Her Blood Sings: Episode 01 Read Online Free Page B

along. "Maybe she doesn't make it her business
to know all about other people's lives."
    Aunt Sandra opened her mouth to speak, but
Uncle Baltus spoke first.
    "I'm sorry, child." His eyes travelled from
Tamara's angry face to Aunt Sandra's calculating stare. "We haven't
seen each other in a year and the first thing we talk about is your
charge? That's not how family should treat each other." This last
part was spoken to Aunt Sandra, their eyes locked. Then, Uncle
Baltus turned to Tamara, a gentle smile on his lips. "How are you,
Tam? Have you been eating? You look thinner."
    Tamara relaxed a little. Still, she couldn't
let it go. "Why do I have to spy on Lucy and Evie? They're good
people. Lucy's a little shallow, maybe... and Evie is always
looking at me like she doesn't fully trust me, but they are good
people. If I talked to them-"
    "And break The Rule?" Aunt Sandra's voice was
a horrified whisper. "Reveal to the earthlings our existence? Are
you insane?"
    "If Lucy's uncle is this big bad man from the
Order, he has probably told her all about us. And Evie-"
    Aunt Sandra interrupted Tamara again. "That's
treason, Tamara. Not only against your fellow witches and your
Queen, but also against all myths. It's a crime automatically
punishable by death. No trial. No room to maneuver."
    "But they-"
    "If they're not initiated in the Order, we
must presume they're ignorant. They must remain that way until
proven otherwise or our Queen wishes to change that." Her voice
left no room for discussion.
    "How do you justify what we do?" Tamara
picked up her cup, her coffee already cold. She put it back on the
coffee table. "We lie to and cheat those closest to us. Doesn't
that go against the law of karmic balance? Doesn't that go against
Maat?"
    "We're answering a higher cause." Now it was
Aunt Sandra's turn to get angry. Only family and theology got her
worked up like this. "We're protecting our Queen and our brothers
and sisters of the Witching Realm. That is our mission. Maat-"
    Tamara let out a noise halfway between a
snort and a laugh. "The Witching Realm is every single witch alive.
Man, woman, and child, Aunt Sandra. I'd never fight for that many
people. Neither would anyone else I know."
    Again, Uncle Baltus intervened before the
family meeting got derailed. "Then don't fight for them, Tamara.
Fight for us and your mother. Fight for those you know."
    Tamara leaned back on the couch. The three of
them were deep in thought for a moment.
    Then Tamara said, "I'm sorry. But it's
difficult to lie to my friends, to make up excuses. I... I'm not
like you."
    To her dread, Tamara felt that nagging doubt
that she wasn't cut out to be a spy tug at her. She tried to push
it away, a wave of shame washing over her.
    Uncle Baltus leaned forward and patted Tamara
on her knee. "I know, child. I know."
    She gave him a small smile.
    "I did lose some weight." She said, answering
his previous question. "I was sick last week. The flu. I didn't
have any of your tonic left..."
    Very few things got Uncle Baltus as excited
as sharing old, herbal medicine and the history of their discovery
with Tamara. She watched him as his face lit up and he started
telling her stories. She never once glanced at Aunt Sandra. Tamara
knew her aunt all too well. She could feel Aunt Sandra's
disappointment coming in waves towards her.

Chapter 5
     
    Evie arrived at Moonlight a little after
one-thirty. Tamara’s friend, who obviously had the hots for her,
was more than glad to let her and her two friends cut in line and
get in the club. A woman in a pretty gray dress that reminded Evie
of those pinup military uniforms of the 1940s checked their IDs and
stamped their hands. Then, she gave them an A-list Hollywood smile
and wished them a lovely evening.
    Evie stopped just inside the nightclub.
Something felt off .
    “What is it?” Lucy asked, her face full of
concern.
    Evie tried to force her lips to smile.
    “What is it, Evie?” she repeated.
    “Nothing.” Evie shook her