Birthrights Read Online Free PDF Page A

it was a gossip mill. It was like that long before the
non humans came out and it remained that way for as long as Caislyn
could remember. She finished getting herself ready and walked
downstairs to the bookstore to open up.
    Later that day, Caislyn sat slumped over the counter
in her parent's bookstore, feeling rather defeated. Tonight would
already be another new moon and yet nothing had manifested itself
since the night of her ritual. She was doodling on the sketch pad
she kept near, in case she started to get a vision. Her visions
rarely happened during the day, but on the occasion that they did,
she liked to be prepared. The wards at the front door of the store
tinkled to life announcing that a Fey had just come in. Unlike the
wards on the ritual room door, the ones on the front of the store
had a different sound for each type of being that walked through
them. Fey, vamp, witch, lycan and human, all had different tones.
Of course you couldn't distinguish between different types of Fey
or lycan, but at least you had a semblance of what you were dealing
with. The wards also kept out those who meant harm. Caislyn
couldn't see who had entered from her viewpoint so she assumed he
or she must be a small Fey. Just to be polite and keep up the air
of actual customer service she half shouted a greeting.
    “Good day to you, if you need any help I'm over at
the register.” Caislyn looked at her watch; it was nearly closing
time for her anyway. She had posted new hours after her parents
went missing. Today was one of those days she had posted as an
early close so that she had time to go and check on any leads about
her parents. Just as she was thinking about the fact that there
were no more leads to follow a short, stout man with reddish hair
popped up by the register. He couldn't have been much more than
four feet tall, if that. He did have a bright smile about him
though as he looked up at Caislyn with intense amber eyes too
bright and too odd in color to allow him to pass for human.
    “Good noon day to ya, lass,” he spoke with a gentle
Irish lilt that reminded Caislyn a bit of her father. “Me name's
Angus. I have something' here fer ya.” He fingered a little card
that was in his hand, no bigger than a typical business card. It
was predominantly black with a few splashes of color here and
there. “Twill get ya to the party. 'Tis the questions you ask there
that will lead you to the answers ya seek.”
    The Irish were sometimes as hard to decipher as their
riddles, but Caislyn continued to listen to the little man. The
frustration was clearly showing on her face, though she held it
calmly out of her voice when she spoke “Is this about my
parents?”
    “Aye, lass, 'tis in fact.” Seeing her frustration,
the little man felt compelled to add, “All I can offer ya, I've
been bound, ya see. Can't say this or that, but the card I can give
and promise ye this, twill lead to that which will bring ye
answers.” He reached out and took Caislyn's hand, turning it palm
up so that he could place the card there. His fingers lingered, for
a gentle moment in her hand before he closed her own hand around
the card. “Be wary, lass. 'Tis a rough road ye travel, though you
won't be on it alone for long. Not that the company will make the
path any less difficult, ye see.” With a sigh he allowed his hands
to fall from hers and began walking back to the front of the store
towards the door with his odd gait that reminded her of her the
ommpa loompas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Caislyn
managed a nod of thanks and mock understanding before she heard the
familiar tinkle the door gave off as the Fey left the store. She
looked down at the card clasped ever so gently in her
hand. 　
    The moment Caislyn opened her hand so that she could
view the card full on, she nearly laughed. She had almost been
dreading what it would say. She recognized right away though. This
was a card you get as a sort of invite to a rave. A rave, being