{"id":4002,"date":"2019-06-24T00:00:20","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T04:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=4002"},"modified":"2019-06-23T18:30:20","modified_gmt":"2019-06-23T22:30:20","slug":"seventeen-06-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=4002","title":{"rendered":"Seventeen – 06"},"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 There must have been something to the look on her face when they arrived back, because Marin\u2019s smile\u2014she had been talking to Tala and Thom about something animatedly, and apparently had been enjoying it\u2014immediately faded and she stood up, steadying Thom as she did.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhat is it?\u201d she asked, her voice quiet.\u00a0 \u201cWhat\u2019s happened?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt is<\/i> Orcus,\u201d Matt said.\u00a0 \u201cAnd he\u2019s given us three days.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUntil some kind of inevitable showdown?\u201d Thom asked, irony heavy in his voice.\u00a0 He leaned back against the log behind him, Lin nestled against his chest, sleeping.\u00a0 \u201cGot to admire his flare for the dramatic.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s more than that,\u201d Hecate said.\u00a0 \u201cHe told Matt and Thordin that he wanted me.\u00a0 I have three days to turn myself into him and then presumably, he leaves you all alone\u2014at least, I suspect that\u2019s what he\u2019d want you to think.\u00a0 With Seamus and Leinth here, though, I think we all know that\u2019s off the table.\u201d\u00a0 She glanced around.\u00a0 Both Seamus and Leinth were gone\u2014she\u2019d probably taken him back to bed sometime while Hecate had been gone.\u00a0 As far as Hecate was concerned, that was good.\u00a0 Bed was where Seamus needed to be, resting and recovering.\u00a0 She hoped they wouldn\u2019t need him for the coming fight.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Something in the pit of her stomach told her that they would.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSo what do we do?\u201d Tala asked softly.\u00a0 She was already making more coffee.\u00a0 The woman was a saint, no matter what she believed.\u00a0 \u201cBatten down the hatches again?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe might not have to,\u201d Carolyn said, moving to help Tala.\u00a0 \u201cHe made a mistake.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA mistake?\u201d Marin\u2019s brow furrowed.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe told your brother and I roughly where he is,\u201d Thordin said.\u00a0 \u201cTen miles northwest.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAlong the lakeshore,\u201d Marin said, frowning.\u00a0 \u201cAnd we have three days?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Matt nodded.\u00a0 \u201cHe didn\u2019t give a more precise time or location.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBut he might not have needed to,\u201d Hecate said quickly.\u00a0 \u201cWe might be able to leverage this into an advantage, hit him before he hits us.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Marin watched them all for a few seconds.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s something else that you\u2019re not saying.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe has Persephone,\u201d Matt said.\u00a0 \u201cHe said he\u2019d give her to us if we gave her Hecate.\u00a0 We\u2014I\u2014said no.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hecate took his hand and squeezed, hard, even as her heart contracted painfully.\u00a0 \u201cWe<\/i> said no.\u00a0 I love her as my sister, but I can\u2019t do that.\u00a0 Not again.\u00a0 Not ever again.\u00a0 We find a way and it\u2019s not me going with him.\u00a0 We find a way.\u201d\u00a0 She stared at Marin.\u00a0 \u201cThis is my home, my family.\u00a0 He\u2019d turn me against you in any way he could and I am not going to risk that happening.\u00a0 Not now and not ever.\u201d<\/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 There must have been something to the look on her face when they arrived back, because Marin\u2019s smile\u2014she had been talking to Tala and Thom about something animatedly, and apparently had … 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":[150,163,171,170,194,152,181,149,148,168,147,165,215,158,200,169,146],"class_list":["post-4002","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-marin-astoris","tag-matthew-astoris","tag-original-fiction","tag-post-apocalyptic","tag-serial","tag-serial-fiction","tag-story","tag-tala-johanson","tag-thom-ambrose","tag-thomas-merlin-ambrose","tag-thordin","tag-web-fiction"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-12y","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4002","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=4002"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4002\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4003,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4002\/revisions\/4003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4002"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4002"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4002"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}