{"id":874,"date":"2011-11-25T00:00:56","date_gmt":"2011-11-25T05:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=874"},"modified":"2011-11-26T19:00:08","modified_gmt":"2011-11-27T00:00:08","slug":"day-21-chapter-12-marin-08","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=874","title":{"rendered":"Day 21 – Chapter 12 – Marin – 08"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>Firelight lit the stranger\u2019s face as he smiled faintly in response to the question asked.\u00a0 \u201cNo, you\u2019re not the first group of survivors I\u2019ve run into, not by a long shot.\u00a0 It was a long ride to get here.\u00a0 You\u2019re more hospitable than a lot of the groups I\u2019ve run into, though.\u201d<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Next to me, Thom leaned back, frowning slightly.\u00a0 \u201cHow so?\u201d<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The man smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYou didn\u2019t shoot first and ask questions later.\u201d<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou crossed the wards,\u201d Kellin said quietly at my elbow.\u00a0 \u201cClearly, you\u2019re one of the good guys.\u201d<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI certainly hope so,\u201d he said.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGods and monsters!\u00a0 What kind of wards are you putting up here?\u00a0 They could rattle a body\u2019s teeth.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I stiffened at the voice, blinking.\u00a0 At first, I thought it was part of the vision I\u2019d just snapped out of until I realized that J.T. had stiffened next to me, rigid and not daring to look toward the voice\u2019s source.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I stood a little too quickly and spinning on my heel.\u00a0 I started to fall sideways as I put too much weight on my weaker leg in an attempt to spin faster.\u00a0 Rory caught me before I toppled over.\u00a0 I leaned on him until I felt steadier, staring at the approaching figure.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He looked like he\u2019d been walking for a couple weeks, at least, boots and jeans spattered with mud, leather jacket battered.\u00a0 His red hair was unruly with a little bit of curl, a little bit of wave, and fell in a damp tangle down to his shoulders.\u00a0 He was good-looking enough, with angular features and faint freckles brought out by the sun.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He felt<\/em> familiar, though for the life of me I couldn\u2019t figure out why.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWho are you?\u201d\u00a0 I asked.\u00a0 Who are you and how can you feel these?\u00a0 How do you know what they are?<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He grinned at me, a mischievous, playful grin despite the fact that this was probably a time he should have been serious.\u00a0 \u201cSorry.\u00a0 Forgot we\u2019ve nev\u2014\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPhelan,\u201d J.T. said abruptly.\u00a0 \u201cPhelan O\u2019Credne.\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I startled, blinking and looking at J.T.\u00a0 He was shaking, hands curled into fists as he stared at the newcomer.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The man simply shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cI go by Phelan Conrad now, but if you insist.\u00a0 Did we know each other?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYes,\u201d J.T. said tightly.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Now all three of us\u2014me, Rory, and Carolyn\u2014were all staring at him.\u00a0 J.T. took a few deep, slow breaths.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, Jay.\u00a0 What the hell is going on here?\u00a0 How do you know him?<\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYou gave me something,\u201d J.T. continued, ignoring me even as I put a hand on his arm and squeezed, my fingers digging into the bare flesh of his tattooed forearm.\u00a0 \u201cWhat was it?\u00a0 That day by the pyre, what did you give me?\u201d
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The figure stared at him, a puzzled expression melting into a grim one.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oh god.\u00a0 The dreams.\u00a0 He saw him in those dreams.<\/em>\u00a0 I looked at J.T. in faint horror and sympathy.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t notice; he was still intent on our visitor.
\n\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Phelan took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.\u00a0 \u201cSomething that was meant to be passed down, not locked away in a museum someplace.\u201d\u00a0 He dug around in the pocket of his jacket and took something out, a pendant very much like the one I\u2019d lost, though this one was larger, almost like a medallion, and on a heavier chain.\u00a0 J.T.\u2019s eyes widened and the air went out of his lungs.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTeague asked me to come.\u00a0 Actually, it was mostly Kira that needed me to come, but I got a late start.\u00a0 I was supposed to be here twenty-three days ago.\u00a0 Got distracted by something shiny.\u201d\u00a0 He held the medallion up by its chain and offered us a wry smile even as J.T. walked slowly toward him.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I don\u2019t think Phelan ever saw the punch coming.<\/p>\n

\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Firelight lit the stranger\u2019s face as he smiled faintly in response to the question asked.\u00a0 \u201cNo, you\u2019re not the first group of survivors I\u2019ve run into, not by a long shot.\u00a0 It was a long ride to get here.\u00a0 … 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":[31,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-12","category-day-21"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-e6","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/874","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=874"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/874\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":882,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/874\/revisions\/882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}