The
Witch Within
Ancestor’s
Enchantment Trilogy
Jacqueline
Paige
Genre:
Paranormal Romance
Publisher:
Eternal PressDate of Publication: December 1 2014
ISBN: 978-1-62929-185-7
Number of pages: 165
Word Count: 59,000
Cover Artist: Amanda Kelsey
Book
Description:
Magic
locked up long ago for the safety of all awakens in modern society
where bad intentions are on every street corner.
Three
women unaware of the power their ancestors passed onto them is the
only thing that stands between the dark magic that lays in wait.
Available
at Amazon
Prologue
The
sun was long past setting as the six gathered deep in the darkness
and began moving through the trees. Their only light was that of the
luminescent moon at its fullest. The youngest of the six led the
way, she may have been the least in years, yet the others knew she
was the one that held all the strength.
In
her wake, each would turn and check their trail to be certain no one
followed. If their parents were ever to know, it would be the end of
them all. The power and gifts they held secret had been discovered
quite by accident a few years before, since that time they had honed
their great skills of true magic.
Eden
quickly caught up to her sister at the front, a sister of choice and
not from blood. Ducking her head, she whispered as close to Alana’s
ear as she possibly could. “Do you know of the reason for the
summoning?”
Alana
shook her pitch black hair back from her face. “I do not.” She
turned towards the lake and increased the pace of her step. Peering
back over her shoulder, she gauged the others closeness and then
spoke as soft as a breeze. “A dark feeling has filled me for many
days past, I fear it is not for good reasons we gather on this
autumnal night.” She patted the bundle she carried from cord at
her side. “We must be wary and prepared.”
Eden
inhaled sharply and dropped back a pace. “I shall caution
Bridget.” Alana only lifted her face to the moons rays and
continued on. Turning to look quickly at the three that walked a
ways behind, heads close together, she turned and gave Bridget a
stare to bring her to hasten her movement forward. As soon as she
was within hearing, she whispered to the ground. “Alana has dark
feelings – yet again.”
Bridget
sighed quite loudly. “I have been a feared of such since two days
past, she walks about with that crease on her brow and my guts
supposed it were to be brusquely that our scheme was at hand.”
Eden
nodded, but daren’t say more for fear of the others overhearing.
Once
reaching the lake, the six spread out the distance between their
bodies, in habit a circle was formed. Alana set her bundle upon the
ground at her feet and turned to the eldest among them. “Having
done as you stated, not one of us have uttered a query for this
assembly you have called, Ella.” She looked around at her sisters
of her choosing to see their rapt attention on the one she spoke to.
“Do end our curiosity, sister and share the meaning if you please.”
She kept her focus on the crimson haired sister, watching for a sign
she prayed would not be revealed. Ella flipped her long locks back as
she let her eyes move over each girl present. The last she looked
upon was Alana, as she knew to be common with her.
“It
is my right to call each of you – as only sisters of our circle apt
to do.” Lenora and Jane were the only of the five that agreed
readily. “The year is now one thousand, six hundred eighty- five.
It has been five years past, since the night we found our way to one
another, as we are. I have a wish to ensure the threats to our very
lives are secure and to behold a power that we six are deserving of.”
Alana
shook her head when Eden inhaled raggedly. “Sister, Ella, have we
not spoke of this to the point of tiring? The hunts have ceased, no
more shall be accused nor sought. We are here, each one of us safe.”
She chanced a glance at the others and found the group was as she
knew it to be, split in two groups of three. “Not once during the
trials and fearsome times did even one come to think of us as a sort
of betrayer to the word...”
“Alana,
child, you are what now? Ten and three years?” Ella smiled in that
maddening way she had. “I, having five further years on yours can
feel it in my bones, these outrageous happenings are not at a cease
and we are very much in need of ensuring it does not come to pass
again.”
Alana
dropped her head down and let her black hair cover her face whilst
she sought out the vibrations of the others dear to her heart.
Lifting her face she beheld the moon hanging over the lake. “We
are but children, Ella. As god fearing as any that step in the arch
of our church, we have nothing to fear.”
“We
have everything to fear!” Ella’s voice rose through the silence
of the night. “I shall be a betrothed woman in short time and then
what will become of me when my husband discovers what I am?”
Eden
replied before Alana had the chance. “I am certain William will be
ignorant in your habits, sister. How would he ever find a clue
unless you told him you are a witch of magicks.”
Lenora
stepped forward and shook her head. “In less than the years we
have been together, each of us shall be wives – then what shall we
ever do?”
“I
agree.” Jane said quietly. “In one year’s time I too will be
set to marry.”
Bridget
lifted her head and glared at Jane. “Whoever shall marry you shall
get what he has coming to him.”
Tiring
from the words they had all said to her many times before, Alana
raised her hands in the air and sent a gust of wind through the
circle. “I cannot bear to hear this again, sisters.” She turned
and watched as Ella and Jane nodded to one another. “I am not
taking part in your scheme of evil darkness.”
Ella
snorted in an unpleasant manner. “You would break your word to
each present here?”
Alana
took a step back, bringing her close to the water’s edge. “I
would not.” Her eyes quickly met that of Eden and Bridget before
she finished. “I would choose to revoke all I that I have been
given than do unjust things to others that cannot defend themselves
from your dark ways.”
Lenora
gasped. “You would not...”
Alana
raised her hands. “I would exactly.”
Jane
stepped in front of Ella. “For you to revoke your gifts, would you
not be obliged to take all of ours?”
Alana
shrugged. “Mayhap it will take all no one can be certain.”
Ella
shoved Jane out of her way. “You would not dare to try, young
sister...”
Eden
bent down at Alana’s feet and opened the bundle. Alana opened her
hands in front of her and bit her lip to stop from hissing as her
sister placed a small score on each of her palms. Keeping her focus
on the three opposed, she prayed they could not see. When Eden
straightened and walked past Bridget, she knew the task was complete.
Alana
clasped a hand each of Eden and Bridget and raised their arms; the
blood from the shallow scores upon their hands mixed and brought to
her a heat of power that only she could have born.
“Sister,
Eden, stop them!” Lenora cried.
Alana
closed her eyes and felt the winds circle her with recognition.
Beneath her feet the ground quivered, waiting for her to speak to it.
As she opened her eyes and focused on the three sisters she did not
now touch, she felt the spray from the water at her back cover her in
small droplets. “I cannot be part of something that goes against
all that I feel to be right, sisters.” Tilting her head she looked
at Jane. “Join us in protecting what is just.”
Jane’s
eyes widened and for the briefness of a heartbeat, Alana thought
there was a small chance she might agree, but she shook her head and
stepped beside Ella. Woefulness filled her insides, even though she
knew the outcome days before, her heart begged her to attempt.
“Lenora?” Once more she waited even though she knew another
sister was lost to her. Lenora backed further away and looked at the
sand under her feet. “So shall it be,” Alana whispered.
Inhaling
slowly she raised her eyes to the moon whose rays bound her to the
sky above. “I call ...”
“Wait!”
Ella’s voice was filled with panic. “We can speak more of this
and draw an end that pleases each one of us together.”
The
fear jolted into her from the hands she held. Without looking at
Ella, she sought to feel what was in her soul. Pain enveloped her
heart as the truth coursed into her. “Why speak of falseness,
eldest sister? I know what lurks in your heart and I must protect
the innocent you wish to cause sufferance to.”
Raising
her hands higher she spoke to the night. “I call upon the night and
all of her energy, come to me and abet me with this, my last task.”
The winds swirled coloured leaves around her, she smiled and let the
magic wash over, feeling the warm welcome of it just once more.
Lightening streaked through the clear sky above, she inhaled the
power. “I seek to bind this three and three from doing any harm.”
A circle of flames burst around them, flicking as long tongues of
three feet high, blocking the outside from entering and the six from
leaving. “I send for safe keeping all that we have, the gifts that
you gave, to our furthest ancestors to keep within until there is a
dire need of them.”
A
stinging traveled along her flesh as the energies gathered, waiting
for her leave go of. “When a time comes that this three and three
be together once more, awaken and come again...” So much power was
collecting inside her she had no choice but to cry a single tear,
knowing that this was the last time she would feel it in this body.
“Collect inside the generations and carry us forward to a time long
from now.” She could hear crying, but was not to take a chance to
see which sister or sisters it came from. “Select the one that bear
good will and hold an honest heart and make her remember. Remember
the times of this six and behold the gifts we pass to her.” A clap
of thunder sounded across the sky, its cry echoing over the lake
until it faded back into the night. “I thank you from deep within
and now set you free...”
A
strong tunnel of wind gust through the circle, stealing any more she
had to speak. Opening her eyes wider she watched as each sister
dropped to the ground, leaving her the last one standing. A burning
washed over her, pulling at her until she thought she could bear it
no longer, and then it was gone. Emptiness filled her as the flames
swallowed into the ground. Behind her the water was now lying calmly
as it had been when they had arrived. The earth was now silent, as it
had been. The rays of the moon seemed no more than a light in the
darkness, without power and purpose.
A
draining feeling passed through her, causing her legs to weaken under
her until she dropped onto the sand and panted to seek to breathe
once again. Looking around, the others didn’t move, they just lay
where they had fallen without a word. When she glanced upon Ella,
the hatred was clearly on her face.
“I
will have vengeance.” Ella hissed at her.
Alana
rolled onto her back and looked at the sky, feeling like nothing more
than a child again. “You may seek to strive for such.” She
answered softly. “My will shall fall to my kin far from now and we
shall see if you find triumph.” To feel nothing but commonness
once more—it was wondrous to feel.
Was
she floating? See seemed weightless enough to be. Squeezing her
eyes shut, she counted to ten before opening them again.
Hovering
above a lake, she could see her own shadow cast on the water from the
moon above her.
A
dream, it had to be a dream. The last time she checked none of her
life skills involved floating.
Glancing
around, she didn’t recognize the area below her. People were
walking through trees, or maybe those were just children...
Where
was she?
A
void feeling came over her, like she was fading...
What
was that ringing noise?
Bolting
up, Teegan looked around to realize she was in her own living room.
About the Author:
Jacqueline
Paige lives in Ontario in a small town that's part of the popular
Georgian Triangle area. No one has ever heard of Stayner, so she
usually tells people she lives near Collingwood and no, she doesn't
ski at Blue Mountain or at all, in fact she's not even fond of snow.
She
began her writing career in 2006 and since her first published works
in 2009 she hasn't stopped. Jacqueline describes her writing as all
things paranormal, which she has proven is her niche with stories of
witches, ghosts, physics and shifters now on the shelves.
When
Jacqueline isn't working at her reality job or lost in her writing
she spends time with her five children, most of whom are finally able
to look after her instead of the other way around. Together they do
random road trips, that usually end up with them lost, shopping
trips where they push every button in the toy aisle, hiking when
there's enough time to escape and bizarre things like creating new
daring recipes in the kitchen. She's a grandmother to five (so far)
and looks forward to corrupting many more in the years to come.
Interview
Ontario Canada – where the weather can and does
change right before your eyes.
Tell us your latest news?
I have several books that have either just come out
or are coming out soon – which translates into no rest for me. J The Witch Within is my most recent and is the
first in a new trilogy I’m working on – The Ancestor’s Enchantment Trilogy.
When and why did you begin writing?
I wanted to write before but with five young
children life took over for years. I guess you could say I seriously started in
2006 though – but not in the way most start.
I sat down and wrote an entire novel (From Beltane Magic) as a joke to
have the last word with a friend of mine.
She went away for a month and I jokingly asked her what I was going to
do with her gone and her reply was “write a book”. So I did. Actually by the time she got home I was in
the middle of book 2 in the Magic Seasons series. Both of us were shocked that I was good at
this writing thing.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
Honestly after the first book I still didn’t – it
was probably after my fifth was accepted to be published I was like “oh my gosh
I’m a writer … a published one.” What
can I say, sometimes I’m a little slow. J
What inspired you to write your first book?
The book I wrote as a “joke” was something that was
foremost in my mind at the time I suppose. I had just done a few years of going
to various festivals as a vendor and all of the wonderful people I met along
the way left me with so many ideas and information I spun it into a plot of
characters I still love to this day in the Magic Seasons series.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Chaos? Is that a style? I usually have an idea for a story or a
character that keeps prodding me to write their story and I have tried to plot
them out but my characters seem to take over everytime … so I type they dictate
and we both end up surprised at the end.
How did you come up with the title?
For The Witch Within the title was there from the
first inkling of the story – for obvious reasons.
Is there a message in your novel that you want
readers to grasp?
This one was written for pure enjoyment – no hidden
agendas involved.
How much of the book is realistic?
Unfortunately the magic part isn’t – although I only
wish ten times a day I could do half of what my characters can. I do take the time to research any profession
I bring into a book though, so for the most part my characters and stories are
just like everyday life for someone there.
Are experiences based on someone you know, or events
in your own life?
Not that I know of. Although the sarcasm many of my
characters inherit would be from me. J
What books have most influenced your life most?
I have read literally a thousand or more since I was
a teen, so narrowing it down to one or two is almost impossible.
If you had to choose, which writer would you
consider a mentor?
I have always been a Sherrilyn Kenyon fan – so if I
had the chance to have a mentor in my writing I would have to pick Sherri … she
takes characters to places no one else does.
What book are you reading now?
Sadly I am not, I have a huge stack to read but I’m
working on edits for two of my books and writing another one so I don’t read
while I’m doing that so I don’t end up changing my own characters voices by
mistake.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your
interest?
That is a long list.
So many new authors are out there now that a few years ago no one had
heard of. It’s wonderful to see.
What are your current projects?
I am currently writing Volume 2 of After the Silence
– Kane as well as playing with ideas for the third book in the Animal Trilogy –
Passion, all while jotting down ideas for the second book in the Ancestor’s
Enchantment Trilogy – Magic Descends.
Clearly a holiday is no time soon for me.
What would you like my readers to know?
That I love each and every one of them. Without the
readers I’d just be a crazy person telling myself stories. XOX
Thanks so much for having me here today!
@JacqPaige
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3080517.Jacqueline_Paige
http://jacquelinepaige.com/
http://jacqpaige.blogspot.ca/
http://www.amazon.com/Jacqueline-Paige/e/B003LDHJAW/
The net ate my first post ... comment take 2!
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, got a little sidetracked reading the posts. Lol
Thanks for having me here today!