Free Awakening Her Soul to Destiny by Deborah R Stigall Page B

renewed interest. “I’ve always seemed to know what he wanted…but I’ve never tried “thinking” him to do my will.” Kaitla gazed intently at Tobias, silently willing him to wake up.
    Tobias leisurely opened one sleepy eye as if to ask, “Why should I?” Then quite purposely tucked his nose under one paw and promptly ignored Kaitla.
    Kaitla concentrated even harder. Narrowing her great golden eyes as she stared at the stubborn cat, Kaitla silently thought, “ Come on, Tobias, work with me here !”
    Slightly flattening his tattered ears, Tobias grudgingly sat up, glaring at Kaitla with daggers in his eyes. She could hear no voice but it was perfectly clear he was asking her, “What the HELL do you want?”
    Smiling triumphantly, Kaitla quickly smoothed the flattened ears and apologized with sincerity, “Okay…Okay…I’m sorry, Tobias, go back to sleep now. I promise I’ll leave you alone.” With a whoosh, he whirled his body around, placing his hindquarters directly in front of her face and flipping his tail like an exclamation point. His feelings clearly communicated, Tobias regally returned to the marble railing, once more stretching out to enjoy what was left of the afternoon sun.
    Etain observe this interplay with interest, “Is there anything else you’d like to ask me before I have a bit of a rest, Kaitla?” she asked as she rose from her seat.
    Thinking over the events of the day, Kaitla realized there was one more item she’d like to address before she returned to her room for a bath before dinner. “Tell me about Jared,” she replied, arching her brows expectantly.
    “ Ahh, Jared –now there’s a fine lad,” Etain smiled to herself as she always did whenever the image of the handsome young man appeared within her thoughts.
    “ Fine lad?” Kaitla mused. She had a difficult time defining the uncomfortably handsome Jared as a fine lad. The dark good looks, the powerful body…Jared was perplexing and unnerving but she couldn’t quite agree with the fine lad part .
    “ Yes, a fine lad,” Etain repeated firmly, as though to emphasize the statement. “As a matter of fact, he happens to be my great grandson!” she announced with an air of pride.
    “ Your great grandson!” Kaitla was beginning to sound like a parrot repeating everything Etain said. “That would make Jared, Ravon’s grandson. Etain, I don’t understand how that could be possible.” She sat with her mouth agape, waiting for Etain’s explanation.
    Etain cocked one silvery brow, and with a sidelong look replied, “The usual way, Kaitla.”
    Kaitla snorted in response; “You know very well what I mean!”
    Etain returned to her chair, leaning back and primly folding her hands on the table. Kaitla silently noted the long slender fingers and the seemingly ageless appearance of the silky pale skin. “Your mother was not the first woman raped by Ravon, she most definitely was nay the last. Luckily, Ravon had no interest in fatherhood and dinna foist his person upon Jared’s father.” Etain absently traced a crack in the top of the table with one perfectly shaped nail. “Jared’s father was a decent man who visited Jared often as he was growing up. He tried to see him every day until the day he disappeared into one of the lesser realms, never to return.” Etain took a deep breath, “It has been thought that Ravon had something to do with Lorrigan’s inability to return to Clas Myrddin but no one really knows for sure.”
    “ What about Jared’s mother?” Kaitla asked quietly. She was having a hard time putting together all the pieces of Jared’s lineage. It was like a massive jigsaw puzzle with some of the pieces missing.
    “ Melayna died in childbirth…she was always a fragile creature, living in fear of everything around her.” Etain frowned at the memory of Jared’s sad beginnings. “Lorrigan placed Jared in my care. He wished Jared to train with me but he also could nay bear the sight of the lad that