Page 74 of Touched By Moonlight

Chapter 20

Fear isa terrible thing to taste in your mouth. Fear for yourself can immobilizeyou.

Fear for a child in danger can give your feetwings.

As I ran, the trees stretched out, the dark canopy lowering, as if to trap me, but I was swift. I burst through the trees and hedges into theglen.

I saw it exactly as Carmen envisioned – a pretty little garden, with a brick walkway, rose bushes and a swing hanging from a treebranch.

Soft green grass bent as the child ran toward the swing. The air was redolent with roses and warm chocolate chipcookies.

Tendrils of my energy snaked out, like raindrops off a damp dog shaking its coat. Suddenly the scene changed and turned dark, as if my powers had twisted everything and turned it insideout.

“Carmen,” I criedout.

Turning, she saw me and stopped. “Sienna! Come pushme.”

I reached her side, careful not to scare her. Gently, I drew the girl away from the swing. “It’s not real. It’s fairy magick, glamour disguising theglade.”

Carmen’s lip wobbled. “But it looksreal!”

“I know.” I squatted down, touched one tear-stained cheek. “Did you fall asleephere?”

No answer. She stared at her feet, her bunny rabbit dragging on theground.

I squeezed my eyes tight. Ancient Fae magick ringed this glen, dark magick created by malevolent creatures. It was so powerful I had a hard time clearing away theillusion.

They had not harmed the child. Notyet.

And then the roses vanished, replaced with flowerless bushes thick with sharp thorns, the grass became dead leaves strewn about the forest floor, the tree in front of us no longer pretty with vines, but tall, with outstretched limbs likearms.

Hanging from one limb was not a swing, but a noose. I shivered, and tugged Carmenaway.

“Come on sweetie, let’s go back to the house and get acookie.”

“No.” Her lower lip wobbled. “I don’t want to go back there. I like it here. The forest creatures sing to me. They like me. They don’t tell me to get lost like Jasondid.”

Needing to anchor her to me, I touched her rounded cheek. “Honey, Jason is sorry for what he did. He didn’t intend to bemean.”

“He hates me!” Tears formed in her eyes. “Ever since I told him my grandparents don’t want me around because I’m not a full-fledged witch yet, he doesn’t want to play withme.”

Ah, that made more sense. Reasoning with a child was not my strong suit, but Carmen was an intelligent girl, and she lived in a shifter pack with constantly changing dynamics. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a luminescent green vine descend the tree trunk like a snake, slithering toward the ground. Denied its prey, the tree had decided to expedite theprocess.

It would reach Carmen, and yank her toward the noose. I pulled Carmen closer to me. She lost her grip on her blue bunny. It lay on the ground, staring up at thesky.

“He’s afraid, Carmen. Jason’s afraid that he might end up like you are now, and you may end up with magick and he’ll be powerless and no one will want him. So he hurts you because he’s scared here.” I touched herchest.

She blinked. The vine slithered further down. Almost to the groundnow.

“Really? Jason’s awolf.”

“With a human parent. He’s sorry for what he said. He’s going to help you with your arithmetic.” I stood, ready to sweep her into my arms and run if necessary. “Let’s go back and you’ll findout.”

A shaky breath fled as she finally clasped my hand. “Allright.”

The vine stopped as we marched toward the pathway again. Carmen looked down. “Mybunny!”

Lying near the tree, it was a blue blot against the dead landscape. As if sensing her intentions, the vine slithered toward the bunny. I released her hand, ran and snatched the bunny just as the vine touchedit.