The Wolf's Daughter (The Tala Chronicles 1) Read Online Free PDF

digest. Let’s change the subject
now.”
    Vanessa nodded. “Great
idea.”
    “The whole trip
to Wolfeboro, you didn’t tell me anything about you, Vanessa. What’s been going
on with you?”
    “What could be
going on here? Same old, same old. Of course, I miss my ex. I guess he just
wanted an ever-young cheerleader. He left me comfortable, though, and I enjoy
selling real estate. Which reminds me, what about your house? Are you going to
sell it?”
    “Actually,”
Debbie broke in, “I’m just dying to buy this house, and I wanted to talk to you
about it today. The aura’s great with it right next to the graveyard.”
    “But your house
is just next door.”
    Debbie swallowed
her mouthful of cookie. “Doesn’t matter. This is still much better. And that
blackthorn tree...worth its weight in gold.”
    “What do you
mean?”
    “Not many of
them around. They’re very spiritual.” 
    “I didn’t know
any of that, but I’ve always liked it—the way it looks all spindly, thorny, and
threatening in the fall and winter, and then come spring, it softens with white
flowers, almost like a good omen.”
    “Yes, very well
said.” Debbie nodded her head. “But there’s a dark history to that tree. I’m
surprised you don’t know about it.”
    “What do you
mean?” Tala said, and Vanessa sat closer to the edge of the sofa.
    “It’s hundreds
of years old, and it was the killing tree.”
    “The killing
tree?”
    “Yes, vigilantes
favored it among all others.”
    “How do you know
all this?” Vanessa asked.
    “One of the
librarians told me last year. She died recently. What was her name? Cecilia?
No, Cecily. That was it. She knew everything about the town, even the darkest
parts.”
    “I wish I had
spoken with her,” Tala said.
    “Oh, that can be
arranged.” Debbie smiled.
    Tala put her
head to one side. “Hmmm. That might be—”
    “I’m not waiting
one minute longer. Vanessa placed her teacup on the coffee table. I insist on
hearing about your conversation with Matt.”
    “There’s nothing
juicy to tell you. We just played catch-up. He asked me out to dinner tonight,
and I told him to call back this afternoon.”
    “So, are you
going?”
    “I don’t even
know yet.”
    “Well, I feel I’m
in the dark about him,” said Debbie.
    Tala gave her
the shorthand version of the story.
    “Oh, how passionate
and romantic. It seems as though you have some kind of power over him...like
what we were—”
    “Debbie, I wish
you hadn’t said that.”
    “I just have to
be honest, and that’s my opinion. Now where is that beautiful black cat? Call
her, won’t you, Tala?”
    ***
    After Vanessa
and Debbie left, Tala had more questions than before. And what was she going to
do about Matt? She’d have to wait until he called to make up her mind.
    She decided to climb
the narrow stairs to the attic. The thought terrified her, but she might find
out some answers there while digging through old trunks and furniture. When she
opened the door leading to the attic stairs, a cold shroud enveloped her. The
anemic light from a dusty bulb hanging overhead did little for her confidence.
She took the stairs carefully with her broken foot parallel to the steps and
putting her weight on her heel. It was painstaking, but she went slowly, not
wanting to incur any more injury. She focused on a faint outline of a drawing
on the wall. It had some resemblance to the pendant. More questions.
    When she reached
the top of the stairs, the half-light of the attic gave her little consolation.
Cobwebs upholstered the boxes, trunks, and furniture. Her mother had never
allowed her in the attic, and she’d been too terrified to go there, anyway. She
had a guilty feeling as she surveyed the room.
    A trunk
plastered with destination stamps—London, Rome, Cairo—first drew her attention.
The top wouldn’t budge. A thought popped into her mind—look underneath the
trunk. Sure enough, the black wrought iron key lay there. Tala inserted