Red

  Snow nodded, slowly. “Yes. And gold is nice, but…” Snow’s voice trailed off. “Humans like gold, too, Red.”

  “But they don’t have magical powers.”

  Snow picked up her spoon and stirred her now cooled tea. “You’ve certainly given this a lot of thought, haven’t you?”

  “He’s a Goblin,” Red said, her eyes triumphant. “Admit it. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Nora finds a Goblin to help her trap the Knox brothers. Men who are known to be wealthy and have a lot of gold. Gaul brings the now weakened bears to fight Paulina. Paulina is weakened fighting them. Nora is then able to defeat her sister. Gaul gets the Knox gold.”

  “It does seem clear cut when you put it like that,” Snow commented. The need for action pushed at her, and she frowned as she rose to wash her dishes. The scary thing was it did all make sense. Perfect sense.

  When she turned around, Red was pulling her travel bag into the living room.

  “Where are you going?” Snow demanded.

  “To find Griffin,” Red said. She pulled her red cloak from a peg on the wall. “Tell mother. I know the general direction of Grimm River. I will head out and find him.”

  “Red, you can’t,” Snow said, rushing towards her sister. She held her hands and beseeched her. “It could be dangerous for you.”

  Tears filled Red’s eyes. “I love him, Snow. I have to help if I can.”

  Snow nodded and handed her sister their father’s walking staff. “Be safe,” she whispered, hugging Red tightly.

  Red nodded and, as dawn began to pinken the sky, headed deep into the woods in the direction of Grimm River.

  To allow her sister enough time to begin her journey, Snow got dressed for work and then told their mother what Red had done. Olga merely nodded sadly. “Red’s reasons are logical,” Olga stated.

  Guilt plagued Snow the rest of the day as she went to work, opened the bakery, and sold her muffins and bread. She should be with Red. They were a team and had always been stronger together. Snow was revolted by her own cowardice. Ashamed of the way she had let her sister race off into danger.

  As she locked up for the afternoon, she resolved to do better. There were a time and place for distress, but not when your sister ran headlong into danger.

  A chuffing sound startled her. She spun screaming and faced her golden-brown bear. “Tristan!” she cried. “What are you doing here? I thought you were being held captive near the Grimm River. Your brother and Red went to rescue you.”

  “My brother is in trouble,” Tristan replied telepathically. “I need your help to rescue him.”

  “Red thinks she figured out what’s going on,” Snow said. She explained her sister’s theory on Gaul being a Goblin working for Nora. “Do you and your brother have a gold hoard?” she asked.

  Tristin nodded, slowly. “That could be it. But how do we defeat Paulina in this form? We couldn’t defeat her even as wizards.”

  “My father was the last Fable to fight her,” Snow began. “He learned that Paulina has a terrible vulnerability. She is only as strong as her opponent. So, if she defeats you and your brother in your weakest forms, she will be weakened.”

  “And Nora will be able to swoop in and kill her sister,” Tristin said.

  “Leaving Gaul to collect all the lovely Knox gold.”

  Despite her guilt, Snow said, “I can’t just leave my mother.”

  “I need to train you,” Tristin said. “Close up here so we can go back to your mother’s cottage. We’ll need provisions and weapons.”

  Snow opened her mouth to argue with Tristin’s orders but closed it. He was probably right, anyway. And this was no time to dither over politeness.

  Snow finished locking up the door only to be met at the bottom of the stairs by another hairy animal, only this one stood upright and carried a badge.

  “If Paulina and Nora are involved in the disappearance of people around Thistle Grove, you’ll need another ally,” Avery said.

  “All the allies you can get,” Ruby said, standing next to Avery.

  Avery’s gold eyes gleamed in the dusk. “Snow, I think you have a story to tell. One we are all anxious to hear.”

  To be continued…

  Hey everyone! I’m busy working on the sequel to Red, but I love to hear from fans!

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  Other books by Summer Donnelly

  Shifter Special Forces

  An all new shifter romance series!

  Her Lonely Mastiff

  Her Broken Bear (coming March, 2018)

  Witches of Warren County books

  Where magical realism meets happily ever after

  (in suggested reading order, but each book is a standalone in the series)

  Cupid’s Bow Anthology – Dear Kitty

  Hummingbird Dreams

  Hummingbird Lost

  Fae and Frost, a Christmas Romance

  Dandelion Wishes

  Releasing Sloane Harper (part of the Creek Corner sub-series)

  Loved by Beauty (part of the Creek Corner sub-series)

  Honeysuckle and Roses

  The Failed Ex-periment

  Earth Angel

  The Three Wish Mermaid

  CyberWar: Digital Battlefield Anthology (CyberPrime) – Stronger Together

  Haunted Hearts I – Broomstick Breakdown

  Under the Mistletoe

  Harper’s Mill Historical

  Dear Kitty

  Harper’s Mill YA universe

  Autumn Kisses

  A Snowball’s Chance

  Spring’s Promise

  He Loves me, He Loves Me Not

  Seasons of Love (collection)

  Creek Corner Road stories

  (Related stories set in the Harper’s Mill Universe)

  Phoenix Romance Anthology – Adventures in Bobby-sitting

  Holiday Heartwarmers Anthology– One Dollar and Eighty-Seven Cents

  Releasing Sloane Harper

  Loved by Beauty

  Apple Blossom, NC books

  (In suggested reading order)

  Phoenix Romance Anthology - Waiting for Poppy

  Midnight Honey

  Mysterious Hearts Anthology - Girls just Want to Solve Crime

  By Any Other Name – Shortshanks and Sweet Porridge

  Let Down Your Hair - Anthousa, Xanthousa, Chrisamalousa (Primed Fairy Tale)

  The Grifter Sisters

  The adventures of two runaway sisters making their way the only way they know how. Is it their fault that’s more than the law allows?

  Here Come the Grifter Sisters

  Back to School with the Grifter Sisters

  A Dose of Medicine for the Grifter Sister (coming March, 2018!)

  Finding Trouble with the Grifter Sisters (coming May, 2018!)

  The Art of the Grift (coming June, 2018!)

  A Home for the Grifter Sisters (coming July, 2018!)

  Standalone Anthologies

  Prime Fiction (Phoenix Prime Anthology)

  Prime Fantasy (Prime Tales)

  Journal With a View: July - August - September (Phoenix Journals)

  Belle-Belle and Geirald the Coward (Primed Fairy Tales Book 6)

  Bluebeard (Primed Fairy Tales Book 7

  Fairy Ointment (Primed Fairy Tales Book 8)

  Hearts in the Sky - Can I be Your Hero?

  The Klondike Bride Series (with Mildred B. Lewis)

  A sweet mail order bride series

  Sweet Charity

  A Touch of Grace

  New Series Thistle Grove Tal
es

  Where fairytales meet real life

  Red

  Snow (Coming Soon!)

  Standalone Young Adult Fantasy book

  A girl. A sword. A kingdom worth fighting for

  Adela of Stone Keep