Blue Moon Shadows (Shadow Bound Series Book 1) Read Free Page A

unconscious. Now I was even more confused. I covered her up with a blanket and left the house.
    My head was so messed up it was actually starting to hurt. I couldn’t get over what Carolyn had said. There was no such thing as witches. There was definitely no way I was one. Someone would have told me by now. Or burned me at a stake. This entire day was becoming taxing on my nerves. I decided the tree was my only option. I could sit and relax my head. 
    I laid back and let the tree calm me. Once again I could feel its essence running through me. Then I could feel the ground beneath me. They were all reaching out to recharge me. It was starting to make sense. All this weirdness started when I felt connected to this tree. Maybe that one act awoke something that had been asleep inside of me. What it was I couldn’t be certain. I had a feeling witches were a part of this new life of mine.
     

Chapter Three
    
    Father found me the next morning asleep under the tree. “Get up you lazy girl!” he shouted, kicking me hard with his boot. My back cracked and moaned as he made contact.
    “Tá an-bhrón orm, Athair!” I cried. Father found anyway he could to inflict pain as often as possible. I was already certain he hated me. I needed no more proof.
    “You would sleep the day away if I hadn’t come. And who will watch the sheep this evening if you are lying here?”
    He was incredibly cross. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep out here. When I really started to feel the connection I relaxed entirely. It didn’t take long for my eyes to close. I had to admit it was the best sleep I’d had in a while.
    I scrambled to my feet and forgot myself for a moment. “How is Carolyn?”
    I didn’t even see father’s hand coming. I felt it hit my cheek none the less. I put my hand up to the spot and a tear rolled down. It was the most painful slap I had ever received from him.
    “Your brother’s wife is none of your concern!” He stomped his feet and walked off. I figured another apology from me would fall on deaf ears.
    I brushed off my dress and headed for the house. Mother was certainly in the same foul mood. I walked in to find her topping off the bath water. We had a small wood basin we bathed in. It was only for me that it was set up in the middle of the room. Everyone else got to bathe in private. She slapped soap and a towel down on the table and walked out of the house. She would stand guard outside while I bathed. It was her tradition. She hadn’t done the same with my sisters. She would coo over them and wash their hair, but she did it in their room. It was important to her they had privacy, but not me. I looked around just in case and stripped. The water was tepid at best. I put a toe in and then settled down. It felt good to get clean. I washed my entire body and then my hair.
    When it was time to step out I put my hands on the side of the tub to push myself up.
    “Let me help you,” a male voice said.
    My eyes had been closed but they were open now. I stood quickly ripped the towel out of his arms and covered myself immediately. “What are you doing in here?” I asked.
    “I wanted to see you,” he replied. Tomlin brushed his hands through his shaggy blond hair. I didn’t know whose face was redder. His blue eyes sparkled as he stared at me. I scanned him over more in shock than anything else. He was wearing a blue shirt and brown pants. His boots were muddy, but that didn’t bother me. I stood there with a towel that barely covered my assets. My round body didn’t fit the classic skinny that was the fashion now.
    “I gather you are seeing more of me than you require,” I said, dropping my head. He closed the distance between us with one step. He put his hand on my chin and lifted my eyes to his.
    “Never say that again,” he whispered.
    “But you always ignore me,” I complained.
    “You don’t know much about boys do you?” He laughed a little and then offered me his hand. I stepped out of the