Page 54 of Castings & Curses

Dear goddess, whatwasthat?

“Now, Moonbeam. Now!”

Moonbeam grabbed the hat between her teeth and tossed it down.

By sheer luck or some kind of familiar magic, it landed directly on Natalie’s head.

Moonbeam then shot toward the trunk and raced straight down it.

Natalie rolled her eyes, glanced back toward the woods and felt a chill race down her spine.

Surely, that wasn’t what she thought it was.

Still.

Time to get off this blasted tree.

Trying not to think about how much it would hurt if she fell from this height, she climbed down as quickly as possible, though still significantly more slowly than Moonbeam had.

When she got near the ground, Corwin caught her around the waist and lifted her the rest of the way down.

Natalie immediately whirled to the crowds gathered around. “You should all take cover, especially you,” she said to the woman she was pretty certain was Corwin’s mom.

“Oh, dear, I’m so happy to meet you.” She grabbed Natalie’s hands in hers and squeezed tight. “We’ve waited so long, I’d begun to give up hope.”

“Huh?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m just so happy for you and Corwin.”

Before Natalie could even think of an appropriate response, a loud crashing sound came from down the street and then people began to run.

“What the hell is that?” someone screeched.

Shit.

That sounded like Blade. He already avoided Morana like the plague.

Goddess only knew how he would react if what Natalie had seen coming from the woods was what she thought it was.

“Come on.” Natalie grabbed her stand with one hand and Corwin’s hand with the other and dragged him down the street toward where Blade stood frozen, staring into the distance.

“Shit!” Blade shrieked, whirling and racing toward them.

How a vampire could get his voice that high, Natalie hadnoidea.

“Run for your lives,” he screamed.

“Blade.” Morana seemed to appear out of nowhere and stepped right into his path.

Blade skidded to a halt rather than veering around her.

That was progress, Natalie supposed.

Sort of.

“What’s the matter?” Morana asked.

“I should have known you’re the cause of this!” He glared at her.“Stop raising the dead!”

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