once I\u2019m done.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>It\u2019s superficial.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Stings a little.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Hopefully they\u2019re not blooded at all.\u00a0 <\/span>Not like\u2026bloody hell, not like Cameron.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWho else?\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Neve asked, her voice weak.<\/span>\u00a0 Who was the hag?<\/i>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWho else was there with the <\/span>Dirae<\/span><\/i>, Cam?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThordin and Phelan knew her,\u201d he said.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cCalled her Hecate or something like that.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Her whole body went rigid.<\/span>\u00a0 So it\u2019s been her all along that\u2019s been sending the fucking <\/i><\/span>Dirae<\/span> after us like hounds on a scent.\u00a0 <\/span>But what does she want with Cameron? <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>The sword?
\n<\/span><\/i><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNeve?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>She startled and looked at Cameron, knowing her face must have gone ashen, given the concerned look he was giving her.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She swallowed hard.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIf she didn\u2019t know about the sword, why would she be after me?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Her blood ran cold.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she said, heart starting to beat a little faster.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Does she know something I don\u2019t?\u00a0 <\/span>Why would she be after him?
\n<\/span><\/i><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Teague\u2019s words drifted back to her.<\/span>\u00a0 As if he had <\/i><\/span>\u00c1es D\u00e1na blood in him.<\/i>\u00a0 <\/span>She swallowed hard.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Was it possible?
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBloody hell,\u201d J.T. breathed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat\u2019s happening with these?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI told you, you need to flush them out,\u201d Neve said, hating how weak she sounded.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGet Phelan, he\u2019ll know.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>You need to flush them and pack them and if you have antibiotics you need to pump him full of them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Those wounds will putrefy no matter what you do, but that\u2019ll mitigate what happens next.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Cameron winced, looking at her. \u201cI let it keep bleeding,\u201d he said lamely.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI thought that might help.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It might have.<\/i>\u00a0 <\/span>Neve swallowed hard again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know if that\u2019ll have helped or not, Cam.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She looked at J.T. and his female companion again.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cPlease, just get my cousin.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Please.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. glanced over his shoulder and nodded to the woman.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cGo, and hurry.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Round up some boiling water and Jac, too.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cBe back in a jiff,\u201d the woman said, setting down the lamp.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Without another word, she was out the door, leaving the three of them alone.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Neve caught her lower lip between her teeth and eased out of bed.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>J.T. glanced over his shoulder at her and cursed.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cWhat are you\u2014\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cJust let her,\u201d Cameron said, sounding tired and resigned.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cShe\u2019s going to do it whether we want her to or not.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He reached for her as she half limped, half crawled the few feet over to them.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She took his hand, not caring that it was sticky with drying blood.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Her nose closed at the familiar smell of the wound and she coughed, swallowing bile.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYou\u2019d think the first time would teach you well enough,\u201d she whispered, resting her head against his thigh.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI had to do something,\u201d he murmured, tilting his head back.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI had to.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI know.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She looked at J.T.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cIs there anything I can do?\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He shook his head.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cNot just yet, anyway.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>Just stay put and hold his hand.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>He glanced toward something she couldn\u2019t see, then added, \u201cAnd pray.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The weight of his words, the certainty of them, sent shivers down her spine.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>She looked up at Cameron and saw his lips thin.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI guess we\u2019d better start praying,\u201d she whispered.
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cYeah,\u201d he said quietly.<\/span>\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI guess we\u2019d better.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat happened?\u201d she blurted, already half out of bed before the thin woman pushed her back down again. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cStay there,\u201d the woman snapped as she moved to help Cameron and the bear of a man he was leaning … 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":[35,67,14,52,39],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1551","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-2","category-chapter-28","category-story","category-winter","category-year-one"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-p1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1551","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=1551"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1551\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1554,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1551\/revisions\/1554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1551"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1551"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1551"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}