Teaser Tuesday (2)

From the chapters of "The Protected Bloodlines."


“What is it?” Uma asked.


“It is the decayed remains of a changeling who dies outside of the changeling pool.” Shumee said.


As the men flashed their lights, something caught her eyes. It was metallic. Uma used the end of a riffle to separate the object from the decayed remains. When the object was finally free, Uma gasped, dropping her flashlight. It was a medallion, the same medallion she saw on the female changeling earlier that day in the food court. She held her hands to her face.


“This can’t be, I just saw her today. She even spoke to me.”


“She spoke to you?” Shumee repeated.


“Well, sort of. She was leaving with a group of other changelings. She stopped at the door and mouthed something to me.”


“What did she say?” Gronos asked.


Uma pressed her fingers against her temples to help her think and remember.
“She said: be careful of the marked ones, they are your enemies,” she said looking up at Gronos. “At the time, I did not know what it meant, but now, I think she may have been warning me about something.”


Tajeej looked at Gronos, “I think it is time to tell them brother.”


Everyone looked at Gronos for him to explain.


“I had hoped this day would not come, but it seems the prophecy is destined to be fulfilled,” Gronos said. “I will explain everything, but please let us first give this poor Mat’hool a proper burial.”

Gronos ordered Aidil and his security team to gather the remains and wrap them in a ceremonial cloth to be taken back to Sumatra.