Druidess Found (Druidess Trilogy Book 1) by Machelle Hanleigh (interesting novels to read txt) 📕

"Truth?" She looked back at him with hope in her eyes.

He smiled at her and nodded. "Yes, Kaily. I know what it is you are giving up for me."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him hard. "Thank you." She moved as if she was going to stand.

Moto held her tight. Not yet. Let me hold you for a while longer. Before the day was done and before he left her world, he loved her again. Four or five days wouldn't be long, but any time away from his Kaily would feel like a life time. He took as much of her with him as he could take in. When he finally let her go, and stepped through the Gateway, he knew he was leaving his heart and center being behind with her. He would not be whole again without her by his side.

Chapter Twenty

Kaily leaned against the stone arch of the Gateway and stared out over the land that had been the only home she knew. She spent a tearful morning with Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson, a tearful week. Despite, Moto's promise that they would return often to visit, she couldn't help but feel that she was saying good-bye to them for all time. It didn't help that the Fergusons seemed to pick up on her feelings and responded in kind. They were reluctant to let her go this morning. She didn't tell them where she was going or how she was going to get there, only that she would be away for quite a while in a place that she couldn't be reached and asked if they would take care of everything for her. They, of course, agreed, but she could tell they didn't like it. She told them she would be with Moto and he would keep her safe. She intended the information to be a reassurance for them, but only Mrs. Ferguson accepted and seemed reassured. She didn't know about Mr. Ferguson. He tended to keep his true thoughts to himself more than not. What was with men in that regard, anyway? She thought with a shake of her head. Ultimately, they wished her well, said their good-byes, and hugged her as if they didn't expect to see her again.

It took longer to take care of the finances than she thought it would. She wanted to make sure that the Fergusons had full authority to pay the bills, but wouldn't be able to sell anything, not that they ever would have. She kept some funds in an account with her name only as a just in case thing, trusting, even those she loved dearly, was difficult to impossible for her. She loved them and trusted them, almost completely. There always seemed to be a part of her that found it impossible to trust one hundred percent. They seemed to know that about her and accepted it. Still, all the legal stuff took too long. Seven days passed since Moto went back to Ki. She half expected to find him at her door on the sixth day, but he didn't return. There were times when she still woke at night wondering if she dreamt the whole thing, which was probably part of the reason she was leaning against the stone arch instead of opening it. There was a part of her that didn't want to know if it had all just been a dream.

You can do this. She told herself. Moto showed her several times how to open the Gateway to his world, and then he stood by and let her open it a couple of times to be sure that she could. He even said that he would return for her, if she didn't make it back in what he deemed a reasonable amount of time. He didn't say how long he would give her before he made good on that promise. In reality, she was only two days overdue. Okay, you got this. She reminded herself. She stepped in front of the Gateway where the runes were visible and took a deep breath. She reached for the energy around the Gateway. Apparently, it was the only place Moto could feel the energy on her world, not that he visited many places. She didn't know what to look for when she traveled farther than her small corner, but still she wondered if the energy flow was limited to this one Gateway between worlds. Neither had Moto known if there was no energy flow on her world or just the part she lived in, but he told her that as long as she could feel the energy by the Gateway, she would be able to open it. She would be able to join him on Ki when she was finished with what she needed to do on her world. She placed the palm of her hand over the rune for Ki and concentrated.

Kaily could feel the energy flowing beneath the stone arch, but she couldn't feel it entering her body to pass through her hand the way she felt before. She took several calming breaths. This is not a time to panic. Focus! She told herself. She glanced around her, and then closed her eyes and tried again.

Still nothing!

"Dammit" Kaily dropped her heavy pack to the ground and stomped away from the Gateway. What I am I doing wrong? She paced back and forth and went over the instructions Moto gave her in her mind. She opened the Gateway before with him there. Why couldn't she now? She looked up to the sky as if that would give her answers, it didn't. She leaned against the crumbling wall across from the Gateway and slid to the ground. She tried to not feel the panic rising in her. What if she couldn't get back? She shook her head. There had to be a reason, she just needed to remain calm and think