Read Online a Touch of Intrigue by L. j. Charles - Free Book Online
Authors: L. j. Charles
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sense that Pierce didn’t respond. His mind was acclimated to maps and grids. And his altered sense of vision. “I’m counting on you to see the things normal humans can’t, like a well-camouflaged cottage.”
“On it.” He touched my elbow. Such a small thing, but his reassuring support flowed through me. The way we communicated with a simple touch was like magic, and I cherished those moments. They warmed my heart, my insides lit up, and they cemented my love for Tynan Pierce in a way I’d never experienced before.
The glow of new love had skewed my normal level of curiosity, but questions about his relationship with Fred tugged at the back of my mind. I kept them there, banked and ready to surface at the right time, but finding Millie and Harlan was our top priority, and I couldn’t afford to split my attention. They had answers to some critical questions.
Most of the Manoa property was covered in dense vegetation, so I stuck to the maze. When I’d followed it to the house, the path had been highlighted in easy-to-follow, neon-colored, Kahuna Aukele energy. Grandfather had made it easy for me, probably because the land was mine, and he’d decided it was time for me to take ownership. But this was different. It became obvious he didn’t want me, or anyone else, to find Millie and Harlan. Every time I stumbled on a trace of their energy, it disappeared at the next twist or turn in the maze, and I had to assume Aukele had programmed it that way. I’d even resorted to crawling on my hands and knees so I’d be closer to the earth, to the faintest trace of their energetic scent. After several misdirected attempts, I stood, frustrated. “Dead ends. Do you have any outside-the-box ideas about how to approach this?”
He rolled his lips in tight, then sighed. “Aukele challenges his students. Drove me to contemplate murdering him.”
Where was Pierce going with this? “Yes. I love him dearly, but I’m right with you on reaching the edge of sanity when I can’t grasp what he’s teaching, or where he’s leading me with his allegorical memes.”
Pierce let out another sigh. “Could be way off on this, but communication seems to be a common thread in Huna philosophy.”
I ran his idea through my memory banks. “You’re right. Communication with nature, with life, with energy, and with our own souls is always a part of Aukele’s teachings.”
“I was born in Templebryan.” His words were strangled, almost shy.
I carefully waded in. “Siofra, um, your mother’s Circle of Nine home? Wait. You mean in the stone circle?” My heart picked up speed. She’d birthed him outside ? In a stone circle.
“Yes. The standing stones are portals.” A typical Tynan Pierce statement. Saying everything and nowhere near enough.
Tread easy here, Everly. Your man is uncomfortable as an ice cube in hell. “I don’t know much about the Circles. Do the portals open?”
He nodded, slow and deliberate. “Pathways.”
I drew in a long breath, and summoned the dregs of my patience. “To?”
He shook his head. “ Between human existence and the Universe.”
It took a moment of contemplation before I came up with a response. “That’s big. How about if I try and simplify it a bit? Your birthplace is the reason your vision is enhanced?”
“ Mo mháthair would say so.” He turned his head, left, then right, probably working an emotional kink from his neck. “I don’t have another explanation.”
We needed to speed this up. “Works for me, too. So how is that related to Aukele and Huna?”
He grabbed my hand, holding onto it like a lifeline. “Communication. My vision and your fingers working together. What do you think?”
Pierce was right. So damn right. My veins hummed with the possibilities. “Yes! Any idea how we communicate on a Universal level?”
A thin rim of blue outlined his dilated pupils. “Blood.”
Mine ran cold. “Like in a sacrifice?”
Pierce gave my hand a slight squeeze. “Like in
“On it.” He touched my elbow. Such a small thing, but his reassuring support flowed through me. The way we communicated with a simple touch was like magic, and I cherished those moments. They warmed my heart, my insides lit up, and they cemented my love for Tynan Pierce in a way I’d never experienced before.
The glow of new love had skewed my normal level of curiosity, but questions about his relationship with Fred tugged at the back of my mind. I kept them there, banked and ready to surface at the right time, but finding Millie and Harlan was our top priority, and I couldn’t afford to split my attention. They had answers to some critical questions.
Most of the Manoa property was covered in dense vegetation, so I stuck to the maze. When I’d followed it to the house, the path had been highlighted in easy-to-follow, neon-colored, Kahuna Aukele energy. Grandfather had made it easy for me, probably because the land was mine, and he’d decided it was time for me to take ownership. But this was different. It became obvious he didn’t want me, or anyone else, to find Millie and Harlan. Every time I stumbled on a trace of their energy, it disappeared at the next twist or turn in the maze, and I had to assume Aukele had programmed it that way. I’d even resorted to crawling on my hands and knees so I’d be closer to the earth, to the faintest trace of their energetic scent. After several misdirected attempts, I stood, frustrated. “Dead ends. Do you have any outside-the-box ideas about how to approach this?”
He rolled his lips in tight, then sighed. “Aukele challenges his students. Drove me to contemplate murdering him.”
Where was Pierce going with this? “Yes. I love him dearly, but I’m right with you on reaching the edge of sanity when I can’t grasp what he’s teaching, or where he’s leading me with his allegorical memes.”
Pierce let out another sigh. “Could be way off on this, but communication seems to be a common thread in Huna philosophy.”
I ran his idea through my memory banks. “You’re right. Communication with nature, with life, with energy, and with our own souls is always a part of Aukele’s teachings.”
“I was born in Templebryan.” His words were strangled, almost shy.
I carefully waded in. “Siofra, um, your mother’s Circle of Nine home? Wait. You mean in the stone circle?” My heart picked up speed. She’d birthed him outside ? In a stone circle.
“Yes. The standing stones are portals.” A typical Tynan Pierce statement. Saying everything and nowhere near enough.
Tread easy here, Everly. Your man is uncomfortable as an ice cube in hell. “I don’t know much about the Circles. Do the portals open?”
He nodded, slow and deliberate. “Pathways.”
I drew in a long breath, and summoned the dregs of my patience. “To?”
He shook his head. “ Between human existence and the Universe.”
It took a moment of contemplation before I came up with a response. “That’s big. How about if I try and simplify it a bit? Your birthplace is the reason your vision is enhanced?”
“ Mo mháthair would say so.” He turned his head, left, then right, probably working an emotional kink from his neck. “I don’t have another explanation.”
We needed to speed this up. “Works for me, too. So how is that related to Aukele and Huna?”
He grabbed my hand, holding onto it like a lifeline. “Communication. My vision and your fingers working together. What do you think?”
Pierce was right. So damn right. My veins hummed with the possibilities. “Yes! Any idea how we communicate on a Universal level?”
A thin rim of blue outlined his dilated pupils. “Blood.”
Mine ran cold. “Like in a sacrifice?”
Pierce gave my hand a slight squeeze. “Like in
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