{"id":885,"date":"2011-11-28T00:00:26","date_gmt":"2011-11-28T05:00:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=885"},"modified":"2011-11-28T13:04:23","modified_gmt":"2011-11-28T18:04:23","slug":"day-21-chapter-12-marin-09","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/?p=885","title":{"rendered":"Day 21 – Chapter 12 – Marin – 09"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The left hook caught Phelan in the jaw and he went sprawling, landing with an oof against his heavy backpack, beached like a turtle stuck on its back.<\/span><\/span>
\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJ.T.!\u00a0 Holy shit, what did you do that for?\u201d\u00a0 I pushed past him, moving toward Phelan to help him up.\u00a0 J.T. grabbed my arm and held me back.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cBelieve me,\u201d he growled, \u201che deserved it.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s right, I probably did.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan managed to crane his neck to get a good view of us before he flipped the medallion to J.T.\u00a0 \u201cTake it.\u00a0 You guys can rock, paper, scissors for it.\u00a0 Most of you are from that bloodline, I think.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory came over to help him up but hesitated a second before grasping Phelan\u2019s arm and pulling him back to his feet.\u00a0 \u201cWhat the hell is that supposed to mean?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJust what it sounds like.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan looked at me and at J.T. for a moment, then looked at Rory and grinned.\u00a0 \u201cI sound like I\u2019m crazy, don\u2019t I?\u00a0 You\u2019re all looking at me like I\u2019m completely batshit.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory waggled his hand in a \u2018sort of\u2019 gesture, a brow arched quizzically.\u00a0 My mind was still reeling.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHow old are you?\u201d\u00a0 I finally managed to ask, though my voice sounded a little strangled as it came out.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cOh,\u201d he said with a wry smile.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s complicated.\u00a0 A little older than Teague, younger than his late, lamented brother.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 J.T. tensed up next to me and I touched his arm, squeezing hard.\u00a0 He looked at me sidelong and exhaled, relaxing a fraction.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re being\u00a0incredibly<\/em> inhospitable,\u201d Carolyn said archly.\u00a0 \u201cAnd it\u2019s not right for us to be that way, not with him.\u201d\u00a0 She offered Phelan her hand.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m Carolyn.\u00a0 Would you like something hot to drink?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d love it,\u201d he said, taking Carolyn\u2019s hand.\u00a0 He either didn\u2019t notice or ignored J.T. bristling as Carolyn headed for the fire, tugging Phelan along in her wake.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory shook his hand and joined us in watching them walk.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHe made my hand tingle,\u201d he said in a low voice.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cNow isn\u2019t the time to be sharing that kind of shit, Rory,\u201d J.T. snapped quietly before he marched off to flank Carolyn.<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThat was uncalled for,\u201d Rory said with a frown.\u00a0 He glanced at me.\u00a0 \u201cYou<\/em> knew what I was talking about, right?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cYeah,\u201d I said softly, slowly.\u00a0 \u201cYeah.\u00a0 Tingle in a bad way or a good way?”
\n<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory squirmed.\u00a0 \u201cNow it really sounds like what J.T. thought I was talking about.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cRory.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAll right, all right.\u00a0 No, I think he\u2019s in good people.\u00a0 It was weird, though, I don\u2019t usually get that kind of feeling from folks.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I nodded slowly, watching the three as they headed for the tents and the cookfire, where I could see a figure in a blue windbreaker tending to the fire.\u00a0 I thought it was probably Tala.\u00a0 \u201cA good feeling about someone for once, huh?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWell, he\u2019s not all cute and fuzzy, if that\u2019s what you mean,\u201d Rory murmured, shaking his head a little.\u00a0 \u201cBut we\u2019re not talking fire and brimstone here, either.\u00a0 Just\u2026feels okay.\u00a0 Feels right, like he\u2019s where he\u2019s supposed to be.\u201d\u00a0 He glanced at me.\u00a0 \u201cThe Kira he was talking about\u2014that\u2019s Thom\u2019s sister or something, right?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cHis cousin,\u201d I said.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s closer to her than anyone else in his family.\u00a0 Sometimes I think he loves her more than he loves me.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rory shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s not possible, Mar.\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t love anyone<\/em> more than he loves you.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I smiled wryly.\u00a0 \u201cThanks, Rory.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t mention it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We joined Tala, Carolyn, J.T., and Phelan by the fire a minute later.\u00a0 Tala was handing Phelan a cup of something steaming and grinned when she saw me.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMatt said you were up, but I told him I\u2019d believe it when I saw it.\u00a0 You okay?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m okay, though if you\u2019ve got an ounce of mercy in you, you\u2019ll feed me before I eat the teakettle.\u201d\u00a0 I tottered a little as I dropped down into a sitting position on the other side of Phelan.<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tala laughed and nodded.\u00a0 \u201cGive me a minute and I\u2019ll get you fed.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I nodded back and turned my attention to Phelan.\u00a0 \u201cSo Kira and her boyfriend sent you, huh?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cKira and her husband<\/em>,\u201d he corrected absently, taking a long swallow from his mug.\u00a0 \u201cYes, they sent me.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She got married?\u00a0 Interesting.\u00a0 Very interesting.<\/em>\u00a0 I shunted those thoughts aside.\u00a0 \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThey were afraid you wouldn\u2019t know what to do when everything began to happen.\u201d\u00a0 Phelan stared at me for a moment, then grinned boyishly.\u00a0 \u201cLooks like you\u2019re doing just fine to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The left hook caught Phelan in the jaw and he went sprawling, landing with an oof against his heavy backpack, beached like a turtle stuck on its back. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cJ.T.!\u00a0 Holy shit, what did you do that for?\u201d\u00a0 I … 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-885","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-12","category-day-21"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1EBlN-eh","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885","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=885"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":890,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/885\/revisions\/890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/awakenings.embklitzke.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}