Free Stone Heart by Candace Sams Page A

works?"
    "I'll tell you what I can. First , I need a shower and some hot food. How about you?"
    "Two large hamburgers, with bacon, cheese and a..." he thought hard searching for the correct words, "a side order of French fries with a chocolate shake." He nodded and grinned at his successful request for food.
    " Oh, God! You stayed up all night watching that damned thing didn't you?"
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    Stone Heart
    by Candace Sams
    He just smiled and shrugged again. "I've had three hundred years of rest. I want to see, know and do everything ."
    "First things first." Karen stood up and moved toward the bathroom. "When I'm through, you can have the bathroom all to yourself. I'll raid the fast food place across the street while you're showering." And hopefully find you some new clothes while I'm at it.
    He tilted his head and looked at her. "You will ruaig? "
    "Do what?"
    "You will go hunt or raid for food?"
    Karen had to stop for a moment until her sleep disoriented mind caught up. Then she shook her head and tried not to smile. "It's another expression . I meant I would just go across the road and buy us some food while you clean up ...
    um, wash up ," she corrected.
    "Oh." he nodded. "May I ask another question?"
    Now she grinned. "Angus, you can ask anything you want."
    "Good. What is a bathroom?"
    Karen put her hands to her mouth and tried not to choke on her response. "Why ... why d-don't I just get cleaned up, then I'll show you. All right?"
    Angus shot her a broad grin and nodded. "Aye."
    Angus watched her retrieve some clothes from her luggage, go into a small room and close the door. He sat back down to watch more on the black box. He abruptly stood again when a man began to speak about 'crop circles of unknown origins' . Then the box showed him pictures of some of the circles. Maybe they weren't known to the man in the 72
    Stone Heart
    by Candace Sams
    box, but they were definitely known to Angus. In centuries past, the intricate patterns made in fields of grain, the designs plowed into the landscape, and patterns carved into large stones, were how transient members of the Order had communicated with one other. He knew exactly where he was going now. The circles were telling him how to get to his people. They knew he was coming. He was surprised to learn the Order had not moved in three hundred years, and that some of their communication stayed the same. No outsider would ever be able to translate the beautiful patterns in the grain fields, but his parents had taught him many ways of the Order. He only hoped the ruling Sorceress would accept him.
    At least as long as it took to keep his promise to Karen. He looked toward the room where he heard water running and felt his heart begin to ache. After being entombed for so long, his senses might be wrong. Though she'd told him otherwise, her situation might not be that desperate. Cures might exist she knew nothing about. He shook his head, hoping the action would chase away any morbid thoughts. There had to be a way to help her. He had seen a healer inside the box who spoke of amazing medicines. Between the outside world and the magic of the Order, there would be a way to help Karen. There must be! Like her kin, she was patient and kind.
    The world needed people like her. There would always be tyrants like he had been. Men who cared nothing for anyone but themselves.
    "What are you looking so solemn about?" Karen asked as she walked into the room.
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    Stone Heart
    by Candace Sams
    She was wearing a pink fluffy garment made of some thick fabric and drying her hair with a white cloth. She should eat more. But she is still a beauty. "I was just thinking about the past."
    She walked over to him and had to tilt her head back very far to look into his face. "There's nothing anyone can do about the past, Angus. You have from now until the end of your life. And I'm so glad I'm here. I wouldn't have missed knowing you for anything in the world."
    He angled his head. "You mean that don't you,