Free Judgment (The Alternate Earth Series, Book 3) by S.J. West Page A

replies. “Michael has always had a natural gift with creatures of all sorts. It could be that he was able to influence the dragon through you. It’s a trait I think he passed down to Lilly. She told me once that, when she was a little girl, she had a puppy that would follow her around everywhere.”
    “Don’t most dogs do that with their owner?”
    “Yes, but most animals consider self-preservation first. This one was run over because he was following her blindly. Plus, she’s able to control the Watcher children when they are in wolf form. All of her children have the same ability, though it seems like Mae’s gift is stronger than the others’ for some reason.”
    Michael appears right behind Mason and taps the side of his head, letting me know he has an idea.
    “Michael wants to tell me something.” I take a step back from Mason, so I can see Michael more clearly.
    Mason turns to stand beside me and face Michael, even though he can’t see him.
    “Ok,” I tell Michael, “show me your idea.”
    Michael bites his bottom lip as he considers the best way to convey his message to me. Finally, his eyes light up and he holds his right hand palm forward, as if he’s asking me to wait just a minute. He makes fists with his hands and bends his arms up slightly at the elbows. While he swings his arms back, he moves his hips forward. He makes this odd gesture a few times before looking at me expectantly, like I should magically understand the message he is trying to convey to me.
    “I don’t know what you just did,” I confess, even more confused now than when we started. “What was that? Some kind of interpretive dance thing? Are you saying I need to go skiing?”
    Michael shakes his head vigorously, causing his curly black hair to bounce. He points to me, then to Mason, and begins to make the same motion again, but a bit more vigorously this time. He stops when he sees that I’m still not getting it and points to Mason and then to me again.
    “I’m sorry. I still don’t understand,” I admit, feeling like the answer should be obvious but, for whatever reason, it’s going over my head.
    Michael seems to huff and stops to think for a minute. Finally, he points to me with his left hand and uses it to make an ‘O’ by touching its index finger and thumb together. He then uses his right hand and points to Mason. With the index finger of his right hand remaining straight, he pokes the ‘O’ in the middle and begins to move it back and forth.
    “Oh, my God!” I yell, immediately covering my eyes to block Michael from my line of sight.
    “What?” Mason asks worriedly. “What’s wrong? What did he tell you?”
    I begin to shake my head. “I can’t….I don’t…. I’m at a loss for words right now….please, just give me a minute.”
    “Ok,” Mason says, sounding unsure about the whole situation.
    I work up my nerve to drop my hands and look at Michael again. I almost wish I hadn’t when I see him nodding and smiling at me knowingly.
    “I can’t tell him that,” I say to Michael, feeling my cheeks grow warm from embarrassment.
    Michael just waves his hands at me, like telling Mason what he thinks we should do is a piece of cake.
    “I can’t,” I say, feeling mortified by what Michael wants me to do.
    Michael raises his hand in an “ok” gesture and points to Mason and then to himself. He does that a couple of times before I ask, “You want me to describe what you do next to Mason?”
    Michael nods his head.
    “Ok,” I say cautiously, hoping Michael doesn’t expect me to gyrate my hips at Mason.
    I watch Michael closely and explain to Mason exactly what I see.
    “He looks like he’s opening a small box with his hands,” I tell Mason. “He pulls something out and holds it between his index finger and thumb. Now he’s making a hitting motion…no striking motion with it. He’s holding his fingers up like whatever he has in his hand is still there, and now he’s blowing on it. Did you