Embers (The Wings of War Book 1) by Karen Ann Hopkins Read Free Book Online Page B

cabin.  It was facing the sunshine and all around it were flowers of every color, just as I had remembered it. 
     
     
     
     
    Psalms 103:20
    Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word .
     
    Ember ~ Six
     
    A fter I backed Cricket out of the trailer, I stood beside my horse and dog and looked across the valley.  Anger and sadness had been a part of me for so long that the sudden feeling of contentment I was experiencing shocked me. 
    “It’s your home now.” 
    I jumped at her voice.  Aunt Ila looked exactly as she had ten years ago, which flitted across my mind as odd, but I quickly let the thought go.  Even though she was an old woman, she stood very straight and tall and her curly hair was a mixture of every shade of gray possible, pulled loosely back into a ponytail.  She wore a long sleeved, button up white shirt that was tucked neatly into old-fashioned brown trousers.  Her navy canvas tennis shoes were muddy and she was pulling dirt covered cotton gloves off of her slender fingers.
    She regarded me with open curiosity and I straightened up under her scrutiny, thinking that there was something very regal about her.  And it wasn’t just the slight foreign accent. 
    “I hope I didn’t startle you,” Aunt Ila said, the corners of her lips rising in a smile.
    I bristled with the realization that she was mocking me.  The woman might have a grandmotherly look about her, but I wasn’t fooled.  She definitely had a twisted sense of humor.
    I wasn’t sure how I felt about it either.
    She knelt to the ground and rubbed Angus’ face, quietly talking to him.  The dog didn’t have a problem with her.  In fact, he licked her face and thumped his tail.
    Traitor, I thought.   
    “His name is Angus,” I told her before she had a chance to ask.
    “A fine Irish name for a brave and intelligent dog.”  She stood and walked over to Cricket, placing her hand in front of the mare’s face.
    “That’s Cricket,” I said briskly.
    Cricket breathed in Aunt Ila’s scent and then pressed her head to the woman’s chest, just as she’d done five years ago when she’d first met me. 
    “This is a bonny mare and she has a strong spirit.” She eyed me over her shoulder. “You must be tired and hungry.  Let’s get your horse into the field and you settled in for the night.”
    I followed her on a well-worn dirt path through the grass, leading both Cricket and Angus.  She walked fast for an elderly woman and I had to stretch my legs just to keep up with her. 
    “You can turn Angus loose,” Aunt Ila told me as she unlatched the gate. 
    “Uh, do you think that’s a good idea with all the rabbits around?”  The words had barely left my mouth when I noticed a ginger colored cat lounging on the wall.  Her tail twitched in agitation at our approach.  A glance down explained the cat’s distress. There were three fluffy kittens sleeping in a clump of clover at the base of the rocks. One looked the same as the mama, the other two were black.  Angus got along with cats, but I would bet that he’d consider the rabbits as floppy-eared snacks.      
    “He’ll be fine, my girl.  Angus is smarter than you give him credit for.  I’ve already told him that the rabbits and the other animals are my friends.” 
    She told him that the rabbits were her friends. Was she playing with me? She sounded serious, but that would make her, putting it politely, completely insane. 
    When I hesitated, she came back and took the leash from my hands.  She unsnapped Angus.  He immediately bounded off in the direction of the cabin, completely ignoring the rabbits.
    It seemed that Aunt Ila knew my dog better than I did.  I was both annoyed and impressed at the same time.  Maybe she wasn’t crazy at all, just very intuitive. 
    I took a deep breath.  The thick grass, tiny blossoms and pine trees at the edge of the field mingled to create the perfect fragrance. It was intoxicating.  I