Masquerade (The Dragonfly Chronicles Book 3) by Heather McCollum

Author:Heather McCollum [McCollum, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: romance,fantasy,spicy
Published: 2015-03-31T04:00:00+00:00

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Misty sunlight and angry voices roused Kat from her sleep. She blinked and jumped. Brianag’s face sat so close to her own Kat couldn’t focus on it. Kat rolled back, but Brianag followed.

“Do not make a sound.” The terror in Brianag’s eyes froze Kat. “The Campbells are out there.” She pointed with one long finger at the bushes where Eadan and Toren stood, their swords drawn. Kat saw Sara and Margaret clutched together near the far side of the circle.

“As long as we stay in the circle, they can’t find us or hear us,” Kat said and sat up.

“Are ye certain?” The desperation in Brianag’s tone tickled doubt along Kat’s skin. The objects that she camouflaged were normally inanimate and quiet. As a habit, when invisible Kat usually remained mute so she didn’t bother to add silence to the wards. But when she’d warded the clearing, she’d woven a thread to dampen the vibrations of sound. The sounds couldn’t travel beyond the warded ring line.

“Yesterday, I…God gave me a gift to hide us and I used it to hide this clearing. As long as we stay within it no one can see or hear us.”

“But ye are not using yer power now,” Brianag whispered. “I can see ye.”

Kat waved her hand to indicate the clearing. “I tied off my magic into the natural magic elements already here. The oaks, the rocks.”

Brianag’s eyes remained large.

“Never mind,” Kat whispered. “We’ll just stay quiet, but please don’t worry about them seeing us.” Kat nodded to emphasize her words. “The wards are strong and fit naturally here. I think this was a magical place before.”

Brianag nodded and sat down next to Kat. Kat took her hand and squeezed reassuringly. Brianag squeezed back.

“Their trail ends here,” a rough voice called near where Eadan and Toren stood guard, swords in hand.

“Then where the bloody hell are they?” That was Fergus Campbell, Kat thought. A furious Fergus Campbell.

No one answered, but Kat watched the bushes all around their circle rustle and sway as the men searched the underbrush. Let the wards hold! A chill raced along Kat’s neck as if she’d heard those frantic pleas before. The swaying continued for countless minutes. Toren and Eadan stood back to back watching the perimeter bushes jostle, their swords balanced, ready to strike. It was as if all in the circle held their breaths. The birds had silenced and the tree leaves overhead ceased to flutter. Suspended in time and place, not a breeze or movement.

“They must have moved off the road and into the forest to hide their tracks. Them MacCallums ken the way of hiding,” another man added. “They are not here. Ouch!” The man cursed. “Just these damn thorns.”

A roar of fury echoed off the trees followed by Gaelic words flung so hard Kat cringed and Margaret covered Sara’s ears. “To London, then!” Fergus shouted. “They would put Brianag before the bastard queen’s nose and demand retribution. I must talk with Maxwell,” he said more to himself, his steps fading back toward the road.

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