Free Banished: Book 1 of The Grimm Laws by Jennifer Youngblood, Sandra Poole Page A

book.”
    Okay … she was sorry she asked. “Why do you lock it in a safe? It’s not like it’s going to jump up and run off or something.”
    Adele laughed. “Bree does have a stubborn streak, although I don’t think he would leave me, would you Bree?” Elle looked at the book. A part of her half-expected it to answer. Thankfully, it didn’t.
    “There are those that would try and take Bree.” She looked over her shoulder and spoke in low tones. “Evil knows many faces. Beware of those you cannot trust. Those that would cause you harm.” She peered over her spectacles at Elle. “Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
    A sense of foreboding lifted goose bumps on her arms, and she shivered involuntarily. “I think so,” Elle said slowly, even though she didn’t have a clue what Adele was talking about.
    Adele waved a hand in the air. “You’ll understand soon enough, I suppose.” She positioned the book in her lap and leaned forward, eagerness shimmering in her eyes. “Are you ready?”
    Elle nodded.
    “Okay, here goes. Bree, what will you choose to show her? Bree will only show you that which you are ready to see,” Adele explained.
    At a loss for words, Elle simply nodded.
    She opened the first page, and a blast of cold air rushed though the room causing the fire to flicker. For an instant, Elle thought she heard a groan coming from the book.
    “What was that?” Her eyes widened as she looked to Adele for an answer.
    “Stop being dramatic, Bree.” Adele opened the book and turned to the first page. “Tell me what you see.”
    Elle stared intently at the book. “I don’t see anything. It’s blank.”
    The corners of Adele’s mouth turned down in a frown. “You don’t see anything?”
    Elle shook her head.
    “Bree, that’s enough!” she said sharply. “I tell you she’s ready. You need to trust me on this.” She turned to Elle. “I want you to close your eyes.”
    “What?” The last thing she wanted to do was to close her eyes. At this point, she didn’t know what Adele had in mind, but it couldn’t be good.
    “Trust me,” Adele said, a hint of exasperation coating her voice.
    As if she had a choice. The door had slammed shut in her face and locked, and she’d walked back and sat down against her will. Who was she kidding? Adele was calling all of the shots. “Okay,” Elle huffed.
    “I want you to relax. Focus on my voice. You will only focus on my voice. Nothing else. Clear your mind. Let all of the problems go. Let everything go. You are as light as a feather … floating. Think of the truffle and how it tasted in your mouth. Let it fill your senses.”
    Elle was more relaxed … she was floating … there was a sunny field full of daisies, and she was running to something … someone …
    “Open your eyes,” Adele instructed.
    The room came into focus, and Elle was surprised that she’d been able to relax.
    “Now look at the book,” Adele coaxed. “What do you see?” Her voice was calm—tranquil.
    Elle looked at first the page. It was blank, but then something, a movement caught her eye.
    “What do you see?”
    “I see letters, a type of fancy script. It looks old.”
    “And what do the letters say?”
    Elle leaned forward and peered. “I can’t make them out. Wait a minute, I see pictures. Vivid, bright pictures.”
    “Focus on the pictures,” Adele urged.
    “I see a house. A big, beautiful stone house with lots of windows and a large wooden door. It looks like something out of a fairytale.” A feeling of nostalgia swept over her. The grass looked so green and inviting, and she could almost feel the sun on her face. “I see a road that runs up to the house,” Elle said excitedly. “There are horses!”
    “Anything else?”
    Elle stopped. “Yes, I see a girl. There’s a girl walking up the road, carrying …” She looked closer. “I believe she’s carrying two buckets full of red apples.”
    “Go into the picture,” Adele urged. “Become one