Tara Duncan and the Forbidden Book Read Online Free Page A

blood oath Isabella had sworn to her father would kill her grandmother. Tara forgot that when she flew to Cal’s rescue, but using her power so close to her grandmother visibly caused the woman pain. Tara absolutely had to be more careful.
    Selena sighed and reluctantly released her daughter. As she turned to go inside, she said, “I think I’m about to get yet another lecture on how to raise children, and what they should and shouldn’t be told. I’ll see you later.”
    Tara smiled slightly. Her mother and grandmother had spent the last week making up for their ten years apart. Isabella was surprised to discover that her sweet, gentle daughter had developed a strong character during her decade of imprisonment.
    â€œSo, what do we do now?” asked Fabrice.
    Tara watched Cal and Sparrow disappear around the bend of the road and made up her mind. She took a deep breath, and said, “Let’s follow my grandmother.”
    Without waiting for the others, Tara ran inside. They followed, surprised to see her sneaking from place to place to reach the living room without being spotted.
    â€œEr, why are we hiding?” asked Fabrice, who felt silly crawling across the carpet.
    â€œI want to find out what my grandma’s plotting,” whispered Tara. “And with her, the only way to do that is to listen at keyholes.”
    â€œThat didn’t work out too well for Cal last night,” he answered, nervously glancing around for Sembor, Selena’s familiar.
    â€œShhh!” Tara hissed. “Listen!”
    When they put their ears against the door, the two women’s voices were clearly audible. It was easy to imagine slender Selena sitting in a comfortable armchair, carefully watching her mother.
    â€œI can’t say that I ever much liked your late husband Danviou,” Isabella was saying, “but look at the wonderful surprise he left us!”
    So, they had gotten past the child-rearing chapter and were now reliving the “good old days.”
    â€œWhat wonderful surprise?” asked Selena, clearly perplexed.
    â€œThat he was the emperor! The Emperor of Omois! Actually, I always suspected something odd was up with your husband. I saw how nervous he got whenever we met new people. I thought he must be some minor Omois nobleman who had run away from his family. I didn’t realize he was actually running away from an empire ! And to think that I didn’t want him for you because I wanted you to marry someone more important. That little sneak!”
    What Selena said next knocked Tara for a loop: “No kidding! But did you really hate him so much that you had to lock me up in that tower to keep him from seeing me?”
    Isabella cleared her throat before answering. “Well, maybe I did go a little overboard.”
    â€œOverboard ? You had trolls guarding the tower! And then you sent those half-dozen ‘highly presentable’ princes and spellbinders to woo me—and then fried or flattened them when they failed. You should really quit reading those old Earth romance novels, Mom. They just aren’t for you!”
    â€œAll right, all right. I admit the trolls were a bit much. But I only wanted what was best for you, darling. And how could I trust some stranger who suddenly dropped into our lives and wanted to marry you?”
    Tara was flabbergasted. Her grandmother had opposed her parents’ marriage? So that was why Isabella had always avoided talking about them! Lots of things were suddenly becoming clear to her.
    But Selena wasn’t interested in bringing up the past. Changing the subject, she came back to the present: “Does Tara realize that by refusing the empress’s invitation she could be making her friend Cal’s situation worse?”
    â€œI couldn’t care less about that boy’s fate,” said Isabella. “There’s no way my granddaughter’s going to Omois. It’s too dangerous. Just