Dead Moon Awakens: A tale of Cherokee myth and Celtic magic (Mystic Gates) Read Online Free

disrupting the sanctity of this church. If
you cannot keep quiet, you will come up here and stand next to me.” He arched
his eyebrows, almost off his forehead.
    Of course, she couldn’t say her new best friend
was doing it. “Yes sir,” she answered—her voice hoarse. She ducked her head and
lightly pinched Morrigan’s hand. “Please stop,” she whispered through barely
moving lips.
    Morrigan looked straight ahead, not reacting to
the plea. Yet, to Aishling’s relief, she did stop tapping her foot.
    Preacher Collins continued his sermon. His words
swirled around her mind, echoing as if she were in a barrel. It wasn’t until
she noticed him glaring at her again that she paid attention to what he was
saying.
    “Satan hides in certain types of soulless people,
using them to do his evil deeds.”
    Ma and I are not evil! I’m tired of you-uns acting
like we are. That was it.
    Aishling stood. “Don’t you dare say that about my
mother! Oh, I know you’re talking about me and her. She’s not evil! She
is the most kind and loving person in the world, far more kind and loving than
you could ever be.”
    “She’ll burn in hell for all eternity if she
didn’t renounce Satan before she died. Do you want God to damn your soul, too?”
    “My mother is not dead! And she wouldn’t be
burning in hell if she was. The Creator does not damn souls. The Creator creates them!” She hyperventilated.
    Slobber shot out of Preacher Collins mouth as he
howled, “Leave this holy place. Don’t come back until you’ve purged your evil
ways and you’re ready to repent for your sins.”
    Close to exploding from her one year, four months
and now ten days worth of hurt and anger, she pushed out to the aisle. Turning
toward the preacher again, she blurted, “You have no right to judge me or my
mother. Remember? Jesus said, ‘Judge not—’ ”
    “Leave!”
    The congregation sat silent as death. Her
shoulders hunched over from the weight of all the eyes following her out the
door.
    Though her heart pounded and she was out of
breath, she barreled back to her room.
    After she dug her backpack out of the closet, she
gathered her clothes, slinging them on the bed. Preacher Collins had delivered
the final blow. She would go home. She would find Ma!
    So entangled with her thoughts, she flinched when
Morrigan entered the room, snickering.
    “I’ll say you’re a wild horse. You were
spectacular! The preacher was so upset, he dismissed us early.”
    Morrigan gasped. “What are you doing?”
    “I’m leaving. I’m going home.”
    Return to Beginning

of wretched twists and turns,

5
    “W ait!”
Morrigan said.
    “They act like Ma and I are evil.” Aishling
crammed her backpack with clothes. “I’m not taking it anymore. They’ve been
that way ever since I got here. They won’t tell me where Ma is. They say she’s
dead, but she can’t be. I know there’s something they’re not telling me. They
won’t listen to me. They won’t even give back the amulet Ma made for me,
or the other things I brought here.” Tears soaked her blouse. “I’ve got to find
her. I have to go, Morri.”
    “No. Not yet. And, they won’t let you just walk
out of here. We need to—”
    Kelile cackled as he burst into the room. “Whoa,
you got balls, girl!”
    Morrigan lunged at him and pushed him toward the
door. “You interrupted our conversation. Leave. Now.”
    He flipped away from her. “Don’t you be touchin’
me or tellin’ me what to do. You ain’t my mama, prissy queen.”
    “Oh. But. I. Will. Slave boy.”
    “You-uns stop.” Aishling dropped to her bed,
covering her eyes.
    “See what you’ve done. Now, leave.”
    Aishling lowered her hands. “It’s okay. He didn’t do anything.”
    “What’s going on?” Lance stood in the doorway. He
walked over to Aishling and sat next to her. The closeness of his body made her
tingle. Her tight muscles relaxed. “Hey, I know you’re mad, but you need to
calm down.” He lightly