Hi All,
For now I will leave this book as is. I plan to do a major overhaul of this book and edit and re-write it in the future. So writing a sequel does not make sense at the moment.
HOWEVER!
I will be writing a new story. It will be my very first fae fantasy.
Please continue to show support for my new story, The Bane of the Empire, and head on over to my profile to add it to your library.
Again thank you for your continued support, it means the world to me.
Love,
AnnyVirdi
Preview
The morning air was crisp with the scent of the forest. The world was beginning to wake, and a ray of sunlight broke through the trees and landed on Dawn Rentradie's cheek.
She had been laying on a patch of grass with her riding clothes neatly folded beside her and her mare, Lily, tied to a nearby tree. She thought back to her family, her sister, and her betrothed who would be waiting for her. She had promised that her journey to Eastmaw would only take a day, but the weather was not on her side and a day's journey became a three-day trek. Ryder, her betrothed, had offered to come along but since they were not yet wed this would have caused an uproar in the village.
Yet that was not why she had declined Ryder's offer to accompany her. She wanted to attend to this errand alone. To bask in the independence her unmarried status still allowed her. Once she said her vows to Ryder she would be expected to stay to their cottage and attend to his land. Her days of riding in the forest, jumping over fallen logs, would be behind her. Although Ryder had not banned her from carrying on as she did, the weight of responsibility would soon be on her. And then the children would come. She shuddered at the thought of raising a family. Unlike the other young girls in her village she did not dream of sitting at home and tending to crying babes. And so when he father asked her to meet an old friend in Eastmaw, she sprung at the chance to do something more.
So she had packed her bags and bushed down Lily. Waving a goodbye to her mother and her sister Jane, she had trotted out of her village and down the dirt road to the neighbouring town. The loose road had lead to a paved path that continued through the way station town of Eastmaw. Sounds of travellers had greeted her as she eased Lily into a gentle stride, looking for the man her father had told her to meet.
A man in a grey cloak.
"Once you see him, tell him 'for the crescent moon' and take what he give you." Her father had been firm in his instructions, urging her to only stop if necessary and to not linger in Eastmaw. She hadn't and when she finally found the grey cloaked figure standing by the well, she had said the words her father told her and extended her hand.
The man had given her a tome the size of her forearm. Safely depositing the book in her satchel, Dawn had set out for her village.
Rising from the grass, Dawn pulled on her tunic and riding leathers over her linen clothes. She slipped her feet into her boots and made her way to her mare. Lilly huffed and stomped her feet, her signal to Dawn for a treat. Smiling, she retrieved her final apple and held it out for Lilly.
After packing up, Dawn mounted her mare and began the last leg of her trek to the village. The forest was quiet, and it was only her and Lilly on the dirt road that morning. There weren't any merchants or farmers on their way into Eastmaw and the Royal Guards were not making their morning rounds either.
The world was at peace.
Coming closer to her village, Dawn began hearing the familiar buzz of her home. She could practically see her neighbours children running around, their mother calling out to them to eat breakfast before they ran off for the day. But as she neared, she heard shouting and the gallop of several horses. Emerging from the trees that blocked her view of her home she halted as the sight in front of her shook her to her core.
The quaint village she had lived in her entire life was up flames. Women and children ran in fear as five men, dressed in black armour pointed their weapons at her people. She heard their laughs above the sounds of terror and crackling flame, but one voice broke through the rest.
"Please have mercy! We will do anything—give anything!"
One of the men, sitting on his large horse, pointed the end of his sword at Ryder.
The horseman laughed, balancing his sword on Ryder's throat. "Give us the book."
YOU ARE READING
The Healer's Mate
WerewolfI was a werewolf without a wolf. But I developed an ability to heal wounds and injuries. My mother said the Goddess had given me this skill in place of my wolf. But there were those that saw me as undeserving and I fell prey to their abuse. My life...
