Illusions: Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance (The Seekers Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

fertile.
    The man chosen for her had to follow a set of rules in order to protect the Aspirant from any sort of growing attachment: as well as the mask which largely concealed his features, and he was not permitted to utter a word while he performed his task. The Aspirant, too, was supposed to stay quiet; not to ask questions or to extract any information that might encourage an emotional bond.
    That was the law, and breaking it was punishable by expulsion from the Sisterhood, if the Crones so chose. Generally speaking, the rules were obeyed by devoted young women.
    “A man would have to be awfully special for us to assign him the task of bonding with one such as you,” said Hedy. “And we’re coming close to making our choice; the Oracle has foretold it.” The “Oracle” was one of the Crones; a woman with a gift of foresight. Like Hedy, her gifts were waning in recent years, but vivid images still came to her on occasion.
    Hedy added, “The Ceremony will occur soon, Serafina. I hope you’ve prepared yourself.”
    Sera stiffened at the words. Prepared? Was she meant to shave “Enter Here” into her pubic hair? But she knew what Hedy meant: she needed to ready herself mentally. Accepting that a man would be inside her, and what was worse, or perhaps better, a man whose face she would never see.
    “You’re a special young woman,” continued Hedy. “So whomever we choose for you will need to be the most excellent and promising of men. But for now, you need to work on your gifts. You need a chance to develop a little before you can take on anyone, let alone the Guild.”
    “Agreed. And I want to take them on, I do. If they’re snatching women from the next town over, it’s only a matter of time before…”
    Sera didn’t want to continue; the thought of it was too painful. Having strangers taken was bad enough. Having members of the Sisterhood pulled from among their ranks would be too much. Already, a few had already been removed from the neighbouring woods; disappeared amidst a stream of rumours and stories of forcible marriage, though nothing had yet been proven.
    “For now, do not waste your energy on thoughts of conflicts that don’t yet exist. Stay home and practice your skills,” said Hedy. “Hone them as best you can. Every day, advance a little. Then, when the time comes for your powers to grow and flourish, it will be all the easier for you to throw everything you have at an enemy, if need be.”
    “You’re right,” sighed Sera. “My rune-crafting is coming along a little, at least.” With her right thumb, she drew an S-shape on her left palm, angular and jagged, reminding herself of her growing skills. This was Sigel: the rune of light, power, happiness. She would apply it to a stone later, to calm herself, and place it in a pocket on her skirt.
    “Has anything happened to the newest batch of abducted women yet?” Sera asked. “Or do we even know?”
    “I’ve heard that they’re convincing the townsfolk to try them for the Craft, like those others before them. They’re threatening to have them hanged unless they submit.”
    “Submit? To what?” asked Sera. This was the first she’d heard of the word.
    Hedy shifted her weight, her eyes veering to Karab. “Perhaps I chose the word poorly. My gift of Sight has betrayed me these last few years and I cannot see all of the details so clearly as I once did.” Her eyes moved to the side of the house, as though she were avoiding Sera’s own.
    The young Aspirant was often quite certain that Hedy knew more than she let on. But that was the old woman’s way; she let one know as much or as little as she wanted, and trying to extract anything more was like trying to wring water from a stone. And so she left it.
    “Unfortunately it is far too easy to take women,” Sera said, “Particularly those who haven’t got our gifts and can’t defend themselves. Speaking of which, I’m going to go back and look in on Circe. She seems to be