Read Online Speak (The Voice trilogy Book 2) by Noelle Bodhaine - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Noelle Bodhaine
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“Where to?” The lovely weight of his hand settles at the small of my back as he leads from behind.
“Just down the end there.” I point to the end of the market. Amidst all the stark white awnings and clean looking farm stands, nestled between and herb stand and a stand selling homemade soaps. The white tent is hung over every inch with richly worn tapestries. Brightly colored tie dye T-shirts and shorts hang from every corner. Smoke wafts around the entrance and an oddly soothing musical gong welcomes you out of the hot sun into the over warm, dark and smoky tent. Behind a long table covered with altars and tributes, stands a short round woman. She is cloaked in a long, swaying broom skirt and layered tunics, her feet are bare. Her arms are covered with bangles up to her elbow and her hair is twisted in a loose gray knot at the top of her head. When she turns she almost loses her balance as the bells at her waist jingle and sing.
“Well, I will be a monkey’s uncle! Sophie Rose, you get over here right now!”
“Hi, Roseanna.” I let her embrace me and inspect me as she has always done. She is my Godmother and was my mother’s best friend.
“You are looking more and more like your mother every day, young lady, so beautiful, so natural.” She twists my loose hair between her fingers, running her thumb across my cheek with a woeful look in her eye. “It’s almost hard to look at you.” Before she can get too deep into a reminiscent mood, she spies Rhys and an unbidden grin cracks her narrow lips. “And who is this?” she questions, taking his hand into hers. Slowly, she turns his hand over and traces the lines on his palm, watching his eyes. He just smiles and complies, cool as a cucumber.
“Roseanna, this is my friend, Rhys.”
“Lovely to meet you,” he offers with his signature grin. She grabs his outstretched hand and begins to trace the lines on his palm.
“Well, now, Sophie. This is much better than that other boy.” She looks from me back to Rhys. “This is a man. Your life line is strong, and your virility can never be questioned.”
“You got that from looking at my hand?” his skepticism is hard to hide. She places his hand in mine before turning to grab a small candle.
“I did. I could tell you a lot more if you were to have a reading. But I can assume that little Miss Sophie here won’t allow it.” He looks at me and I shake him off. Her tarot card reading is nothing more than a party trick, and often results in a dire ending message for her poor subjects. She lights the candle and sets it on the altar of Venus. “This candle is for you, Sophie. Let Venus guide you and true love will surely reveal your inner goddess.” Damn Her! A deep blush inches up my neck setting my cheeks aflame as Rhys chuckles under his breath. “Oh, don’t be embarrassed, Sophie. I just want you to be happy. It is my job to help look after you. Your mother would have wanted it.”
“Well, I just wanted to stop in and say hi, Roseanna. We really should be going.” A long tendril of smoke swirls from a stick of incense she lights and plunges into a pot of sand.
“It is always good to see you, Sophie. Don’t be a stranger.” She pulls me into a tight hug, her arms wound about my shoulders. “You look very happy,” she whispers into my ear before releasing me.
“It was very nice to meet you, young man. Be good to this one, the universe is watching.” She winks at him before handing me a short, white pillar candle. “Take this, Sophie, for your altar. Light a candle for your mother tonight. I will do the same.”
The thought twists my heart in a tight knot. We always lit a candle for our heartache. It was something my mother
“Just down the end there.” I point to the end of the market. Amidst all the stark white awnings and clean looking farm stands, nestled between and herb stand and a stand selling homemade soaps. The white tent is hung over every inch with richly worn tapestries. Brightly colored tie dye T-shirts and shorts hang from every corner. Smoke wafts around the entrance and an oddly soothing musical gong welcomes you out of the hot sun into the over warm, dark and smoky tent. Behind a long table covered with altars and tributes, stands a short round woman. She is cloaked in a long, swaying broom skirt and layered tunics, her feet are bare. Her arms are covered with bangles up to her elbow and her hair is twisted in a loose gray knot at the top of her head. When she turns she almost loses her balance as the bells at her waist jingle and sing.
“Well, I will be a monkey’s uncle! Sophie Rose, you get over here right now!”
“Hi, Roseanna.” I let her embrace me and inspect me as she has always done. She is my Godmother and was my mother’s best friend.
“You are looking more and more like your mother every day, young lady, so beautiful, so natural.” She twists my loose hair between her fingers, running her thumb across my cheek with a woeful look in her eye. “It’s almost hard to look at you.” Before she can get too deep into a reminiscent mood, she spies Rhys and an unbidden grin cracks her narrow lips. “And who is this?” she questions, taking his hand into hers. Slowly, she turns his hand over and traces the lines on his palm, watching his eyes. He just smiles and complies, cool as a cucumber.
“Roseanna, this is my friend, Rhys.”
“Lovely to meet you,” he offers with his signature grin. She grabs his outstretched hand and begins to trace the lines on his palm.
“Well, now, Sophie. This is much better than that other boy.” She looks from me back to Rhys. “This is a man. Your life line is strong, and your virility can never be questioned.”
“You got that from looking at my hand?” his skepticism is hard to hide. She places his hand in mine before turning to grab a small candle.
“I did. I could tell you a lot more if you were to have a reading. But I can assume that little Miss Sophie here won’t allow it.” He looks at me and I shake him off. Her tarot card reading is nothing more than a party trick, and often results in a dire ending message for her poor subjects. She lights the candle and sets it on the altar of Venus. “This candle is for you, Sophie. Let Venus guide you and true love will surely reveal your inner goddess.” Damn Her! A deep blush inches up my neck setting my cheeks aflame as Rhys chuckles under his breath. “Oh, don’t be embarrassed, Sophie. I just want you to be happy. It is my job to help look after you. Your mother would have wanted it.”
“Well, I just wanted to stop in and say hi, Roseanna. We really should be going.” A long tendril of smoke swirls from a stick of incense she lights and plunges into a pot of sand.
“It is always good to see you, Sophie. Don’t be a stranger.” She pulls me into a tight hug, her arms wound about my shoulders. “You look very happy,” she whispers into my ear before releasing me.
“It was very nice to meet you, young man. Be good to this one, the universe is watching.” She winks at him before handing me a short, white pillar candle. “Take this, Sophie, for your altar. Light a candle for your mother tonight. I will do the same.”
The thought twists my heart in a tight knot. We always lit a candle for our heartache. It was something my mother
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