Wild Irish Roots (The Mystic Cove Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

mortar and pestle from her bag and began grinding the ingredients into a pulp. Stopping, Fiona consulted her book again, and pulled a few more unrecognizable ingredients from jars in her bag. She whispered under her breath and continued to grind in a counterclockwise motion.
    The women bustled back in with a steaming teapot and a small bowl. Fiona nodded her thanks to them. Putting it on a side table, she poured the steaming water into the bowl. Holding her mixture above the bowl, Fiona muttered over the water as she dropped her concoction into the hot water and stirred the water until it shone a muddy brown. Fiona pulled a spoon from her bag and tasted the concoction. Nodding, she held the bowl to her lips and blew on the water, cooling it down.
    "Ainsley, you must drink this," Fiona said softly to the girl. Margaret's heart clenched as the girl cracked her eyes open and slid them to look at Fiona. A barely perceptible nod came from the sick girl, and Fiona bent over her.
    Ainsley sputtered out a cough as she tried to drink the broth. Fiona laid a hand on her throat and whispered to her. Soon, Ainsley was able to swallow the entire broth without a cough.
    Margaret tilted her head and squinted at Fiona. What had just happened there? How had Fiona stopped Ainsley from coughing while swallowing the broth? Knowing that pneumonia made it almost impossible to swallow, Margaret was confused.
    "Good job, Ainsley. Now, I want you to close your eyes and picture yourself running outside in the yard, playing your favorite game. Can you do that for me?"
    Margaret felt tears prick her eyes as she stared down at the brave little girl. A small smile flitted across her face as she looked trustingly at Fiona. Margaret found herself praying desperately that Fiona's broth would work.
    Fiona kneeled by Ainsley's bed. Margaret watched in confusion as Fiona placed her hands directly on the small girl's chest. Bending her forehead to the mattress, Fiona looked the picture of supplication.
    Margaret's heart hammered in her chest. She could barely breathe as she watched Fiona begin to murmur against the sheet. Over and over, Fiona repeated words that Margaret couldn't hear. Her eyes shot to Ainsley's face, but the girl’s eyes remained closed.
    Margaret jumped as a flash of...something blurred past her eyes and she heard a large crack from outside. The women sobbed and hugged each other, saying their Hail Marys.
    Margaret was frozen, unable to tear her eyes away from Ainsley's face. Unable to breathe, unable to move, she watched, desperately searching for a sign of something. Ainsley's eyelashes fluttered across her cheeks. Margaret shuddered out a breath as the small girl sat up, the color returned to her cheeks.
    "I'm hungry, Mum," Ainsley said in the sweetest little girl voice ever. The women ran to Ainsley and surrounded her on the bed, cooing and clucking over the small girl.
    Margaret stayed still as her fear and hatred of the abnormal washed through her. She didn't want this life. She didn't want to be different. Whatever had just happened here was beyond the realm of even her own abilities. Suddenly, these otherworldly gifts seemed like a penance.
    Not meeting Fiona's eyes, she hurried to gather their supplies. Margaret bowed to the women and barely able to stand, she raced to the green station wagon. Margaret dumped her supplies in the backseat and moved around to sit on the edge of the bumper. She braced her arms on her knees and struggled to breathe.
    What was that? What had just happened? Ainsley was near death. Margaret didn't care how much mud and seaweed Fiona shoved down the girl's throat. There was no way that she had cured Ainsley through her concoction alone.
    Which left...Fiona's power. Margaret shook her head against a swell of nausea that hit her throat. Remembering the crack, she turned her head and peered around the edge of the car. A piece of lumber—a 2x4—lay splintered on the ground. Margaret gulped at the implications