It’s #bookqw and my heroine knows her ‘voice’ is giving her away!
Read more of the excerpt:
Something moved outside the window. A bird…yes, a small flock flew ahead of someone coming around the cottage. Several someones, including Gran.
Their gazes met, and Gran said something to a man at her side. Fern’s breath caught. It was Sir Humus.
“Surely,” Gran blustered loudly enough her voice carried in through the open window. “I can spend a minute with the lass now that she is here.”
Only Gran had guts enough to antagonize the council representative who had threatened to take away her land if they didn’t replant it.
Why is he here already? Had they got the start of the inspections wrong? But we’re so close to being done. Fern’s fingers started tingling in the annoying way they sometimes did, so she set Hilda down and shook them.
Gran burst through the door, her pixielike face twisted into a frown. The five songbirds that’d managed to enter with her circled the room and twittered furiously.
Fern bent to hug her. “Are we in trouble?” she whispered.
“No, but you were late, and I have to go.”
“Mom ran late—oh.” Gran was wearing an off-white linen dress, not her work clothes. Her long, wavy hair hung loose instead of in a braid. “You can’t work this evening, then? That’s okay, I can manage.”
Gran patted her cheek. “Good, lass. I’m glad you’re flexible, because I have some news: I’m on the council and have other inspections to attend to, not to mention they are sticklers about favoritism so don’t want me present on my land for the judging.You must complete your trial on your own.”
“What?” Fern gasped, her mind blank for a moment as she tried to keep up. “Youare on… What do you mean mytrial?”
“Aye. You asked me to stop keeping secrets from you and the time has come for that.” Gran’s brow creased, her bony fingers crushing Fern’s. “Your work on the Meadows is a test to see if you can restore the land despite having no magic yourself. However, I didna tell them you have no magic. Nor that you are Heather’s child. Keep it secret you are my granddaughter until you pass. Then we shall fix that, best we can. But your mother’s blessing—do you have it?”
“Geez, Gran! I thought we’d tell her together.” Fern’s voice rose. Stressed out much? She clenched Gran’s hand, although what she really wanted to do was throw someone to the ground. “And just how will I do these things? A magical place needs magic.”
“Shh. I have but a minute, dear. I know you’re up to taking charge. ’Tis clear you’ve inherited the touch and tha’ is enough. They are seeing the lovely flowers you have grown and know it is all your doing, because I lifted the barrier that kept others out of the Meadows. But with the barrier gone”—Gran raised a finger—“take care if you see flickering along our boundaries.”
~~~
Thanks for reading!
The Witch of the Meadows is available to buy on Amazon. Or read free with your Kindle Unlimited subscription.
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