\u201cSounds like I missed a show,\u201d J.T. mumbled as he bent close to inspect the stitches along the curve of Phelan\u2019s neck and jaw.\u00a0 Jacqueline\u2019s handiwork was neat and even, as usual, even under duress.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s getting better at this all the time.\u00a0 She\u2019ll be able to take over for me pretty fast here.<\/i>\u00a0 Of course, the fact that Phelan was still out like a light helped the work go easier.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust a little bit of one,\u201d Jacqueline agreed.\u00a0 \u201cMarin said that she saw a ghost army holding the perimeter a ways out so they could take down the camazotzi<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSounds like we might not need to worry about them as much, then.\u201d\u00a0 J.T. sat back with a slight wince, his back twinging in pain.\u00a0 \u201cDid you try to use your\u2026whatever it is on him?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacqueline snorted humorlessly.\u00a0 \u201cWhen I saw him bleeding all over the ground, you\u2019d better believe I did.\u00a0 God\u2026heard my plea.\u00a0 It was kind of like healing Kellin, but not.\u201d\u00a0 She frowned.\u00a0 \u201cHe had a cracked skull.\u201d<\/p>\n
J.T. cursed under his breath.\u00a0 That\u2019s not good.<\/i>\u00a0 \u201cYou fixed it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we\u2019re lucky, he\u2019ll just have a nasty headache when he wakes up.\u201d Jacqueline hugged her arms across her chest and exhaled a sigh.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019m hoping, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did good,\u201d J.T. said again.\u00a0 \u201cProbably better than I would have under the circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNice of you to say,\u201d she muttered, then exhaled a sigh.\u00a0 \u201cIt was messy, Jay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe wards held,\u201d he observed.\u00a0 \u201cCouldn\u2019t have been that bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank God for small favors.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 She paused, watching him in the dim light of Phelan\u2019s room, which smelled heavily of herbs and leather.\u00a0 \u201cThanks for coming to look.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPart of what I do around here,\u201d he said, smiling faintly at her over his shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cI have to give you a reason to keep me around.\u201d\u00a0 He stood stiffly from his chair and winced as the room spun slowly around him, then righted itself.\u00a0 He gripped the back of the chair tightly to help steady himself.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll be glad when I shake this off,\u201d he muttered.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou still feeling sick?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDizzy, that\u2019s all.\u201d\u00a0 He rubbed his forehead.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s better.\u00a0 I can\u2019t expect to be right as rain as quickly as I\u2019d like, that\u2019s all.\u00a0 I shouldn\u2019t act it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou probably shouldn\u2019t,\u201d Jacqueline agreed, appropriating the chair he abandoned.\u00a0 \u201cGo eat something.\u00a0 I\u2019ll stay here on watch.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacqueline\u2019s gaze drifted to Phelan and she nodded slightly.\u00a0 \u201cYeah.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure.\u00a0 Carolyn\u2019s probably wondering where you got to anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
He smiled faintly.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019s checking on her little friends right now.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure she knows exactly where I am, since I\u2019m never more than five or six feet from one at a given time, if you listen to her talk.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re that<\/i> widespread?\u201d Jacqueline asked.<\/p>\n
J.T. shrugged with one shoulder, then winced slightly as his back started to ache again.\u00a0 \u201cSmall space, a lot of them, I guess.\u00a0 They keep tabs on what\u2019s important to her.\u201d\u00a0 And I\u2019m important to her.\u00a0 God only knows why sometimes, but I am.<\/i>\u00a0 He smiled again.\u00a0 \u201cI guess I shouldn\u2019t complain.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably not,\u201d Jacqueline agreed.\u00a0 She nodded toward the door.\u00a0 \u201cStill.\u00a0 You\u2019re pretty pale.\u00a0 Go eat something and have a sit for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
His smile matched hers and he nodded despite himself.\u00a0 I\u2019ve just spent days flat on my back.\u00a0 I\u2019m not entirely sure that sitting\u2019s what I need to do, but healer\u2019s orders are healer\u2019s orders.<\/i>\u00a0 \u201cYell if you need something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will,\u201d she said, then shooed him off again.\u00a0 This time, he listened, stepping out of the room and heading down the hall back toward where Tala kept the cookfire burning all day and all night.\u00a0 She\u2019d been amazing down below in the tunnels, between her and Neve telling Angie stories about things long ago and places far away.<\/p>\n
She was near the fire as usual, pouring Marin a mug of tea.\u00a0 Both women glanced at him as he approached.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow is he?\u201d\u00a0 Marin asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019ll live,\u201d J.T. said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow are you<\/i>?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJury\u2019s still out.\u201d\u00a0 He grinned and sank down onto the ground near the fire.\u00a0 \u201cBut it\u2019s looking favorable.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank god for small favors,\u201d Marin said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely,\u201d J.T. agreed, then leaned back and closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
A sudden chill crept up his spine and he sat up straight again, looking around and swallowing hard.\u00a0 Where–?<\/i><\/p>\n
The ghost disappeared down the way he\u2019d just come, down the corridor.<\/p>\n
Without a word, he stood and followed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cSounds like I missed a show,\u201d J.T. mumbled as he bent close to inspect the stitches along the curve of Phelan\u2019s neck and jaw.\u00a0 Jacqueline\u2019s handiwork was neat and even, as usual, even under duress. She\u2019s getting better at this … Continue reading