Bewitching My Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

silence.
    “ I know you have hidden in the cave. You have come afore your time. Take this water, and then take your leave from this place. You cannot break the curse. You cannot!” Her harsh voice carried through the cave, echoing against the walls.
    Fern had taken hold of Rowen’s arm when the wicked old voice broke the silence; now she squeezed him so tightly her hands hurt. She sat next to him staring at the hem of the brown wool dress until it had disappeared beyond their view, then into the forest beyond. “How could she possibly know, Rowen? What will we do now?” she whispered.
    Rowen gently pulled Fern’s fingers from his arm. She was strong; he’d give her that. “I don’t know, Fern. But this does pose a problem.” Then slowly he smiled. “Actually, it is to our advantage. The old woman cannot reveal our presence without giving herself away as a witch. The way I see it, she cannot do a thing to stop us. Are you thirsty? Stay here while I get the bucket.”
    Fern was still trying to bring the pulse of her racing heart back down to a normal beat. The voice of the old lady still echoed in her head. “I don’t want anything from her, Rowen. She probably laced it with poison.”
    “ No, she wouldn’t take the chance of killing us, Fern, she needs us.” He crawled back through the opening with the bucket of water then drank thirstily from the dipper she’d left in it. Afterward he held it out to Fern.
    Fern stared at the wooden dipper, and then looked back up at Rowen. “Maybe I should wait to see if you die before I take a drink.”
    Rowen’s laughter bellowed against the walls of the cave. He couldn’t believe it, Fern was genuinely afraid of the water. “Look, I’m not dead and I don’t feel sick. I told you, Fern, she knows there is nothing she can do about us right now. Drink the water, I assure you it isn’t poison.”
    Maybe dead would be better than what she was going through right now. With one last silent prayer of penitence, Fern drank the water then sat back against the cave. Her lips still tingled from where his finger touched them. She let her tongue run over the spot to see if she could taste him, then blushed wildly when she realized what she was doing. What did she care what he tasted like; she still hated him for dragging her away from her home. Home! Oh no, Wicca would be alone. “Rowen, I just remembered my kitty, Wicca, he’s all alone back home. What if he gets hungry, or thirsty? I have to go back, right now.”
    He didn’t know about Fern, but he was starved. His last meal was breakfast, yesterday. “I’ll be leaving soon, Fern. I’m starved and I’m sure you are, too. I’ll be bringing some food back with me.” He watched her frown when he didn’t answer her question about her cat. Dropping the dipper back in the bucket he answered. “Your cat is safe, Fern. I made plans for him to be taken to my home for safe keeping until our return. Interesting name, ‘Wicca’—whatever made you choose it?”
    “ You seem to have your fingers in all of my business!” His grin made her angry again; she wanted to wipe those perfect dimples off his equally perfect face. “Surely you know what Wicca means, Rowen! We do live in Salem, home of the witches.” She watched him feign innocence. “Wicca is the name for a modern witch, don’t act coy with me.”
    “ Just testing you, Fern, now drink some more water. It’s cold, maybe it’ll cool down that temper of yours.” He wondered if her red hair could get any redder. It seemed like every spark of anger made it even more brilliant.
    “ I want to go along with you, Rowen. I can’t see any reason for me to stay here by myself. Especially now that the witch knows we’re here.” The water was good, dropping the dipper into the bucket again, she watched him frown.
    “ No Fern. Any day now Sarah will be discovering the affair between Mary and Jonathan. If you get caught in the middle of that, well, there’s no telling