Read Online Earth's Blood (Earth Reclaimed) by Ann Gimpel - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ann Gimpel
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Fionn eyed him.
“That fucking witch wrote in circles. Every time I think I may be getting close to something important, she veers off topic.”
“Don’t let Rune hear you call Marta that,” Aislinn cautioned. Something he said gave her pause. “Have you considered that the journals might be spelled? At least the ones you’re reading. The ones I looked at didn’t give me any problems at all.”
Bran’s forehead creased in thought. “Ye may have a point, lass.” He looked her up and down. “And might I add, ye’re looking fetching this morning.” He licked full lips in obvious invitation. “Oh, and have I told you if ye tire of—”
“Yes, I’m quite certain ye have told her that,” Fionn snapped. He made shooing motions with both hands. “Aislinn had a good idea. Try a neutralizing incantation.”
Bran laughed. “I know a brushoff when I hear one. I’ll shout if I find aught of relevance.” He detoured past the table to grab a handful of nuts from one of the canisters before disappearing into the study.
Fionn plopped another dish of oatmeal in front of her. She dug in, but more slowly this time, her state of near-starvation partially mollified. “You know what you said about children?” she asked around a mouthful of cereal laced with walnuts. Still busy over by the stove, he turned to look at her and nodded. She laid a hand over her flat stomach. “Well, I don’t think we should even consider having any.”
He was by her side in a flash. “And why not? Do ye not love me?” He looked so distraught, it shocked her.
“No, silly. That’s not it at all. What kind of life would this be for a baby or a child? I don’t even know if I’m going to be alive from one day to the next—”
“I wasna thinking about that.” He sounded mildly cowed. “I assumed when ye conceived, I’d move you to the Old Country. ’Twould be much easier to care for you and our bairns there. Magic is closer to the surface. Easier to access. Ye’d find that true as well.” He favored her with one of his thousand-watt smiles. The kind that made him look like the handsomest man who ever lived.
Anger flared, biting deep. Aislinn struggled to restrain the temper that had always been her undoing. She looked at him through narrowed eyes. “Just when were you going to spring that one on me? Were you even going to ask me if it was what I wanted?” Tears were too close to the surface for comfort. She stuffed some dried apricots into her mouth and chewed to mask her emotions. In some ways, Fionn and the dragon were a matched pair. Both of them assumed they could control her future.
Dewi trumpeted from outside.
Speak of the devil… Aislinn dragged a hand down her face, made a grab for the flask, and emptied it. Alcohol really did help take the edge off things. So what if it wasn’t even afternoon quite yet.
Fionn spread his hands in front of him. “I—”
She shook her head. “Don’t start. I don’t have enough energy for you and her today. Dewi will probably start dismantling this house board by board if I don’t report front and center. My bottom line is this: no children until Earth is safe again. What that means is the dark gods and Lemurians aren’t a threat anymore.” Aislinn dragged herself out of her chair and plodded toward the back door. Maybe if she were lucky, she’d fall off the damned dragon and not have to deal with any of this.
Don’t even think that way, an inner voice that sounded a lot like Tara Lenear chided.
The chilly outside air was welcome because it cooled her heated cheeks. Aislinn drew in a deep breath and trotted down the stairs to face the dragon. Dewi stood better than eight feet from the tip of her head to the ground. Leathery red wings folded over her back. Her eyes were whirling dark pools, just like the Lemurians’.
“Well. It took you long enough. Did you polish off every scrap of food in the house?”
Aislinn shook her head. She placed her hands on her hips and
“That fucking witch wrote in circles. Every time I think I may be getting close to something important, she veers off topic.”
“Don’t let Rune hear you call Marta that,” Aislinn cautioned. Something he said gave her pause. “Have you considered that the journals might be spelled? At least the ones you’re reading. The ones I looked at didn’t give me any problems at all.”
Bran’s forehead creased in thought. “Ye may have a point, lass.” He looked her up and down. “And might I add, ye’re looking fetching this morning.” He licked full lips in obvious invitation. “Oh, and have I told you if ye tire of—”
“Yes, I’m quite certain ye have told her that,” Fionn snapped. He made shooing motions with both hands. “Aislinn had a good idea. Try a neutralizing incantation.”
Bran laughed. “I know a brushoff when I hear one. I’ll shout if I find aught of relevance.” He detoured past the table to grab a handful of nuts from one of the canisters before disappearing into the study.
Fionn plopped another dish of oatmeal in front of her. She dug in, but more slowly this time, her state of near-starvation partially mollified. “You know what you said about children?” she asked around a mouthful of cereal laced with walnuts. Still busy over by the stove, he turned to look at her and nodded. She laid a hand over her flat stomach. “Well, I don’t think we should even consider having any.”
He was by her side in a flash. “And why not? Do ye not love me?” He looked so distraught, it shocked her.
“No, silly. That’s not it at all. What kind of life would this be for a baby or a child? I don’t even know if I’m going to be alive from one day to the next—”
“I wasna thinking about that.” He sounded mildly cowed. “I assumed when ye conceived, I’d move you to the Old Country. ’Twould be much easier to care for you and our bairns there. Magic is closer to the surface. Easier to access. Ye’d find that true as well.” He favored her with one of his thousand-watt smiles. The kind that made him look like the handsomest man who ever lived.
Anger flared, biting deep. Aislinn struggled to restrain the temper that had always been her undoing. She looked at him through narrowed eyes. “Just when were you going to spring that one on me? Were you even going to ask me if it was what I wanted?” Tears were too close to the surface for comfort. She stuffed some dried apricots into her mouth and chewed to mask her emotions. In some ways, Fionn and the dragon were a matched pair. Both of them assumed they could control her future.
Dewi trumpeted from outside.
Speak of the devil… Aislinn dragged a hand down her face, made a grab for the flask, and emptied it. Alcohol really did help take the edge off things. So what if it wasn’t even afternoon quite yet.
Fionn spread his hands in front of him. “I—”
She shook her head. “Don’t start. I don’t have enough energy for you and her today. Dewi will probably start dismantling this house board by board if I don’t report front and center. My bottom line is this: no children until Earth is safe again. What that means is the dark gods and Lemurians aren’t a threat anymore.” Aislinn dragged herself out of her chair and plodded toward the back door. Maybe if she were lucky, she’d fall off the damned dragon and not have to deal with any of this.
Don’t even think that way, an inner voice that sounded a lot like Tara Lenear chided.
The chilly outside air was welcome because it cooled her heated cheeks. Aislinn drew in a deep breath and trotted down the stairs to face the dragon. Dewi stood better than eight feet from the tip of her head to the ground. Leathery red wings folded over her back. Her eyes were whirling dark pools, just like the Lemurians’.
“Well. It took you long enough. Did you polish off every scrap of food in the house?”
Aislinn shook her head. She placed her hands on her hips and
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