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

Sari inclined her head again.

Moto stepped through the portal with Kaily cradled in his arms. He did not see Sari and Shimani bow their heads to a cloaked figure standing within the shadows where the trees still stood on the edge of the charred area.

***

Moto found himself in a tiny clearing just outside a cave opening. There were large boulders on the edge of the clearing that created a small half circle wall. Behind those boulders stood tall trees similar to those that surrounded the villages, but different. Moto could tell form the way the trees stood he was on a plateau and despite not being able to see a ledge.

Shimani arrived right after and closed the portal behind him. "To the right of the cave is a small path that leads to the pools." Shimani said pointing to what passed for a path. Moto followed Shimani as he stepped through the entrance of the cave. Once inside, Shimani threw three consecutive energy balls at three fist sized stones embedded in the walls. The energy balls were absorbed by the stones and gave off a brilliant blue tinted light. The light set the cave ablaze but was not harsh on the eyes.

Moto watched as Shimani then opened an ornate wooden chest set in a nook on the far side opposite the entrance. He pulled a pallet and blankets from within it and laid them out near a fire pit set further back in the cave away from the entrance. Then he set fire to the wood neatly stacked in the pit. A stone ring surrounded it and a metal tripod of sorts placed so food could be cooked over the fire.

Moto admired the efficiency with which Shimani went about setting up the area for him and Kaily.

Next, Shimani went back to the chest and pulled out two pots. He concentrated first on one than the other. One he placed on a flat stone near the fire and the other he placed on the hook of the tripod over the fire. Moto could see liquid filled both. After, Shimani drew a heavy covering across the entrance attached to the side. "It gets cold up here at night." Shimani explained. "Let me help you lay Kaily down."

"I've got her." Moto said. He regretted his harsh tone with Shimani, just not enough to apologize for it. Shimani wasn't fazed by it. Moto laid Kaily on the pallet Shimani set out and accepted the blanket Shimani held out to him. He covered Kaily and then sat next to her. Shimani handed him a second blanket.

"I'll be back in a moment." Shimani said.

Moto nodded to him.

Shimani inclined his head and left the cave.

Kaily shivered, drawing Moto's attention. He covered her with the second blanket and softly caressed the side of her face as the recent events settled on him. "What am I going to do with you?" He didn't expect an answer. He was grateful Sari was able to put Kaily to sleep, confused how she did it, but grateful. "Why did you hide your talisman there?" He asked and shook his head. Leave it to his Kaily to put her talisman in the worst possible place. If he'd just let her drop it back into Crystal Lake none of this would have happened. Not the damage to the clearing, not his farce of a bonding with Sari, none of it. He didn't want to accept his Kaily was the source of the destruction, yet he needed to. There was no other explanation. The destruction centered on her and she'd been untouched, save for the damage she did to herself with her choice of hiding place of her talisman.

Moto pulled out the pouch with Kaily's talisman from within his vest pocket and opened it. He peered inside and hesitated, before deciding it was probably safe to hold. Hadn't he held it before? He reached inside and pulled out the talisman. It felt cool to the touch. It gleamed in the light. Moto held it up and examined every inch of it. It looked the same as when Kaily first pulled it from Crystal Lake. The silver and gold threads still spread throughout out the talisman. He glanced at Kaily lying so still on the pallet. He laid a hand on her heart. He closed his eyes as he felt the beating of her heart against the palm of his hand. He didn't want to lose her, but life was not that simple. There were consequences to every choice made, some good, some bad.

As Moto sat and absorbed the moment, he felt a faint thrumming in Kaily's talisman. His eyes opened and focused on the talisman. There was a dim glow within the talisman. He put it back in the pouch and secured the pouch in his vest pocket. He again placed his palm over Kaily's heart and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her lips. "You are going to be the death of me."

"My apologies for taking so long," Shimani said as he followed Sari into the cave carrying two large bags and a smaller one slung across his back. He placed the bags by the chest. He took out a cup, packet, water skin, and pouch from the smaller one before making his way to the fire. He peered into the pot hanging over the fire. "Good thing I only put water in there." He said glaring at Moto.

"Wasn't my first priority," Moto looked back at Kaily.

"How is she doing?" Sari asked as she knelt by him.

"Sleeping," Moto said.

"Rest will help her recover," Sari laid her hand over his. "We brought some medicine to help. Shimani will give you the instructions for them as I give Kaily another healing session."

Moto wanted to protest but held his tongue. Sari could help Kaily far more than he could, so it would seem. He stood and went to see what Shimani did by the fire.

Shimani