Read Online Clawed (Black Mountain Bears Book 1) by Ophelia Bell, Amelie Hunt - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ophelia Bell, Amelie Hunt
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greenery. It was illuminated from above by a skylight, sun streaming down directly onto it. Emma stared in awe.
Her mother shook her head and tugged at her father’s arm. “Sweetie, not in there, not yet. She needs time to get used to the idea.”. Emma’s father nodded and switched directions, leading them through another set of huge wooden doors into a comfortable sitting room.
“Get used to what idea?” Emma asked, unable to wait any longer to talk to them both, to find out everything she could about who she was.
She found a seat on an overstuffed sofa near the large leather armchair her mother rested in. The other three settled in as well, and her uncle emitted a whistle that reminded Emma of birdcalls he used to teach her when she was little. A moment later, three young men came in with stoneware platters loaded with food and arranged them on the coffee table in the center of the room.
Emma’s stomach growled in response to the spread, but she forced herself to wait.
Maia sat up a little straighter and glanced at Emma’s father. He cleared his throat and looked at Emma gravely. “As our daughter, you’re Maia’s heir, Emma. And the truth is, she isn’t well. As the heir, you need to get used to the idea of ascending when she’s gone.”
“And there are other obligations, as well,” her mother said. “You must take a mate. And my hope is that you would agree to do so before I die, so I have the chance to bless my grandchild with my magic before I am too weak.”
“Oh, God, Mama!” Emma stood up and went to crouch at her mother’s side, holding her frail hands in both of hers, tears threatening to fall again. “What can I do to help you?”
“Your presence means more than you can imagine, Emma,” her mother said, squeezing her hands.
Emma shook her head, struggling to process everything, but this was the worst. The heir part made sense, but her mother dying now, when she’d just found her? A tightness gripped her chest at the idea of losing the woman so soon. But they wanted her to find a . . . a mate and have a baby. Apparently, right away. The last part held surprising appeal to her, and her mind flashed to the accidental outburst she’d had with Julian and August. Her core ached savagely.
“I think I can do this for you,” she said, voice quavering with uncertainty over the sudden shift in the course of her life over the past twenty-four hours. “Be your heir, find a . . . ” She hesitated over the word, but finally got it out. “A mate .” She already had a couple candidates in mind and smiled to herself at the thought. Could she have them both? Would that be too indulgent of her to ask?
“You don’t have to decide yet, honey,” her father said. “But if you do change your mind, we just ask that you stay with us here where it’s safe. Jade is second in line after you, and she’d take your place when your cousins are old enough to make the passage through the portal.”
“What do you mean? Jasper and Jade came with me. They should have come through, too. At least August said they probably came through another portal. They were right behind me for the entire hike, at least until the end. But I lost them somewhere. If they really aren’t inside, I have to go back out, to find out if they’re all right.”
“Oh, Gaia, no!” Her aunt Mona stood up abruptly. “Tell me my babies didn’t try to come through. They won’t come of age for three more months.” She turned to Emma’s uncle. “Edward, if they passed through the portal before they were ready, they’re in danger. The barrier won’t be ready for them until the Spring Equinox, after their birthday.”
A chill ran down Emma’s spine. She’d had strong reservations about letting them come with her to begin with, but had given in to their desire to join her.
“What’s happened to them? What do you mean about the barrier not being ready?”
Her uncle stood to calm Mona down. She brushed him off and left the
Her mother shook her head and tugged at her father’s arm. “Sweetie, not in there, not yet. She needs time to get used to the idea.”. Emma’s father nodded and switched directions, leading them through another set of huge wooden doors into a comfortable sitting room.
“Get used to what idea?” Emma asked, unable to wait any longer to talk to them both, to find out everything she could about who she was.
She found a seat on an overstuffed sofa near the large leather armchair her mother rested in. The other three settled in as well, and her uncle emitted a whistle that reminded Emma of birdcalls he used to teach her when she was little. A moment later, three young men came in with stoneware platters loaded with food and arranged them on the coffee table in the center of the room.
Emma’s stomach growled in response to the spread, but she forced herself to wait.
Maia sat up a little straighter and glanced at Emma’s father. He cleared his throat and looked at Emma gravely. “As our daughter, you’re Maia’s heir, Emma. And the truth is, she isn’t well. As the heir, you need to get used to the idea of ascending when she’s gone.”
“And there are other obligations, as well,” her mother said. “You must take a mate. And my hope is that you would agree to do so before I die, so I have the chance to bless my grandchild with my magic before I am too weak.”
“Oh, God, Mama!” Emma stood up and went to crouch at her mother’s side, holding her frail hands in both of hers, tears threatening to fall again. “What can I do to help you?”
“Your presence means more than you can imagine, Emma,” her mother said, squeezing her hands.
Emma shook her head, struggling to process everything, but this was the worst. The heir part made sense, but her mother dying now, when she’d just found her? A tightness gripped her chest at the idea of losing the woman so soon. But they wanted her to find a . . . a mate and have a baby. Apparently, right away. The last part held surprising appeal to her, and her mind flashed to the accidental outburst she’d had with Julian and August. Her core ached savagely.
“I think I can do this for you,” she said, voice quavering with uncertainty over the sudden shift in the course of her life over the past twenty-four hours. “Be your heir, find a . . . ” She hesitated over the word, but finally got it out. “A mate .” She already had a couple candidates in mind and smiled to herself at the thought. Could she have them both? Would that be too indulgent of her to ask?
“You don’t have to decide yet, honey,” her father said. “But if you do change your mind, we just ask that you stay with us here where it’s safe. Jade is second in line after you, and she’d take your place when your cousins are old enough to make the passage through the portal.”
“What do you mean? Jasper and Jade came with me. They should have come through, too. At least August said they probably came through another portal. They were right behind me for the entire hike, at least until the end. But I lost them somewhere. If they really aren’t inside, I have to go back out, to find out if they’re all right.”
“Oh, Gaia, no!” Her aunt Mona stood up abruptly. “Tell me my babies didn’t try to come through. They won’t come of age for three more months.” She turned to Emma’s uncle. “Edward, if they passed through the portal before they were ready, they’re in danger. The barrier won’t be ready for them until the Spring Equinox, after their birthday.”
A chill ran down Emma’s spine. She’d had strong reservations about letting them come with her to begin with, but had given in to their desire to join her.
“What’s happened to them? What do you mean about the barrier not being ready?”
Her uncle stood to calm Mona down. She brushed him off and left the
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