Free Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two) by Morgan Wylie Page A

together in front of the big smile she couldn’t hide if she tried as she waited with an impatient bounce. Finn and Hunter both stared as well, each with a slight twinkle in their eyes—Hunter’s full of pride and relief, Finn’s full of relief and something else... awe?
    Kaeleigh began stirring, bringing Daegan back from his state of shock. Suddenly he realized that was what Kaeleigh had meant when she had seen him transform on the bridge and had seen his ring. She had recognized him before he had. She had been dreaming about him too. It could only mean one thing to his suddenly foggy brain... The Orchids were getting more involved and that had more repercussions than he could imagine; he just didn’t know what they were yet.
    Moaning, Kaeleigh turned her head back and forth like she was having a bad dream. Another single teardrop fell from her eyes and her friends couldn’t handle it anymore. Chel reached to take one of her hands and Finn came up along the opposite side, gripping her other hand. 
    Stroking her head softly Chel spoke to her friend. “Kaeleigh? Kaeleigh, it’s all right. We’re here with you.” She paused then tried again. “Time to wake up.” She spoke with a little more enthusiasm than the atmosphere of the room called for. It seemed more like she was waking Kaeleigh up the way she had several times before school so they wouldn’t be late. However, something about that familiarity caused Kaeleigh to settle and release a sigh. Hunter’s hands rested lightly yet purposefully on top of his tall walking stick, but he still stood regally off to the side watching with interest. Daegan, with his arms folded across his chest, his face clouded with confusion, also stood back from the scene of close friends, not hovering and not wanting to make Kaeleigh feel even more uncomfortable when she woke up. They were all filled with the hope and the assurance that she was indeed going to wake up.
    With all eyes on her, Kaeleigh’s eyes fluttered and opened. She gasped. Looking back and forth between her two best friends, she smiled. “You’re beautiful,” she said with awe as she looked almost beyond each of them. Chel giggled and released a huge sigh of relief while Finn smiled awkwardly with confusion. “You have so many colors, Chel!” Kaeleigh said with a smile and then to Finn, “You too, Finn, but yours are different .” She continued to gaze at them then blushed suddenly, realizing that she sounded a bit loopy. She giggled herself. “Sorry.” They laughed and Chel gave her a huge hug, practically landing on top of Kaeleigh still on the table.
    “We are so glad you are back. You scared the bejeezus out of us!” Chel practically shouted as tears of joy streamed down her own face.
    Suddenly taken aback, Kaeleigh asked, “How long was I, um, gone?”
    From behind her, a throat cleared. Hunter stepped up. Kaeleigh must have forgotten he and Daegan both were here as she seemed a bit startled and then smiled at Hunter warmly before she reached for his hand. “About two days, granddaughter.” Then with a sparkle in his eyes he added lovingly, “Welcome home.”
    More tears streamed down Kaeleigh’s face as she launched herself toward Hunter in a tight embrace. Not used to people touching him, especially for the many years he’d been in seclusion, Hunter awkwardly patted her back, not sure of what else to do. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “You are here with us now.” Kaeleigh shook her head in his chest and started sobbing. “Kaeleighnna, my dear, what is it?” he asked, genuinely concerned.
    “She was there and then she just vanished...” she said in between sobs. All eyes were intensely confused yet focused on her, waiting for her to clarify.
    Realization struck Hunter. He sighed then softly said, “You saw her, didn’t you?” Kaeleigh nodded. Then more to himself than to her he confirmed his own suspicions. “I thought I sensed her presence—her magic—a time or two, but I