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

down to help Moto up. A certain twinkle sparkled in his eye much to Moto's irritation. "I didn't realize your mind lay elsewhere." His eyes strayed to a certain tree.

Moto took Shimani's hand to help him to his feet. He bent over with his hands on his knees while he caught his breath. When he could breathe again, he picked his pole off the ground and threw it at Shimani. "We're done!"

Shimani caught it and gave Moto a salute with a smirk that Moto wanted to wipe from his face. Instead, he watched Shimani jog towards the very tree that a certain wayward girl used as a shield. She didn't hide well. Just as he passed it, Shimani turned and winked at her. Moto ground his teeth. He would need to teach his protege a lesson, but not today, and not with that girl near enough to be a distraction.

He walked back to the tree that held the water skin and towels. He slowly dried his face, chest and arms before putting on his vest. He took his time fastening the clasps of the vest that kept it from flapping open. He could feel the girl's eyes on his back. With a smile, he took a long drink from the water skin. After, he sent the towels and water skin to his hut with his ability to portal objects. He turned and saw the girl duck back behind the tree. He felt warmth spread through him at the sight of her. He couldn't deny he felt a physical attraction towards her, and an intense connection between them. A part of him wished he could deny it. The connection part bothered him the most. The physical attraction bothered him, but not nearly as much as the other connection that drew him to her. He couldn't explain it. She wasn't Kahoali. There shouldn't be that kind of connection between them. It shouldn't be possible. It didn't make sense, and he very much wanted to understand how she drew him to her. He needed to understand, and why he chose to keep her close, despite the consequences.

Moto didn't go into her hut that morning, not physically or the 'cheating' way. He wanted to go to her, to touch her, to assure himself that she endured the night reasonably well, and other reasons he refused to acknowledge. He didn't go in. He needed to remain strong, and he couldn't in her presence, not that morning anyway. Instead, he listened at her door and convinced himself that she slept. He heard nothing, no noises from within the hut. It had been well before dawn. It made sense to him she still slept. Now, he realized his error in judgement. She most likely followed him to the clearing where he and Shimani trained.

He cursed his temper which cost him his looking bowl. He still needed to fashion another one, but no opportunity to do so. It would take time to find the right piece of wood which hummed with the energy of Ki. He learned the hard way that only such a piece could successfully be fashioned into a true looking bowl. Other bowls, even ordinary ones would show images, but the images weren't always truth or reliable. Such bowls were tainted. They lacked the energy living in harmony with a particular tree. He didn't understand the intricacies of it all and longed for someone to teach him. For the moment, his focus centered on a certain sea-green eyed girl who turned his world upside down.

He made his way towards the tree the girl used as a shield at an unhurried pace. He smiled to himself at her futile attempt to hide behind the tree. The use of the tree as a shield amused him too. She assumed the tree would stop him from knowing she stood there. He could tell she felt a measure of safety behind that tree. He didn't need to see the girl to know she stood near. He became aware of her not long after Shimani and he started their morning routine. As an empath, it was not unusual for him or any other Kahoali to know when someone entered their perception space. Although each possessed a different perception range. With the girl, his empathic abilities intensified. He not only knew the girl stood nearby, he knew where she stood, and he felt her in a way he couldn't quite describe not even to himself. To say that a part of her moved inside of his very core, didn't describe what he felt or what she did to him.

As he approached, Moto absorbed the emotions he felt emanating from the girl. Even her emotions penetrated deeper inside him than he ever felt with anyone else in his entire life. At the moment, he felt excitement and fear as the two most prominent emotions emanating from her. Other emotions mingled as well, but those two the strongest. It irritated him she should experience fear in relation to him although perhaps in the current situation, understandable. At least her fear towards him didn't match the fear she felt towards the Agenors. He didn't want her to be afraid of him. He preferred the excitement he felt inside of her.

He stopped next to the tree and leaned his shoulder against it. The forest comprised of large trees with smooth bark, although, this particular tree stood as one of the larger ones. Despite that fact, he could feel the girl just footsteps away from him. He thought he could hear her soft intake of breath and hear the beating of her heart. Or was it his heart? No one moved him the way she did. He waited, counting the heartbeats.

His patience paid off. Her nose came into contact with his chest when she poked her head around the edge of the tree. He thought she might have squeaked before ducking back behind the tree. He moved quick to follow and placed his hands against the