The Secrets of Moonshine
Page 27
She dropped her hair as he released the clasp; her face still colored with heat. She fumbled with the key hanging between her breasts.
“Now I feel like Frodo Baggins.” she laughed, trying to avert the awkwardness.
Travis smiled, though his eyes were serious. “The rain has stopped. You up for a little walk?”
They left the cottage with the book in tow. Travis led her into the trees and up the incline of a steep hill. Soon they stepped into a clearing, overlooking the vast mountain range. The view from the ridge was more awe-inspiring than any she had seen the entire week. The rolling hills and mountains became silhouetted against a deep lavender and rose sky, as the sun made its final decent in the cradle of the mountains, giving way to the evening stars glimmering through the violet, burgundy and pink hues of the evening.
She could hear the unseen orchestra once again. The melodious music of an invisible choir sang to her soul, a soothing tranquil song, and she wondered if she was at another doorway, another thin place. Travis led her to a bolder where they both could sit. It was like having front-row seats at the most amazing art exhibit she’d ever seen. They sat in silence, watching the fiery sun burn out slowly, as it disappeared from view.
“I’m giving you the opportunity to turn back.”
His words took her by surprise, removing her eyes off the sunset and upon him. “What? Why?”
“Because you have no idea of the severity of the quest you are embarking on, and once you begin to write, there is no turning back.”
His words angered her, so she held nothing back.
“Why would you offer me that? If you are a Prince of a world, and the people of that world are in exile and dying, why would you tell their one hope to turn tail and run? What kind of Prince are you?”
“The kind that believes everyone should have a choice. This is a war, Bronwyn, and you could easily lose your life in the process, and then all would be lost anyway.” His words softened. “You are not who we imagined the writer to be, and now, you being who you are, complicates things.”
Again he spoke in riddles, upsetting her all the more. Tears of frustration stung in her eyes and she felt as if her heart would burst. She jumped from the boulder and walked to the edge of the cliff.
“Well I am sorry I am not some famous bestselling author, or some sage, old scribe who translated the Bible in seven different languages. I’m sorry I came out of nowhere, and that I’ve never had a book published, and that all I have written is sappy love stories. But I am here, and according to you guys, I am supposed to do this. If it’s my destiny, how can I live without at least trying?”
He approached her from behind, and turned her around to face him. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Then please tell me what you mean. Unlike the rest of you, I can’t read your thoughts.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if he was contemplating the situation, and when he reopened them, she thought she caught a glimpse into this soul. Yes! It was there, a flash, the heat rose and her breathing became labored. She wanted to scream out as a memory tried to surface, and then without realizing what she was doing, she impulsively reached up and stroked his face.
“What is it you’re not telling me?”
He said nothing; he only placed his hand over hers then removed it from his cheek, holding it in his.
“There are some things I am not at liberty to tell. You must discover them on your own.”
She calmed, sensing he would tell her if he could, and if those were the rules of the game, then she would play by them. “And discover them I will.”
He smiled and kissed her hand tenderly before letting it go.
“I want you to leave tomorrow. You have two weeks to get your affairs in order, and then you must return to Moonshine. You unlocked the book of redemption. The enemy has been informed. Now it all begins.”
THE BEGINNING.
About The Author
Plucked from the hills of Tennessee and deposited in sunny Southern California, Denise Daisy has been described as one of the purest storytellers of all time. She has the knack for pulling off romance, suspense, and a touch of fantasy, all in the same piece. Her descriptive passages are luscious, transporting the reader, as if they were walking alongside the characters.
Denise lives in San Diego with her daughter, Journey. You can visit her at authordenisedaisy.wordpress.com/ and follow her on her facebook page, Author Denise Daisy.
The Secrets of Moonshine is the first book in The Moonshine Series. The Second Secret, Haytham, The Secret in the Rubble will be released November 2011
Denise’s other novels include The Haret, the first book in The Haret series.
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