Discovered (The Shalean Moon) Read Online Free

Sam McIlwain like that … in boardies I mean.’
    Definitely Andy, and judging by Leira’s silence Andy had been projecting just to him, or no doubt she would have come back with some smart-arse answer.
    Determined, Brios turned back to the asymmetric bars and began practicing. Never had he been so keen for an afternoon to end and the bell to ring. Every fiber of his being was focused on Rach.
    As he left the school building at four her saw her standing next to Leira by the car park entrance, her bright red hair glinting in the sunlight. He sensed she was really aware of its color and didn’t much like it. It did clash somewhat with those awful sweatshirts the girls wore, but still, he thought it was beautiful.
    Like a flaming halo .
    He hoped no one picked up that thought. How flipping fanciful .
    Still, he’d bet his new iPad that color would be in her coat somewhere when she shifted; if she ever shifted. He’d never met anyone so unaware of what—or who—she was, as Rach. He wondered why. He couldn’t imagine not knowing about his heritage. To his mind it was criminal not to be given the chance to discover every bit of your person.
    ‘She really hasn’t got a clue.’
    Leira could obviously sense his preoccupation.
    His heart lept when he saw Rach. He supposed he should be much too young to feel these things so strongly, but he did. It wasn’t just rampant teenage hormones causing him to fancy just anyone female; this felt different. Well, it might partly be hormones, but it was also much more than that. If it was the Shalean side of him reacting to her it was happening when Rach was still really too young and it must be really powerful. He knew that was related to his role in the Sept. There were some perks in accepting the honor of being the next Patriarch; not just a lot to learn and absorb.
    ‘Thank you Leira,’ he sent to his sister, ‘for finding her, befriending her, and making her feel welcome.’
    He could tell without even sensing, or looking that Leira was full of news. She might only be fifteen, but her sense of justice and her understanding of Shalea were as developed as a twenty-year old, perhaps more. She was gesturing wildly; her face red, her hair on end.
    “Our Gods and Us,” he gave the Shalean greeting automatically. Rach’s eyes opened wide as his sister responded likewise. It seemed as if she had never even heard the greeting. “What’s up Lei?”
    “Donald Farriday—among other things.” She was almost spitting tacks at him as she spoke. “A bully and a beast.”
    “Well, I get the beast bit, but not the bully.” He glanced at Rach, who seemed to be holding back a grin.
    “You wouldn’t.” Leira was definitely unhappy and still moaning about Donny. “He never bullies you.”
    “Donny and I’ve been friends since we were tiny,” he explained. “Evidently, I shoved a holly leaf up his nose, so he fed me a mouth of muck. We were about two I think.”
    “And they’ve stuck up for each other ever since.” Leira’s tone showed what she thought of that.
    Donny had told him seven or eight years ago that he’d mate and live forever with Leira. He was obviously now starting to stake his claim; especially since Struan had started to be a nuisance recently.
    No, Brios told himself, that’s not fair. Struan’s a normal teenage boy. He just doesn’t have the responsibilities Donny and I have.
    The problem was Brios didn’t really believe that. There was something not quite right about Struan’s attitude—he oozed animosity. That was the only way to describe it. He was going to have to keep an eye on Struan. He hadn’t liked the way he’d looked at Rach, and he knew Struan resented him for who he was and what he’d become one day.
    He looked at Rach, who was now smiling faintly. “Donny doesn’t bully you Leira, he looks out for you. He fancies you,” Rach said with quiet certainty, her face red.
    Brios nodded his agreement; he was glad that Rach thought as he did.