Free Laura Jo Phillips by The Katres' Summer: Book 3 of the Soul-Linked Saga Page A

Darleen was the closest thing she had to a friend, and the only person she felt was truly on her side. 
    She opened her mouth to say so when a knock on the bedroom door interrupted her.  She reached over and patted Darleen on the hand gently, then got up to answer the door.
    “If you are ready, the Lobos will see you now Miss Whitney,” said the woman who had delivered their food and clothing.
    “Thank you,” Summer replied.  “Give us one moment please.”
    “Certainly,” the woman replied.  Summer closed the door and turned to face Darleen. 
    “Ready?” she asked. 
    Darleen stood up and crossed the room to the bed, picked up the black cloak and wrapped it around herself.  She pulled the hood up and forward so that her face was hidden in its depths. 
    “I’m ready,” she said when she was fully concealed. 
    Summer sent a silent command to Lio’s Controller.  Lio put down his spoon, stood up, turned and walked toward Summer.  Summer took a deep breath, pushed her hair back behind her, and reached for the doorknob.
     
    After leading the trio through the large house, the woman stopped at a set of carved wooden doors and opened one before standing aside.  Summer took a moment to ask herself how Father would handle himself in this situation, squared her shoulders, and stepped into a large room that contained a long, gleaming wood table lined with many chairs.  It was obviously a meeting room, though the chairs seemed overly large to her.  A familiar woman with short brown hair and light green eyes rose from her seat near the far end of the table and hurried forward to great Summer, a smile on her face.
    “I am so glad you have been found,” she said, wrapping Summer in a quick hug.  “Come in and sit,” she said, urging Summer toward a chair at the end of the table.  Summer started to sit down when she noticed that all eyes in the room were directed at something behind her.  She turned around to see Darleen standing there, still covered in her cloak, Lio at her side.
    Summer turned back to face the people sitting at the table and looked at each face one by one.  Maxim Katre was all but glaring at her, Lonim’s face held no expression at all, and Ran looked uncomfortable.  The other men she did not know, but they looked suspicious, as did Saige.  Summer bristled angrily. 
    “Why do I feel as though we are on trial here?” she demanded.  “We have done nothing wrong, unless you believe that being held captive and enslaved for the past year is a crime.  If that is the case, state your punishment and send us on our way.  We have more important things to do than appease a bunch of people we do not even know.”
    Faron rose from his seat at the opposite end of the table.  “Of course you are not on trial, Miss Whitney,” he said.  “If you will please be seated, we will explain the reason for our feelings.”
    Summer didn’t want to sit, but she didn’t see that she had much choice.  She could walk out easily enough, that was true, unless they decided to physically stop her, and she didn’t think they would.  But she needed to free those other women, and she would need the help of powerful men like these to do it.
    She blew out a breath in frustration and sat in the chair. 
    “Miss Flowers, you may be seated also,” Faron said.  Summer looked over her shoulder to see Darleen’s hooded head shake. 
    “She prefers to stand right now if you don’t mind,” Summer said coolly.
    Faron sat down in his chair once more, and Saige returned to her seat at the far end of the table as well.  
    “The most important issue here is your captivity, and what you can tell us about those who held you, and where you were held,” Faron began.  “But, before we get to that, we apparently must first explore the more volatile issue of Miss Flowers.”
    Summer noticed the quick glare Saige sent Faron and wondered at it.  Personally, she agreed with Faron about the importance of the first