Conjuring Chaos by Ann Gimpel

Author:Ann Gimpel [Gimpel, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ann Gimpel Books, LLC

Chapter Thirteen, Alia

The rabbit stew had been delectable with wild onions, watercress, anise, and a couple of other items I wasn’t familiar with. Such a stroke of luck one of us enjoyed cooking. Enough remained in the pot to take care of breakfast. Connor and Joss had sacked out in front of the woodstove. Now that I was familiar with the lay of the land, I’d hauled in more wood while dinner was cooking. Cleyn hunkered over the remains of his rabbits, cleaning his feathers.

Rhys and I lay on the bed. I hadn’t wanted to disturb it the previous night, but some sixth sense told me the witches wouldn’t return for a long while—if ever. It was late, past midnight judging from the juxtaposition of stars and moon barely visible through the dirty window. I should sleep, but worry dogged me.

Worry about things I had no control over. My hamster-wheel thoughts led to the same place over and over. I was a magnet for trouble. The group would be better off if I went off on my own, duked it out with the Sumerians, and let the chips fall where they would.

What in the hell was wrong with me? Why did I have one foot out the door? It wasn’t like me. Even though I’d had painfully few friends in my short life, I was always loyal. I shut my eyes. They felt hot, gritty. Was Rhys onto something when he’d suspected my thoughts weren’t entirely my own?

A creepy, crawling sensation worked its way down my spine leaving a cold sweat in its wake. Had the Sumerians inserted some kind of remote access programming into my makeup? I squeezed my eyes shut tighter and chided myself for being ridiculous, a product of too many science fiction novels.

It had never occurred to them they’d need to control me. The root of their current snit was I hadn’t turned out to be the docile minion they’d anticipated. I moved nearer Rhys, careful not to waken him, and cleared my mind. I was part of this team, goddammit. Who knew what the morrow would bring, but I’d be better prepared if I wasn’t running on fumes.

I wove a calming spell not expecting much. Results were far from instant, but when I opened my eyes, daylight spilled through the window. Cleyn’s head was under his wing. Other than that, no one had stirred from their positions the night before.

I didn’t feel as crappy as I’d thought I would.

“Morning.” Rhys’s voice was scratchy from sleep.

I wanted to snuggle close and shut out the world, but it wasn’t possible.

He chuckled softly. “We’ll find time together at some point.”

“You’re in my head again.”

A lopsided grin split his striking face. “What else is new?”

Joss groaned. “Ugh. You’re talking. Must be time to get rolling.”

After a couple of muted beak clacks, Cleyn stretched his neck and waddled toward the door.

“Hang on,” Rhys told him. “I sealed us inside.” A beam of white light flowed from him to the cabin’s door.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.