Free Spellbound: The Awakening of Aislin Collins by Margeaux Laurent Page A

ensure you a place in society. They told
me that you were consorting with slaves and that your behavior was
the talk of the town. I felt I had no choice.”
    “I will not marry him,” I said sternly.
    The words made my father twitch. “Aislin, I
am aggrieved by what has transpired and what was done to you at the
slave quarters. Your mother informed me only minutes ago.”
    “Then you will not force this upon me?” I
asked.
    “I have no choice,” he murmured, “We reached
a gentleman’s agreement and I cannot go back on my word.”
    “Please leave.” I pointed to the door and
stared out the window, refusing to look at him.
    “Aislin, please forgive me… I tried to
rescind but we could not come to terms.”
    “When is it to be?” I asked.
    “After the New Year. I need time to comprise
your dowry.”
    “Please leave me.”
    He shut the door behind him, leaving me to
contend with my fear. Was it not bad enough that I was being
hunted by an unknown creature? Must I endure this as well?
     
    ********************
     
    The night dragged on and though I tried to
sleep, I could find no solace. I lay on my back staring up at the
canopy of my bed. My mind would not stop racing, torturing me with
thoughts of being married to Zachariah, to having a swollen belly
from pregnancy and being at the mercy of the Marthaler sensibility. I must find a way out of this. I would rather run straight into
the monster’s trap then spend a moment with the title of Mrs.
Marthaler.
    I slid the book out from under my pillow and
read Greer’s letter again. Did he know about the plot to marry
me off? Did he see the meeting tonight? A thought flickered in
my mind and I immediately reached for paper and quill and started
writing, telling Greer all I could remember that may be of
importance.
     
    My Beloved Greer,
    Tonight Mr. Marthaler and Zachariah came to
our home. My father has come to an agreement and I am meant to
marry Zachariah at the beginning of the New Year. I have pleaded
with my father, but to no avail. I told Zachariah that I did not
love him, but he was not deterred. His father tried to hit me again
tonight, but I got away before he landed the blow. My father was in
the way and was struck instead. I have no sympathy for my cowardly
father and I loathe him for encouraging me to be independent only
to turn and condemn me to a life of imprisonment. My thoughts keep
settling on you and on us. Will we ever be together?
     
    I love you Greer and I want no other.
     
    Aislin
     
    I took the letter and placed it on the
windowsill in the same place where Greer had left his letter for
me.

CHAPTER NINE
October 31st
    Samhain
     
    My mother busied herself making the
beginnings of our holiday dinner. The smell of burning sage filled
the air as she used it to cleanse our home and a large fire
crackled in the hearth. We could not have a bon fire as our
ancestors did for fear that we would be caught practicing magic. My
mother simply stuffed the fireplace full of wood and let it burn
wildly.
    She gave me special tea to drink that would
help me with my visions. It was not traditional Celtic tea, as we
had no means of obtaining such things in the New World. Instead, it
was tea from the native Lenape people, who also used it for their vision quests , as they called it. The brew was strong and
full of powerful magic. I sipped it slowly, as I waited for the
images to come to me.
    I was sitting in my room staring into my
basin that was filled to the brim with water. Candles were lit on
either side of it and although it was still light out, I could see
the reflection of the flames dancing on the surface of the
water.
    I kept glancing back to my windowsill. The
letter I had written the night before was gone from where I had
placed it. Greer must have gotten it, yet there was no reply left
in its place. I wondered if I was too distracted for scrying, and
if the exercise would be rendered useless.
    I placed the cup to my lips and breathed in
the steaming