Dolmarehn - Book Two of the Otherworld Trilogy Read Online Free Page A

have dire consequences.  I turned on a classical music CD and got to work.  To my delight, I only thought about Cade twice for the rest of the day.  Maybe three times.
    On Monday morning I woke up before the alarm clock, so I decided to get up earlier than usual.  I showered, got dressed and headed upstairs for breakfast.  My brothers nearly knocked me over as they ran circles around Mom.  I grinned and managed to capture a bagel amidst all the chaos.  I called a goodbye to my dad as I headed out the front door.  I had every intention of walking down the street and catching a ride with Tully.  As I angled down the driveway however, a sharp bark stopped me in my tracks.
    Fergus stood by the old barbed wire fence denoting the road’s stopping point and the beginning of the equestrian trail that led into the swamp.  He wagged his tail and turned around, trotting into the woods.  A goofy grin spread across my face and I took hold of my backpack straps and followed him.  When he stopped at the oak tree, a small twang of disappointment snapped in my stomach.  Oh, so he wasn’t taking me to Cade.
    Sighing and trying not to show my frustration too much, I stepped up onto a tree root and pulled the note out of the knothole on the other side.  Fergus stared at me, panting as usual, as I unrolled the paper and began to read.
    Meghan,
    I hope your weekend went well.  I’m very sorry I couldn’t stay longer and catch up with you or even witness your progress with your bow, but I’m glad I was able to get away at all.
    Unfortunately, I fear I’ll be held up in Eilé for the next month or so, and will only be corresponding by letter.  In order to make up for my rude neglect of you, do me a favor and take the back way to school this morning.
    Sincerely,
    C.M.
    Despite my intense regret at learning Cade would be gone for a month, I smiled softly.  He sounded truly remorseful that he wouldn’t be able to visit me.  I tucked the letter into a backpack pocket and made a mental note to set aside a shoebox for them before taking out my cell phone and texting Tully, telling her I was going to walk to school that morning.  It was still early, so if I didn’t dawdle I should make it before the bell.
    Coastal fog curled along the trail and in the deepest recesses of the swamp.  On a normal day, I’d be terrified to come down here on my own when it still wasn’t fully light, but I had Fergus, trotting silently ahead of me.  For the first time since the spirit guide had been left with me, I wondered if Cade was suffering because of it.  I dashed that thought away before it culminated into a full blown, single-minded desire to go back to the Otherworld to check on him.
    A small flash of color and a chirp that sounded similar to a cricket’s stopped me dead in my tracks.  I sensed myself going white.  Were there faelah around?  Why would Cade tell me to walk to school if he had somehow let faelah slip past him?  Was the Morrigan trying to set me up again?  But, wouldn’t Fergus know if it was dangerous?
    I turned to go back the way I had come, but Fergus blocked me.  “No Fergus, perhaps this isn’t such a good idea after all.”
    I started to text Tully again as I tried to get by him, but the wolfhound wouldn’t budge.  In the next breath, something the size of a swallowtail butterfly fluttered past my ear, making the soft chirping sound.  I screamed and threw my arms up to protect my head, almost losing my cell phone.
    Now I caught a glimpse of what had been creating the noise and my mouth dropped open.  Was that a . . . fairy?!  I shook my head and blinked my eyes clear.  The creature’s body, humanoid in shape, measured about the length my thumb and its brilliantly colored wings were somewhat translucent.  I simply stood there, gaping and following the creature with my eyes.  After floating in the air for a few minutes, the fairy landed among a thicket of ferns.  Fergus pulled away from me then and