Her hunger brought a curse upon them all...
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Her hunger brought a curse upon them all...
Two obstacles hover on the horizon: The Industrial Revolution and The Great Clan War. The Darkling fae have grown weary and hungry during the war, during which time land rights are being decided and hunting is only allowed in certain regions. Meanwhile, the Industrial Revolution is making humans weary and it’s stealing their ability to dream. The few dreams found are often flavorless and without substance.
In order to survive, Ash and Lily, a husband and wife team from the Blackmoor clan, decide to break the rules. They hunt in an uncharted, backwoods, mountain community—one that until now has only been foraged by wild Darklings, those without an allegiance to clans. The danger is great, for here bands of wild fae work together to fight against outsiders who dare to trespass on their unlawful claim.
But an even greater danger lurks at the train station where the hunt begins.
Up until now, Lily has always been able to follow the basic Darkling rules: You can’t hunt any human younger than twelve. But she hasn’t eaten in weeks, and when a nine-year-old boy steps off the train, she can’t hold her hunger in check. With an unspoken plea, she manages to convince her husband to join her on a lawless and deadly hunt--
A hunt that will bring a curse upon the village of Ticonderoga Falls.
Please note: This is a Novella Prequel to A Place of Magic by Merrie Destefano
Two obstacles hover on the horizon: The Industrial Revolution and The Great Clan War. The Darkling fae have grown weary and hungry during the war, during which time land rights are being decided and hunting is only allowed in certain regions. Meanwhile, the Industrial Revolution is making humans weary and it’s stealing their ability to dream. The few dreams found are often flavorless and without substance.
In order to survive, Ash and Lily, a husband and wife team from the Blackmoor clan, decide to break the rules. They hunt in an uncharted, backwoods, mountain community—one that until now has only been foraged by wild Darklings, those without an allegiance to clans. The danger is great, for here bands of wild fae work together to fight against outsiders who dare to trespass on their unlawful claim.
But an even greater danger lurks at the train station where the hunt begins.
Up until now, Lily has always been able to follow the basic Darkling rules: You can’t hunt any human younger than twelve. But she hasn’t eaten in weeks, and when a nine-year-old boy steps off the train, she can’t hold her hunger in check. With an unspoken plea, she manages to convince her husband to join her on a lawless and deadly hunt--
A hunt that will bring a curse upon the village of Ticonderoga Falls.
Please note: This is a Novella Prequel to A Place of Magic by Merrie Destefano
PRAISE FOR A PLACE OF MAGIC
Fresh Fiction says, "Merrie Destefano clearly created an awesome character with Samwise. I loved the dog turned beast, but still portrayed as a protector for his family. I thought that this was the best part of the story. Samwise was a brilliant idea." |
Minding Spot says, "[A Place of Magic] is a spectactular urban fantasy! Original, spooky and inspired, [A Place of Magic] will leave you with goosebumps and turning the pages for more. Maddie and Ash are wonderful characters and the addition of Samwise, the dog, and little Tucker really bring a sense of belonging to the reader." |
Dear Author says, "While reading this book, I was reminded quite a bit of Neil Gaiman. Not just because of Maddie’s character, who writes comic books, novels, and screenplays and has a cult following that track her all the way to Ticonderoga Falls, but because of the way real world and fantasy dream worlds blend and overlap in the setting. Much like in a Neil Gaiman work, Maddie accepts the fantastical without fuss." |
RENEGADE EXCERPT
I’ve practiced this countless times and this is the time I’ll finally get it right.
I’m a black shadow at midnight, I’m as silent as the wind--
Still, a layer of sweat ices my brow, and my hands tremble as I make my way across the JPL-NASA campus. More than fifty research labs and buildings stretch between me and my target, but from the moment the sun goes down, this once familiar site turns into an ominous maze. Darkness erases all the landmarks and my training evaporates like water in the desert.
I lift my gaze, trying to reorient myself but it’s so dark that, even with my night vision goggles, I can’t see the San Gabriel Mountains up ahead. In my mind, I know exactly where they must be—all ten thousand feet of rock and forest—and I can almost feel them pressing down upon me, whispering, taunting…
You’ve done this before and, every time, you’ve failed.
The memory stings.
I swallow, my throat dry.
There are three things I have to remember tonight…
One: They want to kill us, every single one of us, from my parents to my teachers to my best friends.
Two: They’re not human.
Three: This might be my last chance to prevent a war that will ravage our planet.
A laser switchblade is clutched in my fist, the metal slick and foreign. Other people prefer more modern weapons, but a laser switchblade—that’s my choice. You get to see your enemies up close and personal, you see the flicker of fear in their alien eyes. That right there can give me enough adrenaline to complete almost any job. Not to mention, this baby is the only thing that can kill my real enemy.
The Xua.
The silver-skinned, alien invaders who want to take over Earth.
Despite all my jumps through time, this war has never felt right. It was never what I wanted to do.
“Everyone else can die, remember that,” a voice says in my ear. “Not you.”
I flinch at the words. It’s Natalie, my best friend, talking through our skin site com system. Altogether, we’re a crew of four teenagers, all of us trying our best to keep to the shadows, as if that will hide us from the hair-trigger alarms that protect this facility.
“You took down the sensors?” I ask her, my voice so low even I can barely hear it.
Natalie sighs. And although Billy’s on the other side of the building, his chuckle sounds like he’s standing right beside me. Justin is the only one who answers, the calm assurance in his voice exactly what I need right now.
“She did,” he replies. “We tested it last night. We’re good to go.”
I nod, then realize no one can see me. I never asked to be the one to save the world and it’s not on my to-do list. But somehow, I got tangled up in this war and this is what I have to do.
I glance down at the monitor on the back of my hand. This is the first life that I scored one of these things and it’s made my job so much easier. I can see my younger brother, Gabe, in his bedroom, laughing and playing video games, the light from his screen turning his face blue, then green, then red.
He smiles and it lifts my spirits.
He’s safe.
As long as he’s alive, we still have a chance.
It’s Go Time. It’s now or never.
I’m a black shadow at midnight, I’m as silent as the wind--
Still, a layer of sweat ices my brow, and my hands tremble as I make my way across the JPL-NASA campus. More than fifty research labs and buildings stretch between me and my target, but from the moment the sun goes down, this once familiar site turns into an ominous maze. Darkness erases all the landmarks and my training evaporates like water in the desert.
I lift my gaze, trying to reorient myself but it’s so dark that, even with my night vision goggles, I can’t see the San Gabriel Mountains up ahead. In my mind, I know exactly where they must be—all ten thousand feet of rock and forest—and I can almost feel them pressing down upon me, whispering, taunting…
You’ve done this before and, every time, you’ve failed.
The memory stings.
I swallow, my throat dry.
There are three things I have to remember tonight…
One: They want to kill us, every single one of us, from my parents to my teachers to my best friends.
Two: They’re not human.
Three: This might be my last chance to prevent a war that will ravage our planet.
A laser switchblade is clutched in my fist, the metal slick and foreign. Other people prefer more modern weapons, but a laser switchblade—that’s my choice. You get to see your enemies up close and personal, you see the flicker of fear in their alien eyes. That right there can give me enough adrenaline to complete almost any job. Not to mention, this baby is the only thing that can kill my real enemy.
The Xua.
The silver-skinned, alien invaders who want to take over Earth.
Despite all my jumps through time, this war has never felt right. It was never what I wanted to do.
“Everyone else can die, remember that,” a voice says in my ear. “Not you.”
I flinch at the words. It’s Natalie, my best friend, talking through our skin site com system. Altogether, we’re a crew of four teenagers, all of us trying our best to keep to the shadows, as if that will hide us from the hair-trigger alarms that protect this facility.
“You took down the sensors?” I ask her, my voice so low even I can barely hear it.
Natalie sighs. And although Billy’s on the other side of the building, his chuckle sounds like he’s standing right beside me. Justin is the only one who answers, the calm assurance in his voice exactly what I need right now.
“She did,” he replies. “We tested it last night. We’re good to go.”
I nod, then realize no one can see me. I never asked to be the one to save the world and it’s not on my to-do list. But somehow, I got tangled up in this war and this is what I have to do.
I glance down at the monitor on the back of my hand. This is the first life that I scored one of these things and it’s made my job so much easier. I can see my younger brother, Gabe, in his bedroom, laughing and playing video games, the light from his screen turning his face blue, then green, then red.
He smiles and it lifts my spirits.
He’s safe.
As long as he’s alive, we still have a chance.
It’s Go Time. It’s now or never.
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