Once Upon a Haunted Moon (The Keeper Saga) Read Online Free PDF Page A

sister’s opal face and the indecision in those blue eyes as they stared at the crow, carefully weighing the possibilities. Part of Zue hoped her sister would once again join her, together her revenge would be more sweet. She frowned as she watched Wynter’s face clear, determination set on her face as she turned her back to the window.
    “My, my,” she mused, as she listened to the voices behind the walls of the spelled house, “What hast thou been up to, sister dear?”

Chapter Six

Ella
    On the Hill above the Village
    October 8, 1765
     
     
    She felt strong arms lift her from the ground to her feet. Ella opened her eyes, and stared up into the brilliant, golden eyes of an Indian boy, who returned her stare with a slight, wary smile.
    “No be afraid,” he said, “What make girl sad?” He pointed to the tears on her face.
    “They’re gone. They’ve left me. I’m all by myself,” Ella said in a small, wavering voice that threatened to break.
    “No, not only one. Bright Eyes here, make girl welcome. Wolf call Bright Eyes, say make girl safe,” he nodded happily, then grabbed her hand, tugging her across the clearing toward the smoke.
    “Bright Eyes,” she murmured, looking at the bare back of the boy who, though, taller than she, seemed to be her own age.
    He looked over his shoulder, “Hmm?”
    “How is it you know English?” It seemed a strange question, surely, even to her. Out of all the questions that ran through her mind, that one was the one that made it out her mouth.
    “Old Mother say all must learn. Say must be ready for white man, learn white man ways and words.” He started pulling her down the slope of the hill, where they were greeted by a handful of dogs that barked and ran around their feet. He shouted something she didn’t understand, and a flurry of people came from every corner.
    Dozens of dark eyes stared at her curiously, fingers reaching out to brush her as she walked past. Bright Eyes gripped her hand even tighter, pulling her along through the crowd to a hut that stood over to the side. He announced something at the door, and a wizened, old Indian woman appeared.
    “This Old Mother,” Bright Eyes confided to her in a low voice as the old woman stared out the door of the hut with milky white eyes, “Old Mother no see with eye,” he made gestures to his head and toward his heart, “but see here and here.”
    The old woman said something Ella didn’t understand to Bright Eyes, who nodded once quickly and ran off in the opposite direction.
    “Brother Wolf brings our people another gift,” the old woman said in a solemn voice, turning her blind stare on Ella.
    In what seemed a matter of seconds, Bright Eyes had reappeared, grinning broadly, with six teenage boys trailing behind him. They were all solemn-faced, watching Ella warily. The oldest had the same golden eyes as Bright Eyes, though his had odd black specks flecked through them. His gaze flickered over Ella then up to Old Mother.
    “Brother say Wolf bring girl for him find,” the boy murmured to the old woman.
    Old Mother nodded, “Wolf bring her. Girl stay in village.”
    The boy looked less than convinced of this news, and quickly shook his head, “How know not trap from white man? They come look for girl. Find here. They say we take girl! Make war!”
    Old Mother sighed in frustration, then turned her sightless eyes to Ella, and smiled gently, “Where girl mother and father? Why leave for Wolf to find?”
    Ella’s lip quivered in an effort not to cry, but the tears came anyway, “They’re all dead. The Fire Witch killed them all. The Wolf found me and brought me here. I don’t know why…” her voice broke and she sobbed. She wished the Wolf had let her stay with him. At least he hadn’t seemed to mind her company quite as much as the one boy who stared at her as if she held the key to their destruction. Her vision edged in white, and she heard a strange howl again. Several surprised murmurs echoed