Stalked (Rogues Shifter #2) by Gayle Parness Read Free Book Online Page B

warm pinkish glow on the central platform, spotlighting the young couple and the Elders. The gathered fae grew very quiet.
    The four Elders rose and began to sing in a language alien y et exquisitely beautiful to the ear. The song’s rhythms and melodies constantly changed: becoming musical dances with harmonies so perfect that they made me yearn to move closer to the singers so that I could catch every nuance. They swayed to the song and lifted their hands in invocation. I was entranced.
    “The song is about life energy re newing itself each year. We believe in the Balance in all things. These three days represent the peak of life energy before nature begins its first steps toward a symbolic death at the winter solstice. The song that the Elders sing calls up our ancient vision of the sun. The sun represents the male aspect of nature’s balance.”
    The feel of the energy in my chest and the smell of the magic being tossed around the clearing was so strong that I was afraid to take deep breaths. “Is it alright for me to be breathing in all of this potent magic, Liam?”
    “ You should be fine.”
    “But this is more intense than anything...” An amazing vibration hummed and pulsed steadily throughout my body, making even my toes buzz with energy.
    “Relax and enjoy it. You may never have another chance. It’s a unique experience.” A lovely redheaded female fae stood next to Liam, giving him a sweet kiss on the cheek in greeting. He took her hand with a warm smile as Garrett held me a little tighter.
    The expressive singing stopped when the sun’s avatar appeared above the bonfire. It pulsed with the rhythm of the ley lines and sent out three strong rays. One fell on the young man sitting on the platform, making him stand up gracefully and begin his own lovely song. After a few minutes another ray fell on the two male Elders and the third ray split into many pieces and lit up each fae male. They all joined the young man in his song. Their song was as beautiful as the first, dipping and rising and making me tremble with sorrow. I felt Garrett hug me even tighter so I turned, surprised to see that he was also bathed in yellow light. A single pink tear trickled down his cheek so I squeezed his hand and gently kissed it away.
    “The men sing of their search. They search for balance and purpose. ” Liam continued . They call to the earth to help them. The earth represents the female aspect.” I noticed that Liam and his female friend were glowing slightly. In fact the entire area was full of couples holding hands and shining as the males sang.
    I gasped as a vibrant green and blue earth appeared to spin beside the sun a nd the men’s voices died away. The earth sent out blue/green waves of magic to touch the young woman on the platform, causing her to stand and sing, the sound of her voice creating its own magic. A few minutes passed as her song hypnotized us all and then wave after wave of blue green magic was sent out to the two female Elders and to every female in the crowd, including me. I felt the energy enter my body in a rush of power and warm me from head to toe with a glowing urgency. The women joined the song.
    “The women sing of their need to create balance and their search for a companion to help them achieve it.” At first, the music made me feel great sadness, because I was lost and empty. Then the men joined the women in song and the effect was astonishing. Multi colored magic was flowing through my mind and my body at a speed I’d never experienced. I clung to Garrett as our physical forms dissolved and together we became the currents and eddies of the ley lines. Our souls burned with fire and ice, pleasure and pain, the light and the dark, birth and death. Garrett and I were delivered into the magic along with countless fae: all of us searching alone then blending together to form a union with the earth and the sun. Somewhere in my head I saw the two avatars over the bonfire joining to become