Free Shades of Moonlight by Stephanie Julian Page A

strange look on his face, almost sad.
     
    Are you sure this will work?
     
    She wasn’t sure how much more disappointment she could take. If this didn’t work, she would have to accept that nothing would. That she’d be without her voice forever.
    Tears began to well, but Scarlata scowled down at her and she blinked them back.
    “None of that now,” the woman said with enough steel in her voice that Mara’s back straightened in response. “I have no doubt this will work. And neither will you.”
    Mara felt as if she should say yes ma’am and snap out a salute. And marveled that she still had a sense of humor.
    “All right then,” the little goat-legged man said. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
    Mara frowned and Sal patted her hand. “Just a figure of speech. Although you might want to hold on to the table. This could sting a little.”
    With a quick motion, Sal slapped one hand around her neck and Mara’s vision went black as pain rushed through her.
    From somewhere far away, she heard Race shout, calling her name. He sounded frantic but she couldn’t open her eyes and there was no way she could call out to him.
    She lost all sense of time in the dark void that enveloped her so when Sal finally removed his hand and she could see again, it took her several seconds to regain her bearings.
    As she blinked her vision back into focus, the first thing she saw was Race’s face directly in front of her, wearing an expression she’d never seen on him before.
    Fear.
    She reached for him automatically but he’d already grabbed her and pulled her against him.
    “What the fuck was that?”
    His voice had dropped to a growl that would’ve made anyone else cower on the ground. Sal barely paid any attention to Race as he turned to Scarlata. Mara followed Sal’s gaze and registered the woman’s extremely pissed-off expression.
    “That bastard.” Scarlata sounded just as furious as Race. “Selvans, he’s been fucking around with the Mal again.”
    “What the hell are you talking about?” Race demanded.
    Still holding the baby, Selvans walked over to join the little group. “I was afraid of that.” The god turned to her and gave another one of those apologetic smiles. “It seems Veive is working with the Mal .”
    Mara shook her head. The name didn’t ring a bell but Race stiffened against her. “He laid the spell?”
    Sal gave a disgusted sigh. “He had a hand in it. Shit. I was hoping the rumors were wrong.”
    As if he’d read her mind, Race asked, “What rumors?”
    “That there are lines being drawn.”
    Race went silent, as if he understood what Selvans had said. Since she didn’t, she raised her hands.
    “What lines?”
    No one answered her right away and she wasn’t sure if it was because they didn’t understand her or they didn’t have an answer.
    Finally, after everyone had exchanged glances, Sal looked her straight in the eyes. “Sweetheart, the bastard who helped cast that spell on you was Veive, God of Revenge. And the bastard apparently has aligned himself with the Mal for the upcoming power struggle. Otherwise known as war. Shit. ” Sal turned to shake his head at Selvans. “Who else do you think they’ve got?”
    Selvans sighed. “I have no idea. But,” he gave Mara a weary-looking smile, “that’s a conversation for another day. Right now, we need to make good on our promise to Mara. Race, take Arin into the front room.”
    Race wanted to argue. She could tell by the way he held so still and the stiffness of his jaw.
    Lifting her hand to stroke her fingers against his cheek, she waited until he looked at her. Then she signed, “I’ll be okay.”
    It took him at least thirty seconds to comply and the look he shot Sal could have sliced through wood. But when he took Arin from Selvans, he kept his gaze downcast.
    Selvans didn’t say anything, just patted his shoulder as he walked out. “You too, Justin. Take Tina. And don’t let him come back in here until I tell