The Lion, the Witch,
and the Secret Garden
A Nocturne Falls Universe story
Larissa Emerald
Quit is not in a lion shifter’s vocabulary.
When a demon demands a ransom for his sister’s life, Rylan Lewis travels to Nocturne Falls to find a magical mirror stone in order to free her. Only Zoe, a beautiful, sensuous witch, is after the same stone. As their paths collide, Zoe teams with Rylan because she can read the magical map he’s given. But it isn’t as easy as either one expects, especially when their hearts and desires get in the way.
The Lion, The Witch, and The Secret Garden is a stand-alone paranormal romance with connections to characters in Nocturne World Universe books and Terror, MN books by Larissa Emerald. Don’t miss a minute of the next romantic adventure.
Welcome to Nocturne Falls
Dear Reader,
Nocturne Falls has become a magical place for so many people, me included. Over and over I’ve heard from you that it’s a town you’d love to visit and even live in! I can tell you that writing the books is just as much fun for me.
With your enthusiasm for the series in mind—and your many requests for more books—the Nocturne Falls Universe was born. It’s a project near and dear to my heart, and one I am very excited about.
I hope these new, guest-authored books will entertain and delight you. And best of all, I hope they allow you to discover some great new authors! (And if you like this book, be sure to check out the rest of the Nocturne Falls Universe offerings.)
For more information about the Nocturne Falls Universe, visit http://kristenpainter.com/sugar-skull-books.
In the meantime, happy reading!
Kristen Painter
The Lion, the Witch, and the Secret Garden
A Nocturne Falls Universe Story
Copyright © 2018 by Larissa Emerald
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from the author.
This book is a work of fiction and was made possible by a special agreement with Sugar Skull Books but has not been reviewed or edited by Kristen Painter. All characters, events, scenes, plots, and associated elements appearing in the original Nocturne Falls series remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Kristen Painter, Sugar Skull Books, and their affiliates or licensors.
Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author or Sugar Skull Books.
Published in the United States of America.
Table of Contents
THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE SECRET GARDEN
About the Book
Welcome to Nocturne Falls
Copyright
Other Books by Larissa Emerald
Dedication
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Excerpt of FOREVER AT RISK
Excerpt of AWAKENING TOUCH
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Other Books by Larissa Emerald
Paranormal Romance
Nocturne Falls Universe
The Vampire Bounty Hunter’s Unexpected Catch
The Shaman Charms the Shifter
Merry & Bright: A Christmas Anthology – The Witch’s Snow Globe Wish
The Dragon Falls for the Fairy Godmother
The Inspector Claims the Vampiress
Divine Tree Guardian series
Awakening Fire
Awakening Touch
Awakening Storm
Vampire – Blood Keepers Series
Forever At Dawn (novella)
Forever At Midnight (novella)
Romantic Suspense
Chalet Romance Series
Winter Heat
Contemporary Romance
Barefoot Bay World
Come Sail Away
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Dedication
For my fabulous readers,
You are the reason I keep writing.
Chapter One
A vigorous rap sounded against the entry door, sending vibrations throughout the entire house. The lion shifter tensed in the middle of turning a steak on the grill. What in the world was the problem? He pierced the meat with a six-inch carving fork. Red juices oozed over the edges and sizzled as they hit the coals. Perfection. He set his dinner on a plate.
The knocking persisted. With a sharp exhale, he eyed the steak, then turned.
Rylan Lewis didn’t hurry for many things, but the urgency of the pounding caused his step to quicken as he traveled from the back porch to the entry. That, and he wanted to get back to his prime steak before it got cold. He slung open the door.
“They’ve taken her!” His mother burst into his home with frantic strides, a paper clutched in her fist. Sela Lewis shoved the sheet into his chest with enough force, he took a step back. “They’ve taken Adalyn. And they have demands.”
Who would want his sister? “Calm yourself,” he urged his mother, taking the parchment she presented him. It was thick and weighty, much more substantial than a mere sheet of paper. A fine goatskin he realized on closer examination. Who on earth used goatskin these days?
His eyes drifted to the signature line. Demons.
By his teeth. His mother had reason to be upset. Those monsters didn’t play by the rules—any rules.
Sela paced as she combed a hand through her short swept-back hairstyle. The golden blonde strands fell right into place as she shook her head, showing her lion-shifter side by baring her teeth in rage.
With the stillness of a hunt running through his blood, Rylan read the missive twice. “Mammon is holding her ransom in exchange for a mysterious stone. This is ludicrous.”
“The stone is said to possess magical powers,” his mother added, pacing. “We need to get her back. We need to find that stone.”
“Of course we do,” he said, allowing sarcasm and frustration into his tone. “Why doesn’t he go get the damn stone himself?”
His mother straightened her spine. “Many magical tokens remain hidden from evil forces. Perhaps that is the case with this stone. Maybe it can only be found by someone with a good heart. I don’t know. You can’t find anyone more honorable than the leader of a lion-shifter pride.”
“Don’t get your hopes up,” he announced. The thought of something happening to his younger sister tore at his gut. But he knew Mammon cared nothing for anyone but himself.
Heading out on some wild goose chase had not been on the horizon when he woke this morning. His construction team was behind schedule building a gymnasium for the youth. They needed to complete the project before winter set in. In two months, Terror, Minnesota would be more than a foot deep in snow. “I will do everything in my power to get her back. I will meet this demon head on if that’s what it takes.”
“First, you need to find the stone.”
His mother noticeably calmed herself, drawing deep breaths. She stretched her back like the cat she was. “I took the liberty of calling upon my friend Nora McGuire. She’s a gifted sorceress and has the ability to see things we can’t.
She’s waiting for us now.”
Wait a minute. His mother had taken the time to confer with someone. His sense of urgency diminished by half. As much as he wanted to charge out after this demon, he realized that wasn’t the best strategy. First, he needed information and a plan.
He recalled his steak. “I have dinner waiting. Let’s discuss the situation while we eat.” He motioned the way to the back porch, grabbing another plate and utensils from the kitchen as he went. At the grill, he cut a portion off the steak, slid it onto the plate, and put it on the patio table. “Have a seat,” he instructed.
“I’m not really hungry,” she said as she sat.
“You may change your mind.” He took a chair across from her and cut into the slab of beef on his plate. Folding the chunk into his mouth, he nearly moaned at the taste. Juicy and tender.
“That’s it? You’re only eating steak. No vegetables.”
He gave her a you’ve-got-to-be-kidding stare. “We’re carnivorous for good reason.”
“The human side of you needs more.”
“Blah.”
“Have you learned nothing?”
“Back to the stone.”
She shot him a haughty hiss, picked up her fork, and cut then stabbed a piece of beef on the plate. As she ate, her eyes watched him. He would take action and see that Adalyn was safely returned home. His mother should have no doubt in that. His position as pride leader demanded nothing less. He would protect one of his own until death.
“What did the witch say?” he asked.
“She wants us to come right over. So hurry.”
“David is due to be here shortly. We have business to discuss.”
“The angel and his project are more important than your sister?”
“I didn’t say that. I just need to set some things in motion before I take off.” Even as huge as the angel compound was, they were expanding and adding a gym. His construction company had secured the job.
“Nothing takes precedence over family,” she bit out.
She was right, of course. He pulverized the meat between his teeth. “I’m aware that Nora McGuire is extremely talented,” he said.
“It shouldn’t take long to meet with her. She’s a busy lady,” his mother said.
“Okay. I’ll rearrange my calendar.” It looked like he was going to have to do that anyway. Rylan slipped his phone from his pocket and sent David a text to reschedule their meeting. He didn’t like complications. He liked peace. He liked quiet. He liked an orderly life. That’s how it should be.
* * *
Nora locked the front door of her restaurant, Beauty and the Beast, and dimmed the lights. “We’ll go in the back,” she informed Rylan and Sela.
“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice,” Rylan said.
“Of course.” She smiled over her shoulder at his mother, her gray and black hair swishing. “Anything for a friend. I hope you get your sister back soon.”
She brought them to a seating area near her office. “Have a seat.”
Rylan waited for his mother to take one side of the table, then he slid into the other side. Nora stood at the end of the table. She inhaled a deep breath through her nostrils and exhaled out her mouth. Cupping her hands in front of her, she formed a dense, white cloud that swirled in the space above her fingers. It thinned, then thickened, turning several shades of green. The cloud expanded until finally dissipating.
Nora stepped back and produced a large, thick napkin and pen from her apron pocket. Unfolding and spreading it on the table, she began to sketch a drawing, her eyes had taken on a far off gaze as if she was trying to remember or picture something she’d already seen. The black tips of her silver hair gathered on the table and got in the way. She tugged the strands to one side and tied it in a loose knot, then continued, adding words to the paper. Finally, she retreated a step on a sigh and waved her hands over the paper.
“This has to do with the stone?” Sela asked.
Setting the pen aside, she said, “It’s the best I can do to tell you where to look for the Clach Sgàthan.”
Rylan spun the paper around, examining the sketch. At first glance, it looked like an intricate tree, although upon further study he noticed hidden objects, a river, an ice cream cone, a water fall, a gargoyle, and a cup, to name a few.
He peered at it, bunching his brow. “Ok. It’s a sketch of a bush. What is NF mean at the top?”
The corners of her lips drew up. “Nocturne Falls” Nora said. “Clach Sgàthan, Gaelic for mirror stone, can be found there. And look closely. It’s a tree. It’s more than what meets the eye, though. It’s a map of hidden pictures that will help you find Clach Sgàthan.”
He carefully folded the paper and tucked it into an inside jacket pocket for safe keeping. “I appreciate your help.”
A look passed between Nora and his mother. “Thank you,” Sela said.
He nodded then headed for the front door. “Okay. Get to Nocturne Falls, get the stone, get home. With the map it shouldn’t be that difficult,” he said as he walked away and out the door. But he knew it wouldn’t be that simple. No, things were never that simple.
He heard his mother’s concerned voice ask Nora, “Will he find it?”
“I can read some elements in my visions, but I cannot tell the future.”
Chapter Two
Zoe Cirillo cut the engine of her red Nissan Verra and stepped out onto the gravel drive. Kamdyn must have heard or seen her pull up because she lit out the door and met her with a big bear hug.
“Oh my goodness. I can’t believe you’re actually here.” Her childhood friend rocked her from side to side before letting go and easing back, looking at her from head to toe. “It’s been too long.”
They pulled Zoe’s few pieces of luggage from the car and took them inside.
“Have a seat,” Kamdyn said. “Would you like something to drink. Soda or hot chocolate?”
“Hot chocolate.”
Zoe tugged a knit throw over her legs. October was already turning chilly in Georgia.
As Kamdyn worked in the kitchen, Zoe said. “Seven years. I’m glad you kept in touch. I know that probably wasn’t easy.” Images of the last time they were together flitted through her memory. It was the summer before she’d left for college. She had visited Kamdyn at her home—something she rarely did because of Kamdyn’s father. Zoe felt bad for her friend, having such a tyrant for a dad.
They’d grown up in a secret supernatural community hidden by a magical mist outside of Cutler, Maine, not far from the Canadian border. The town was probably as close to a real-life Harry Potter world as one could get.
On that particular visit, Roar Braun, Kamdyn’s father, had gone into a rage. She’d never understood what had triggered it, but she’d sworn to get back at Roar one day for what he’d done.
He had locked them in the dark, dank basement for an entire twenty-four hours.
They’d tried to use their young, limited magic to break free, but the lock on the door only jiggled and there were no windows. The best they could do was produce a dim ball of light. At least they could see each other—and the heads of spooky dead animals lining the shelves of his laboratory.
Their feeble tries were unlike Roar’s when he returned. His magic illuminated the entire room. His fury hadn’t abated since he’d dumped them in there. He blamed Kamdyn for some misfortune. Kamdyn thought it had something to do with Roar being unable to sire a son. With narrowed eyes, he grabbed Kamdyn by the hair and dragged her to him. Whatever the warlocks misfortune he was set to take it out on Kamdyn.
Zoe could still feel the lump in her throat as she watched in horror as he whipped out a straight razor. She feared he was going to kill her friend right before her eyes. What he did was nearly as horrible. He shaved Kamdyn’s head.
Miraculously, there were only a couple small nicks where blood welled. When he was through, he shoved Kamdyn away from him and gathered her fallen hair in his fist. “You ruined your mother, n
ow I will ruin you.”
Zoe understood his intention. For a witch, her hair held an important element of magical powers—hence, the reason most witches have long hair. At the time, she hadn’t known that it wasn’t that way for all witches, and something specific to their coven. Roar Braun shaved his daughter’s head to stifle her abilities, to punish her during a time when witches her age would be coming of age, developing and honing their skills—Kamdyn would basically have none. It was the ultimate act of humiliation and cruelty.
Zoe peered at Kamdyn as she handed her the drink. “I love the hair,” Zoe said. Kamdyn turned her head to show off the back, with its angular cut, white blonde on the top layer and deep pink under layers. “And the color is awesome.”
“It suits me. Plus drives Roar crazy.” She hesitated. “I haven’t let it grow long since…well, you know.”
“Yeah.”
An uncomfortable silence hung between them. Kamdyn gazed off into space. “We haven’t ever talked about that night. Afterwards, I headed off to college and you went to bewitching school.”
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