Druidess Found (Druidess Trilogy Book 1) Machelle Hanleigh (best ebook reader under 100 .TXT) 📖

didn't move. Not once since he stepped out of the portal, and she didn't respond to his words. A soft smile touched his lips. He held an unconscious girl in his arms. He supposed he couldn't fault her for fainting. Her terror almost drove him to his knees. Almost. Only his training as a warrior kept it from happening.

He laid the girl carefully on his sleeping pallet. He brushed strands of her hair from her face, savoring the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingertips. He looked the length of her. He frowned at the heavy dress she wore. In the warmth of the forest surrounding his village he knew she would be too hot in that kind of garment. While the thought of relieving her of it appealed to him, he held his ironclad control in check. He stamped down the desire moving through him and cursed the Universe for bringing her into his life.

He lay on his side next to her while he waited for her to wake. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. Now that the initial terror subsided, and his mind cleared the enormity of what he just accomplished hit him. He opened his eyes and glanced at the girl. "What am I going to do with you?" Over the past week he considered going to the Queen to ask permission to bring the girl to their village, but discarded the thought almost as soon as considered it. The last outsider to be allowed in one of the villages nearly cost the Kahoali the entire village. He didn't think the girl would be well received in his village. Bringing her there had been a mistake. He didn't think it through. She was in danger and he saved her. Now, what was he going to do with her?

Only he and Shimani knew where the girl came from and he knew Shimani wouldn't betray that knowledge. He wasn't willing to let her go just yet, and he already lost track of her once when she was not on her world. Moto decided he didn't want to risk losing track of her again. He pushed the knowledge aside that he would be forced to let her go one day. The quiet voice in the back of his mind told him sooner would be better, but his heart refused to listen to reason, for now. He needed some place to keep her that would keep her close and safe. Away from the Kahoali villages. He couldn't risk her being discovered. But where?

He caressed her face again. His frown deepened. She should be awake by now. He didn't think fainting spells lasted that long. He didn't think the portal would cause her to faint. After all, he took Shimani through his portals on a number of occasions and Shimani remained conscious.

Moto knelt beside her, and gently shook her.

Nothing happened. She remained unconscious.

He shook her again with a little more force.

Still nothing.

He felt for a pulse. Relieved to find one. He placed his finger just under her nose to feel for breath and watched for the rise of her chest. He felt comforted that she still breathed. He did not, however, feel comforted that she remained unconscious. He repeatedly patted the side of her face, "Wake up."

He shook her. He didn't want to shake her too hard. "I need you to wake up."

Still no response.

He sat back on his heels. It disturbed him how easy he was undone by this girl's lack of well-being. Everything in him wanted, needed her to be safe. He uttered a number of choice curses as he stood. He ran his hands over his face and through his braids. In irritation, he tied them at the nape of his neck.

Out of all the abilities he developed, he didn't develop the healing one. He cursed again. He paced to his door and back to the girl. He knelt beside her and touched the side of her face. He didn't like how pale she appeared. She felt warm and sweaty. He didn't like she remained unconscious. He walked again to the door of his hut and stopped. He glanced back at the girl. The still unconscious girl. He should have taken her back to her home world. Nothing he could do about it now. The girl didn't wake, and he didn't know what was wrong with her. He placed his hand on the door handle and glanced back at the girl. If he brought Kesho, it would be made known that Moto broke one of their most stringent rules. He brought an outsider to their village. He knew Kesho would not keep it to himself. Kesho was a Chosen and it was a Chosen's duty to report such things to their Queen. He didn't have a choice. If anyone could determine what ailed her, he could.

He cast one last look at the unconscious girl. "Forgive me, little one." He stormed from his hut. She needed help and he couldn't help her, only Kesho could.

He returned with Kesho fast on his heels. He showed Kesho the girl lying on his pallet. Kesho stopped in his tracks when he first saw her. Moto remained vague on the details of who Kesho needed to treat or what ailed said person. He could feel the silent condemnation as Kesho glanced from the girl to him. Moto held Kesho's gaze without flinching or looking away. He would not be intimidated by Kesho. He made his choice by bringing the girl there. He refused to feel shame in it, guilt yes, but not shame.

Moto watched Kesho as he focused his attention on the girl. He felt the energy of Ki building and flowing through Kesho as he examined her from head to toe. Kesho appeared to pay close attention to her head as he spent longer focused on her head than anywhere else.

Impatiently Moto paced waiting for Kesho to finish with his examination. He forced himself to remain silent,