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

back, but she hadn't, and she couldn't bring herself to outright lie about it. She tried to swallow the lump which formed in the back of her throat and threatened to choke her. She forced herself to look Baridi in the eye. She had the distinct impression he must believe her. She felt her very life depended on it.

"By the command of the Queen," Baridi finally spoke breaking the awkward silence that fell between them, "you will be confined to the guest hut provided to you for the remainder of your time among the Kahoali. You will not leave the hut without permission or without an escort. This evening I will escort you to a ceremony the Queen requested you attend. Afterwards, I will escort you back to the guest hut. You will not converse with anyone. Do you understand?"

Kaily swallowed and nodded. She didn't like how he emphasized parts of his instructions or that she suddenly gone from outsider to prisoner. She supposed she should be grateful she wasn't being put back in the holding hut. Ceremony? What ceremony could the Queen want her to attend? If she was no longer welcome, why wouldn't they just leave her in the hut? She tried to quiet the abundance of questions forming in her mind. Moto? She tried to reach out again. Nothing! Damn him, Kaily thought to herself.

Baridi held out his hand to indicate Kaily was to step on to the path and through the portal back to the village ahead of him.

Kaily complied. She didn't know if he believed she put the stone back or not. In the end, it didn't matter. If it had, Baridi would probably have searched her. As she stepped up to the portal, she felt the cold sensation and the shift which accompanied the opening of it. She reached for Moto again and again she encountered only silence. She wasn't positive she heard Moto's voice in the first place, but she couldn't deny that it felt so real. It was easier to know he spoke to her mind to mind when he was present and harder when he wasn't. That voice warned her Baridi came for her, and he did. So, why couldn't she touch Moto's mind now? The panic and fear which welled up inside her, made her question everything she thought she knew. Why wouldn't he answer her? Damn Moto!

On the other side of the portal she stopped and waited for Baridi to exit the portal. She entertained the thought of running, but she didn't know where she could run to. As much as Shimani showed her around, she didn't know the terrain and she didn't know who would shelter her. So, she waited. Baridi took the lead and Kaily followed. Her mind raced from thought to thought and weighed the options. Ultimately, there was only one option, Moto. He was the only one that could get her back home. Get her back to safety. Is that why the Queen was so upset? Did she find out Moto had always had the ability to send her home? But then, why would the Queen want her to attend a ceremony? Wouldn't she just send her away? Why did Baridi demand to see the stone? Was that what upset the Queen? Moto said it would be okay if she kept, but he also said to keep it secret. If only Moto would talk to her!

As she followed Baridi through the village, Kaily kept her eyes averted from those they passed. She couldn't bear to see any other hostile stares directed her way. Moto, where are you? Why won't you answer me? She silently demanded. It wasn't like she knew how to project her thoughts. The mind to mind communication was effortless when she was with Moto. Why didn't it work now? Moto was her only hope. Why didn't he respond?

"Wait here." Baridi pointed to a spot just outside a hut he stopped at.

Kaily was so lost in thought that if Baridi hadn't spoken when he stopped, she would have run into him. She kept her eyes averted and obediently waited. The last thing she wanted was to draw unwanted attention to herself or make matters worse. She wished she could somehow reach Moto, to talk to him and find out what happened. What changed? Was it because of the stone? How did they find out about it? How could one stone cause this kind of reaction? It wasn't like she couldn't put it back. I should have put it back, she thought. I probably shouldn't have gone to Crystal Lake in the first place, she corrected.

When Baridi emerged, he shoved a bundle into her arms.

Kaily grabbed for the bundled and fumbled with it for a moment to keep from dropping it. Baridi didn't help or wait for her. He turned and swiftly started towards her hut, guest hut, she corrected. It stopped being her hut when she went from being an outsider to being a prisoner.

Kaily hurried after Baridi to catch up, awkwardly holding onto the bundle. Thankfully, the stone remained in place. She still felt it, but it seemed to be secure enough without effort on her part, which was a good thing. At the guest hut Baridi opened the door and waited for Kaily to go in first before he followed her inside. She laid the bundle on the table and turned to face him. What she wanted was to find someplace to hide, but that was not an option. She stilled her fears and panic as best as she could and turned to face Baridi with what little courage she had left. What had she done? Too many thoughts and questions plaguing her that she found it difficult to hold it together. She refused to break down in front of Baridi or any of them for that matter!

Baridi pointed to the bundle he gave her. "You will wear that to the ceremony at this evening's repast. You will eat what you