Tuesday Tales: From the Word QUICK

Wow! The end of August is upon us. I hope you enjoyed your summer. I did. Last week, I had a chance to meet with friends in the beautiful town of Alexandria Bay, NY. Great way to say goodbye to summer.

This week, the authors from Tuesday Tales are writing to the word prompt QUICK. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones.

“The estate has to stay intact. That’s the trust and responsibility Great-uncle Angus left me. It’s a sacred obligation that’s been handed down through the centuries, one I agreed to accept even if I don’t understand everything it entails, but I intend to learn.”

Jerome nodded. It was probably the best he could hope for. Whatever closeness they’d had previously now seemed as distant as the relationship in his dreams.

She focused on her meal, eating in silence, her mind no doubt processing what he’d said earlier. She set down her fork.

“As for you being Mage Lewis Harris … you are an exceptional author, and I will keep your secret.” She pushed her plate to the side even though she’d only eaten a small portion of the excellent meal. “But I sense you’re still keeping something from me.”

He heaved a sigh and put down his fork.

“Do you believe in reincarnation, Marina?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “In the past, I would’ve been quick to say no, but a great many things have happened to me in the last few months that I don’t understand. I never believed in magic and sorcery, but even that’s become a gray area for me. My uncle left a letter for me with Ewen. In it, he asked me to visit Bronagh, but I heard on the radio that the woman is dead, some kind of gas explosion. Odd don’t you think that a woman believed to be clairvoyant would make that kind of mistake?”

He nodded and speared a potato more forcefully than he should have.

“Yes, I heard.” He swallowed. How much of what he knew should he share? He didn’t want any more complications between them, but how could he explain the vision he’d had, the journey quest Bronagh had taken him on with her dying breaths?

Raven meowed, the sound annoyed. He looked at her and swore the cat’s face had taken on angry human characteristics.

You said you’d be honest with her. She needs every bit of truth, not just what you seem willing to share. Her life and yours depend on it.

The voice inside his head was loud and commanding, but where had it come from? It wasn’t Bronagh’s voice, but it carried the same tone of command.

He glanced around quickly, his gaze focusing on Marina once more. Had she heard anything?

That’s it. Come back next week for more. Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.