{"id":4000,"date":"2019-06-21T00:00:16","date_gmt":"2019-06-21T04:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=4000"},"modified":"2019-06-20T09:35:09","modified_gmt":"2019-06-20T13:35:09","slug":"seventeen-05-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=4000","title":{"rendered":"Seventeen – 05"},"content":{"rendered":"

[This post is from Hecate’s point of view.]<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hecate squeezed Matt\u2019s fingers again, her mind already starting to race even as she worked to keep her thoughts from tangling.\u00a0 It was starting to be a little easier than it had been before, or maybe she\u2019d just started to adapt again.\u00a0 There was an odd clarity, though, one that she hadn\u2019t really experienced for longer than she could remember.\u00a0 The fog was gone.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDo you think the Hunt would be able to scout the area?\u201d she asked as they crossed the bridge.\u00a0 \u201cAssuming they don\u2019t already know the territory.\u00a0 They\u2019ve been riding patrols all over the area for months.\u00a0 They\u2019ve likely covered the ground already, but we\u2019ll need to know where, exactly, Orcus has laid his camp and what his army actually looks like.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt stiffened, twisting to blink at her.\u00a0 She smiled crookedly and shrugged a little.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe can stop him before he shows up at our door,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cFor once, we can do that.\u00a0 I feel like we should take the chance.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou think we can do it?\u201d Carolyn asked softly.\u00a0 There was a thread of hope in her voice.\u00a0 \u201cStop them before they march on us?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI think it\u2019d certainly be better for our walls,\u201d Hecate said, then smiled wryly.\u00a0 Her stomach didn\u2019t drop at the idea, though, which meant she was either suffering some kind of break with reality again or she actually thought they could do it.\u00a0 The fact that she was able to think clearly suggested it was the latter.\u00a0 \u201cPossibly our morale.\u00a0 Certainly for the children.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But maybe not ours.<\/i>\u00a0 She swallowed a sigh.\u00a0 She would need to be with whatever force they sent against Orcus whether Matt liked it or not\u2014not that he\u2019d ever let her go without him.\u00a0 It would be dangerous for certain, but it would also be worth it.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 From the corner of her eye, she could see Thordin shaking his head slightly, though he was smiling.\u00a0 She arched a brow.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI knew you were dangerous,\u201d he said with a faint smile.\u00a0 \u201cNow everyone who ever tried to use you will realize why.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIs that a compliment?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He grinned.\u00a0 \u201cYou know it is.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She grinned back, nodding.\u00a0 \u201cWell, don\u2019t think that gets you out of planning.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPlanning?\u201d Thordin\u2019s grin widened.\u00a0 \u201cLady, I\u2019ll be with whatever army we put together on that field, one way or another.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got me.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGood,\u201d she said, nodding.\u00a0 \u201cNow we\u2019ll just need a plan\u2014and for that, we need the others.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She led the way back toward the edge of camp, now roused for the day, some of them scattering for their daily tasks.\u00a0 That was fine.\u00a0 The ones she needed would still be by the fire.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That much, she knew.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[This post is from Hecate’s point of view.] \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hecate squeezed Matt\u2019s fingers again, her mind already starting to race even as she worked to keep her thoughts from tangling.\u00a0 It was starting to be a little easier than it … 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":[299,321,14],"tags":[150,163,171,170,194,181,149,148,168,147,165,169,146],"class_list":["post-4000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book-7","category-chapter-17-book-7","category-story","tag-awakenings","tag-carolyn-roberts","tag-fantasy","tag-fiction","tag-hecate","tag-matthew-astoris","tag-original-fiction","tag-post-apocalyptic","tag-serial","tag-serial-fiction","tag-story","tag-thordin","tag-web-fiction"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-12w","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4000","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=4000"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4000\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4001,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4000\/revisions\/4001"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}