Page 175 of The Ranger
“Not a word...”
Maida froze. It was the woman. She was behind her. Maida turned her head toward her.
Lissa put a finger to her lips. “Quiet.” She removed Maida’s gag, then proceeded to untie her. “You must Call to him. It’s the only thing that will save him.”
She spit the gag out. “What?”
“Call to your mate, small one. Do it now.”
“But I can’t control when it comes!” she hissed.
“He is in danger; you must let your heart do as it wills.” She slipped away and was gone. Maida looked around, noticed the woman was already on the other side of the clearing, and gasped. “How did she do that?”
The sound of a fist hitting flesh caught her attention. Brennan had Markhel down again, and her heart lurched. She wanted to yell at him to stop, but if she drew attention to herself, he’d just stop the fight to tie her up again, then she’d be right back where she started. If this Lissa was willing to help her, then she’d better take advantage.
But what if she was lying?
Maida gulped, glanced at Duncan, who looked woozy, then at Markhel as he leapt to his feet and tackled the Englishman.
“Sing, yes, sing...” She closed her eyes, opened her mouth, but nothing came out. “This isn’t working!” Tears stung the backs of her eyes as Brennan delivered a horrific blow to Markhel’s mid-section.
“I don’t know how to do this...”
“You love him, don’t you?” Duncan said, voice weak.
“Duncan!” She noticed he was untied. How did she miss the woman doing it? “Are you all right?”
“No, I think I have a concussion.” He looked at her. “Sing for him, Maida. Not at him. Sing like you do in church.”
“Sing for him.” She smiled as realization dawned. Singing for him was an act of love.
She closed her eyes again, and let the music come.
Her song was weak at first, then grew stronger as she thought of how much she loved Markhel. Then it took over.
Her Call shot forth, taking on a life of its own as it filled the tiny clearing. She thought she heard some of the nearby tree’s crack but wasn’t sure. There was only Markhel and her love for him. She had to protect him, and this was the best way she knew how to do it. It was a deep knowing, and she was beginning to realize just how powerful her Muiraran blood—what she had of it—was.
She opened her eyes and watched as Brennan stopped, one fist poised in the air, the other gripping Markhel’s shirt front. He looked at her, then Markhel, and frowned. “She’s Calling! Stop her!”
Markhel’s head snapped to her, his eyes rounded to saucers. His body jerked before he fell to his knees.
Brennan let go of him and made a beeline for Maida. She kept singing, her Call growing in strength as it went straight to Markhel.
He fell over with the force of it, then scrambled to his feet, and roared.
“What the bloody...” Brennan spun around and gaped at him. “Well, who’d have thought?”
Maida kept singing but couldn’t move, her heart was controlling everything now. And Markhel’s heart was responding. His eyes became a brilliant blue as he fell to all fours.
“I don’t believe it!” Brennan chortled. “He’s going to shift!”
Lissa slowly approached. “Philip, he is aranger. We must leave!”
Maida watched in fascination as Markhel’s entire body began to … change.
“Yes,” Philip agreed. “But what is a ranger doing here?”
Lissa took him by the arm. “We must go, now.”