Read Bound In Blood (The Adams' Witch Series Book 1) for Free Online

was an S dug into the wood. Isabella’s breath caught in her throat.
    S? Shipton? She held her hands to her chest.
    The bedroom door swung open, crashing against the other wall. Isabella jumped. Her mother stood there, face blanched white and eyes wide.
    “Moth—?”
    Mrs. Lynne brought a finger to her lips. Her hair fell loose and wild around her. “Make a sound not.”
    Isabella heeded her warning. She made no other move and barely even a breath came to her. Three faint knocks sounded from within.
    “Come.” Her mother seized her hand, pulling her upright and straight through to the front entry.
    Her father crouched down in shadows, peeking through the window. “Go,” he demanded, his voice an urgent whisper.
    Mrs. Lynne’s hold clamped tighter around her daughter’s hand and soon, a blast of cool air whipped at their faces as they ran from the house. Isabella’s heart stuttered and skipped furiously as her bare feet slipped over the wet grass. Her soles stung as they scraped along stones and broken branches.
    Her mother’s eyes darted from the road to the woods and back again. Isabella ran along beside her, the damp night air prickling her skin. The barn loomed ahead, darker than the moon tinged sky around it. Mrs. Lynne barreled through the shadowy entrance and led Isabella to a back corner where an old blanket lay. “Stay.”
    Isabella watched Mrs. Lynne escape into the recesses of the barn. Blackness greeted her everywhere. Only shafts of moonlight from the spaces in the wood gave her reprieve from the dark. Her breath came in gasps, the cold air stinging her throat. She knelt down on the blanket and tried to see out the cracks, but found the gap not wide enough for her eye.
    A soft hand touched her back. She started, and clamored around, her heels tugging against the blanket.
    Again with a finger to her lips, Mrs. Lynne stood over her and thrust a blanket in her lap. Isabella enveloped herself in it.
    Men’s voices sounded from the road. Isabella gasped before her mother’s hand covered her mouth.
    Thomas.
    His voice mingled among others. “Are you certain, Father?” she heard him ask.
    Her heart pounded in her head, drowning out the response.
    Mrs. Lynne knelt next to her on the blanket and hugged her tight. Placing her lips near her daughter’s ear, she whispered, “Do not say a word. I believe they are not coming for us, but we do not want to reveal our hiding place.”
    Isabella nodded, not trusting words to come out inaudible. She feared if she tried to speak at all, a cry might fall from her lips. Then they would be ruined.
    The voices passed and every second made Isabella relax a little more. Questions threatened to stream from her mouth. Minutes came and left, and only the sounds of the forest carried on the wind.
    Footsteps sounded in the barn and Mrs. Lynne raised herself up. Isabella shuddered.
    Her father’s fists were clenched for a fight and his features were drawn together in fury. “They have gone.”
    “Edward,” her mother cried, reaching for him.
    His face softened. “My wife,” he said, gathering her in his arms. “We are safe for now.” Mr. Lynne motioned for Isabella to stand. “My beautiful women,” he said and kissed them both on the foreheads before holding them in a long embrace. Mrs. Lynne’s shoulders shook with emotion. “Let us go back to the house.”
    He hastened them through the night and back into the dark house to Isabella’s room.
    She broke free and faced her father. “What is happening? You must tell me.”
    “I am sorry I have tried to keep it from you.” Mr. Lynne looked away and sighed. “There was once a time when we lived only in fear of the savages of this new land. At present, we must worry over the very men we sit in the meetinghouse with.” He turned back, eyes wide. “Daughter, Mrs. Worth was burned this night as a witch.”
    Isabella grasped for her father’s hand. “Burned?”
    He smoothed her hair down and caught her by the