Common: Tales of the Mystics, Book One by Laurie Lucking

Author:Laurie Lucking [Lucking, Laurie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Love2ReadLove2Write Publishing, LLC

Chapter 14

I was wrong. It wasn’t my time.

A muffled cry sounded in the distance, stirring my groggy mind.

Footsteps pattered to my side. “Heavens, child, there you are!”

My eyelids were as stiff as a starched frock, but I managed to force them open. A waif of a woman crouched over me. The white band edging her face revealed a thin crescent of mousy hair at her forehead, and a black veil fluttered behind her. A nun?

Her blue eyes searched mine, filled with concern. “At least you’re able to waken. Let’s get you some water.” She untied a waterskin from her belt. Lifting my head, she tipped the spout to my mouth. Cool water drizzled over my cracked lips. She helped me sit up so I could drink more. Though my dry tongue blocked my throat like a wadded cloth, nothing ever tasted so sweet.

“There, now. That ought to do you some good.” She dabbed my lips with a handkerchief, then returned the waterskin to her side. “Do you think you can walk? I’m not sure I can carry you all the way to the manor, even with the help of the other sisters.”

I must’ve moved my head enough to imply a nod.

She positioned her hands under my arms. “Easy does it, now. You’ve been lying here for some time. Poor thing. I’m ever so sorry I didn’t find you sooner. The visions aren’t always clear, you see, so I’ve been searching this hillside all afternoon. I even called out a number of times, but no doubt you were asleep. I was beginning to think I’d misinterpreted…well, here you are now, anyway.”

She pulled me to my feet. A headache throbbed at the base of my skull, but I could stand with her support. We took a few tentative steps as I leaned on her as heavily as I dared. My legs held me upright, so we began our painstaking ascent. Her chatter ceased after a few yards, and she began to pant.

What vision could’ve prompted her to search for me? My starved, exhausted mind was no match for such an inquiry. I focused on putting one foot in front of the other as we trudged through the dirt.

At last, a bend in the path opened to a plateau. On the far side, nestled in a copse of trees, stood a wide brick house with two rows of windows, topped by a steep face of black shingles.

Relief coursed through my veins, making my steps stagger. Perhaps the Luminate hadn’t entirely forsaken me after all.

My rescuer heaved a sigh. “Let’s pause a moment—there’s a good girl. I’ll see if anyone’s around to help.” She took several deep breaths before calling, “Mabel? Sister Helen? Sister Rochelle?”

It seemed an odd place for nuns to congregate, but I wasn’t going to question my good fortune.

“I suppose they can’t hear us this far out. I’ll try again as we get closer.”

Her third round of cries brought a short, sturdy woman hurrying to the front of the house. She gawked at us before taking off at a run.

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