by Lenore Wolfe
Shantra continued to whisper to her, standing somewhere close by her head.
So Thorick had taken her to Shantra’s cottage in the Land of the Fae, Morgan thought.
Morgan had already learned first-hand, from another battle, that Shantra was a great healer, and she tried to relax under her ministrations, but her heart felt heavy. She’d faced the Witch of the Everwood—and she’d failed. Tears filled her eyes and trickled down the sides of her face, falling to the soft pillow beneath her head.
She felt a hand on her head, and someone leaned close to her. “Rest easy,” Mira whispered near her ear. “I will not lie to you. You’ve suffered a major setback, that’s true,” she said. “But you have not failed,” Mira said to her. “You will get another chance.”
Morgan licked her lips, and Mira brought something cold and wet to her lips. She didn’t try to open her eyes. It still hurt too much for that.
“Just give Shantra a moment,” Mira said, “and you’ll soon feel right as rain.”
Morgan knew the truth in those words, and she gave herself over to Shantra’s healing. Within twenty minutes, or so, she opened her eyes. She glanced around, feeling better already, and she saw Sophia step forward.
“You shouldn’t be here,” she whispered. “What if the prince finds out?”
Sophia took her hand and squeezed it. “I had to come,” she said. “As Mira can surely attest to,” she said with a wan smile, “when I learned you’d been hurt….”
Tears filled Morgan’s eyes. “I must have really been hurt for you to risk coming back to the Land of the Fae,” she said, sitting up slowly and testing her limbs.
Sophia hugged her. “Nothing momma couldn’t handle,” she said.
Morgan glanced at her. “I cannot beat the Witch of the Everwood,” she whispered.
Sophia frowned at her. “Nonsense,” she said. “You have the power,” she whispered back furiously. “I know—because I’ve felt it—firsthand.”
Morgan turned to look into her eyes, now, caught by the determination she saw reflected in her sister-friend’s fierce gaze. “Do you really think so?”
Sophia stepped closer to her side, running her hand down Morgan’s long, dark hair. “I don’t just think so,” she said, her tone brooking no argument, “I know so. And you know full well that if anyone knew, it would be me.” She smiled. “Plus, I’m half faery—so you know I cannot lie.”
Morgan grinned. “Okay,” she said, with renewed enthusiasm. She turned to look at Mira. “So, what do I need to do?”
Chapter Nine
Tree of Fates
Once again, Morgan stood in front of the Everwood Tree of the Fates, ready to face her destiny—determined to face her nemesis. Firm determination filled her veins. Grit and fire filled her body until there was no more room for fear—or the word defeat.
As before, the landscape bowed, but this time, Morgan was ready for who stepped through. Calling down the power, she felt it fill her magnificent wand.
The Witch of the Everwood stepped forward, her entire being dripping with rage that Morgan would dare face her again.
“You dare challenge me!” she said. “You should have waited until you were ready. How dare you come to me again so soon when you cannot even begin to defeat me.” She tipped her head back, her flaming curls shimmering with her laughter. “This time I will annihilate you for you tempestuousness.”
“We shall see,” Morgan said and aimed her wand.
The Witch lowered the head of her staff in lightning speed, meeting the bolt that shot from Morgan’s wand. Morgan could feel the surprise glistening off her face, as she worked to force back Morgan’s attack.
Morgan felt her very being expand, and with it came power unlike anything she’d ever touched before, she raised her head, focused it with all her might—and aimed it at the witch.
The beam shot through the powerful force coming through the witch’s staff, hitting her square in the middle. She screamed as she shot back against the Everwood Tree of the Fates. And just when she straightened, she realized her mistake.
Too late, she tried to jump from the Everwood’s clutches—before the massive tree surrounded her—and she met her fate.
Morgan straightened, as Mira stepped through the veil. Morgan glanced over at where the Witch of the Everwood had been taken. “How did you know the tree would take her?” she asked.
Mira smiled. “Let’s just say, I had a little help from the other side,” she said.
Morgan grinned at her. “Amar?” she asked, knowing that Mira had a grandmother who frequently visited her granddaughters, the Sisters of Three, from the other side.
Grinning, Mira came forward and slipped her arm around Morgan. “Amar,” she confirmed. And together, they stepped back through the veil.
Chapter Ten
Magick of Her Dreams
Morgan looked around the room at her family and friends. She’d only just returned, coming through the veil to find Alex and Claire waiting for her on the other side. The love she felt from them, as she walked straight into both of their arms, was nothing short of amazing.
Tears filled her eyes, and she wasn’t surprised to see tears shimmering in Claire’s but a little taken back when she saw the gleam of unshed tears in Alex’s warm gaze, as he pulled her into his embrace, hugging her fiercely.
“I will admit it now,” he said. “I was scared to death I'd never see you again.”
Morgan nodded. “Me too.” She put one arm around him, and pulled her sister into a tight embrace with the other, the three of them laughing with relief.
“So, my sister is a badass after all,” Claire said with a giggle.
Morgan flushed, but then laughed. Looking at them, as they took her hands to lead her back to Ravenwood Manor, she realized this was what she’d fought for—this amazing love. This is what she’d fought to keep, and not just for her—but for everyone. Love was the only thing that mattered. How well she had loved was the only thing she could take with her—when it was her turn to cross over to the other side.
This was why she did what she did—was who she was.
Morgan knew she’d still struggle with magick, but she didn’t think she could go on denying her destiny. What they did was too important.
She looked up and saw Claire glance at her, and she smiled. Alex snuggled her close to his side now, but she could understand that. They had—all of them had—almost lost each other again. Hopefully, they wouldn’t live with that fear, at least quite so much anymore.
Of course, Sophia still couldn’t come home. But, hopefully, someday soon, she’d be able to. In the meantime, they’d watch out for each other—love one another—and maybe even enjoy some rare moments of peace.
Look for more Bonus Short-Stories from Lenore Wolfe
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Morgan’s Wand.
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You can also find Mira and Micah in
Jaguar Witch—Doorway of the Triquetra
Book One
Check back for Jaguar Witch
Book Two of Children of Atlantis
Due out in 2017
You can also find Mira in the
Daughters of the Circle
As a mentor for Alli in Fire Sprite, Realm of the Elemental Witch
And with the Sisters of Three in
The Fallen One, Sons of the Dark Mother
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The next Book in this Series. Book TWO in this Jaguar Witch Series: Mira’s Magick will be out this winter. Follow my newsletters is find out how this book is progressing and my release dates, previews and giveaways:)
Short blurb Mira’s Magick:
Mira finds out she has sisters, and not just any sisters—they’re the Sisters of Three!
Don't forget Mira is also in
SISTER-SERIES OF JAGUAR WITCH
IN ORDER OF WRITINGS
SONS OF THE DARK MOTHER
NOVELLAS
THE FALLEN ONE
VOLUME I
VOLUME II
REALM OF THE ELEMENTAL WITCH
FIRE SPRITE
BOOK ONE
DAUGHTERS OF THE CIRCLE:
SHADOWS IN RAVENWOOD
BOOK ONE
BONUS SHORT-STORY
MORGAN'S WAND
Previews at end of this book
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lenora grew up in Montana and Alaska, and currently lives in the central US. She holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Northern Colorado, with a minor in writing, and is a student of the Shaman path. She lives her dream, daily, as a writer. She is also the mother of four grown children, inherited four more when they each took mates and has several beautiful grandchildren.
ALSO BY LENORE WOLFE
HISTORICAL WESTERN ROMANCE
Dark Cloth Series:
Best Selling
Dark Warrior: To Tame a Wild Hawk
Dark Warrior: Kid
Dark Gunman: Cord
Coming this summer
Dark Gunman: Jake
Coming this fall….
Bonus Short-Story
Dark Warrior to Tame a Wild Hawk
Bonus Short Story
DARK FANTASY
CHILDREN OF ATLANTIS
Book One
Jaguar Witch
Doorway of the Triquetra
Book Two
Coming out this summer
Bonus Short-Story
DARK FANTASY
SONS OF THE DARK MOTHER SERIES
Vol. 1
The Fallen One
Vol. 2
Justice
Coming out this spring
Vol. 3
Dracon
Coming out this summer
Vol. 4
Coming out this fall
Jess
YOUNG ADULT FANTASY
Daughters of the Circle
Shadows in Ravenwood
Vol. 1
Released March 2015
Daughters of the Circle
Witches of Ravenwood
Vol. 2
Released June 2015
Faerie in Ravenwood
Vol. 3
Released March 2015
Daughters of the Circle
Magick in Ravenwood
Vol. 4
Released June 2015
Ongoing series….
Bonus Short-Story
MIDDLESCHOOL FANTASY
Trilogy
REALM OF THE ELEMENTAL WITCH
Fire Sprite
Vol. 1
Released March 2015
Khan
Vol. 2
Coming out this summer
Alli
Vol. 3
Coming out this fall
DARK WITCH FANTASY
Trilogy
CAT PEOPLE
Prequel Short-Story
Cry of the Jaguar
Vol. 1
Released in the spring of 2017
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am thankful for my soft place to land, even though he had absolutely no reason to do so, and even though his fears would make it difficult, it was still a roof over my head, and for that I am truly thankful. I am thankful for my family. I had some of the most difficult years of my life. I’ve lived through things I shouldn’t have survived.
I’m thankful to my children. I know I’ve worried you. I’m especially thankful to my youngest son, you’re pretty fearless and stayed right by my side. To my oldest son, you are always so kind to me. To my daughter, you were willing to do a difficult thing for me. And to my middle son, I will always love you. I love you all. I always feel our Great Mother watching over us. And I always come out stronger.
I’m thankful for all my angels and guides for brining me through my dark night of my soul. I see the light of day, and I’m thankful I’ve survived. I’m thankful to myself for having the strength to reach for life, even when I wanted to quit and cease to exist. I’m thankful for the wisdom to know I would be glad I made it through, even when I was screaming in my car so no one else would know. I’m especially thankful for my friends for reaching out when I most needed it and trying to help me through. I will never forget it.
I love you all so much. I’m thankful to my fans. My friends and family. It saved my sanity. I threw myself into my writing, and it took up all my time and provided a chance to heal. It also gave me a place to express myself in creative and healing ways. Her Dark Mirror may be fiction, but it allowed me to write without censor. Thank you for putting up with me, even when I hit a wall and didn’t update my blogs:) You all are the greatest.
Most of all I’m thankful for the divine—how could anyone question all the help we get. It is the reason we make it through. It’s in the soft petal of a flower, the sun’s rays upon the damp earth, the ocean’s waves upon the sandy beach, and the crest of the mountain top. We are loved. May we always have some place inside that knows it, even when we’re in our darkest hour. I am grateful mother. I am your daughter, and I am grateful. And I love you so.
PERKS
The Fallen One
Sons of the Dark Mother
Book One
Conrad picked up a glass and buffed it with the soft cloth in his hand. He held it up to the light, beneath the upper shelf showing down on the glass below. Satisfied, he set it down, adjusting it slightly so that it stood in perfect alignment with the others. He grunted, approving what he saw. The soft light above the glass shelves, lining the shelves behind the bar of the tavern, shown down on his work.
Conrad didn’t have too much glass in the tavern. It didn’t survive well in a fight. Not that he tolerated brawls in his tavern. Still, he enjoyed the little glass he’d installed into the bar-back. He had an affinity with the beautiful dark mahogany wood of the bar and tables. But the little glass he’d allowed, he guarded fiercely. And heaven help the man who broke any of it.
His keen perception felt his new visitor, even
before he heard the click of the back door. A friend, then. For only a friend could possibly get past Conrad’s particular form of an alarm system. When no one appeared for several long moments, Conrad smiled. So, he had a rare visitor. He couldn’t be more pleased. Only Lucius, or an enemy trying to sneak by, could bring the beast from rest in the middle of the day. But even he couldn’t pick up the silent tread of Lucius before he appeared soundlessly from the dark interior of the storeroom.
Lucius had to duck to go under the door. He straightened and stood there, looking at Conrad. A large man, Conrad stood at six feet himself, but Lucius still held at least five inches over him. And Lucius always had to turn sideways, to get his shoulders through to come through that door.
He wore his long, white hair, shot through with silver, pulled up on both sides and tied in the back. He wore three thick, silver hoops in each ear, each hoop progressively larger than the other. He wore an impressive white and silver outfit, even to Conrad. The pants were barely showing because of the split tunic hanging past his knees. It looked somewhat like something a Samurai warrior might have worn, except for the color. But no matter how impressive he appeared, no one would have missed that he looked like he came straight out of a futuristic movie—or that Lucius was not human. He remained cloaked in glamour, to all who didn’t know him, so when they saw him, they saw only what they were ready to see.
“I see Beast is as fat and lazy as ever,” Lucius said. “You spoil him. When it is time for war, he will be content to lie there and watch you do all the fighting.”
Conrad grinned at him. Both men knew Beast longed for the fight. “He misses you,” Conrad said. “And Gargoyle Mansion.” He saw Lucius lip curl at the name.