Read Online Destined for Doon by Carey Corp - Free Book Online
Authors: Carey Corp
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grannie panties for clean ones and stepped into my flannel bottoms . . . Ahhhh, cotton.
Fully clothed again, I switched socks and wriggled back intomy athletic shoes. All the other footwear I’d packed were open-toed sandals or flip-flops. And while I’d been sadly deficient in my choices of practical clothing, I had had the presence of mind to pack at least a dozen different colors of nail polish.
I tossed my wet things into my bag. As an afterthought, I grabbed my damp jeans and fished Uncle Cameron’s ring from the pocket. “Done,” I announced.
Duncan turned around and pieced me with a cold glare. “I’m sorry I broke my promise. It will not happen again.”
The air between us felt so charged, I couldn’t seem to hold my tongue. “Good.”
Duncan snatched up our bags while I slipped the Ring of Aontacht onto my finger. Holy Schwartz! The instant I put the ring on, Muir Lea changed. The ungodly stench of rot slammed into me so that I pinched my nose with my fingers. My eyes stung, and I swiped at them with my other hand, trying to clear my vision.
The woods on the far side of Muir Lea were ravaged by the zombie fungus. It was just beginning to ooze into the meadow. And Duncan was headed right toward it.
“Stop!”
He looked back at me, his confusion quickly turning to alarm as I hunched over, breathing heavily through my mouth. He searched the meadow, looking for signs of distortion that indicated the presence of the limbus. As he squinted toward the opposite end, a small patch of yellow flowers withered. They collapsed into a slimy brown pile as black petunias blossomed in their place.
“It’s reached Muir Lea, hasn’t it?” he exclaimed. He didn’t even try to mask the fear in his eyes. “Soon the northern pass will be cut off. And if it continues to work its way around the borders, we’ll be trapped.”
Imprisoned within a ring of zombie-producing rot — I couldn’t think of a worse way to die. Or in this case, not die. I just hoped when we reached Castle MacCrae, Vee had some solution in mind to save the world . . . again.
CHAPTER 6
Veronica
T he comforting aroma of tangy tomato sauce and rising pizza dough made the Rosetti Tavern the ideal setting for my meeting with the small group of Destined who’d managed to cross the Brig o’ Doon during the last chaotic Centennial. The familiarity of the place seemed to put all of us at ease. Pizza: the great equalizer.
But at that moment, even the anticipatory growl of my stomach couldn’t hold my attention. After last night’s lengthy discussion with my advisors about the border hazards and the recent disappearances, not to mention Jamie and me fighting about what we should tell the kingdom, the voices at the table droned into a lullaby. I sat up straighter and rubbed the tiredness from my eyes.
While Jamie and I both agreed the limbus had Addie’s name written all over it, the stubborn boy insisted we shouldn’t tell the people. I’d wanted to disclose everything to the Doonians even before Duncan left, but Jamie had argued against telling them until we knew more. My prince had been born a leader, hewas brilliant and charismatic, just a few of the reasons I’d fallen so hard for him, but those same qualities made him extremely hard to oppose when he set his mind to something. So it was no surprise that my advisors had agreed with Jamie to keep things quiet.
At least for now the limbus appeared to be isolated, and we’d stationed a few trusted guards around the area, so I needed to focus on the task at hand. I desperately wanted to help the individuals before me assimilate and come to love Doon as much as I did. Becoming queen and even accepting my Calling hadn’t been a leisurely afternoon at the mall. Like everything in my life, I’d had to fight tooth and nail for both. But I hoped to make their transition a bit smoother.
My gaze wandered over the handful of Destined at the table. A few of the individuals, like the environmental
Fully clothed again, I switched socks and wriggled back intomy athletic shoes. All the other footwear I’d packed were open-toed sandals or flip-flops. And while I’d been sadly deficient in my choices of practical clothing, I had had the presence of mind to pack at least a dozen different colors of nail polish.
I tossed my wet things into my bag. As an afterthought, I grabbed my damp jeans and fished Uncle Cameron’s ring from the pocket. “Done,” I announced.
Duncan turned around and pieced me with a cold glare. “I’m sorry I broke my promise. It will not happen again.”
The air between us felt so charged, I couldn’t seem to hold my tongue. “Good.”
Duncan snatched up our bags while I slipped the Ring of Aontacht onto my finger. Holy Schwartz! The instant I put the ring on, Muir Lea changed. The ungodly stench of rot slammed into me so that I pinched my nose with my fingers. My eyes stung, and I swiped at them with my other hand, trying to clear my vision.
The woods on the far side of Muir Lea were ravaged by the zombie fungus. It was just beginning to ooze into the meadow. And Duncan was headed right toward it.
“Stop!”
He looked back at me, his confusion quickly turning to alarm as I hunched over, breathing heavily through my mouth. He searched the meadow, looking for signs of distortion that indicated the presence of the limbus. As he squinted toward the opposite end, a small patch of yellow flowers withered. They collapsed into a slimy brown pile as black petunias blossomed in their place.
“It’s reached Muir Lea, hasn’t it?” he exclaimed. He didn’t even try to mask the fear in his eyes. “Soon the northern pass will be cut off. And if it continues to work its way around the borders, we’ll be trapped.”
Imprisoned within a ring of zombie-producing rot — I couldn’t think of a worse way to die. Or in this case, not die. I just hoped when we reached Castle MacCrae, Vee had some solution in mind to save the world . . . again.
CHAPTER 6
Veronica
T he comforting aroma of tangy tomato sauce and rising pizza dough made the Rosetti Tavern the ideal setting for my meeting with the small group of Destined who’d managed to cross the Brig o’ Doon during the last chaotic Centennial. The familiarity of the place seemed to put all of us at ease. Pizza: the great equalizer.
But at that moment, even the anticipatory growl of my stomach couldn’t hold my attention. After last night’s lengthy discussion with my advisors about the border hazards and the recent disappearances, not to mention Jamie and me fighting about what we should tell the kingdom, the voices at the table droned into a lullaby. I sat up straighter and rubbed the tiredness from my eyes.
While Jamie and I both agreed the limbus had Addie’s name written all over it, the stubborn boy insisted we shouldn’t tell the people. I’d wanted to disclose everything to the Doonians even before Duncan left, but Jamie had argued against telling them until we knew more. My prince had been born a leader, hewas brilliant and charismatic, just a few of the reasons I’d fallen so hard for him, but those same qualities made him extremely hard to oppose when he set his mind to something. So it was no surprise that my advisors had agreed with Jamie to keep things quiet.
At least for now the limbus appeared to be isolated, and we’d stationed a few trusted guards around the area, so I needed to focus on the task at hand. I desperately wanted to help the individuals before me assimilate and come to love Doon as much as I did. Becoming queen and even accepting my Calling hadn’t been a leisurely afternoon at the mall. Like everything in my life, I’d had to fight tooth and nail for both. But I hoped to make their transition a bit smoother.
My gaze wandered over the handful of Destined at the table. A few of the individuals, like the environmental
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