Shimmerspell: The Shimmer Trilogy, #1

By Kimberly Spencer

When sixteen-year-old Jensen Meadows finds herself caught in the middle of an ancient faerie war, she soon learns that faeries aren't made of sparkly goodness. They're vicious. And worse, they're after her.

With the help of Liam Casey, she delves into their world to find her missing sister and begins to suspect that her whole life has been nothing more than a faerie tale. But what if the truth is worse?

Shimmerspell is a fast paced novella, 22,000 words, 88 pages in paperback.

Limerick: A Faerie Tale Girl Novella,#2 is available now!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kimberly Spencer
• Release date: Apr 13, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458009074

Kimberly Spencer

Kimberly Spencer is an avid reader, writer and non-arithmeticer. Seriously, don’t ask her to count anything. If she’s not working on the next book in The Faerie Tale Girl Series, she’s probably fighting with her three-year-old shih tzu Macho. Her favorite authors are Rachel Vincent, Cassandra Clare, and Gena Showalter.

Book preview

Shimmerspell

The Shimmer Trilogy, #1

by Kimberly Spencer

Copyright © 2011 Kimberly Spencer

Smashwords Edition

http://ibreathefiction.blogspot.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

All rights are reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author.

Cover Art by Claudia McKinney

Chapter One

Ok, who can tell me the additive inverse of twenty-seven?

Crickets chirped.

Mr. Tanner lifted his deep brown eyes from the textbook, staring over the rim of his glasses and out into the classroom as he scanned each row for a victim. Soon those shrewd eyes would fall on Jensen and then he’d pounce. He always did.

She held her head up, trying to exude confidence. But somehow he knew she hadn’t studied over the break, knew she didn’t know the answer. And that knowledge gave him a power he wielded mercilessly. Well, he grabbed a broken piece of chalk from the blackboard and walked around his cluttered desk, sitting on the edge, since no one wants to volunteer, Ms. Mead—

The bell sounded and Jensen released the breath she’d been holding. It was a close call too. If Tanner had put her on the spot one more time, she planned to walk out. Her sister Lauren would have been mad about it, but Jensen just couldn’t find it in her to care.

Homework for tomorrow is on page sixty-five. Odd numbers. And class, don’t forget to show your work this time. I’d hate to have to give out anymore goose eggs.

Jensen dropped her books inside her khaki messenger bag, and slid out the door in front of two football players in a shoving match. If she’d stayed about a minute longer, Tanner would have cornered her and that just couldn’t happen. He’d never yelled at her or anything like that. And had always been nice, in an overly concerned, yet non-pervy way. But, for reasons unknown to her, Tanner always knew when she lied. And that was just … weird.

Jensen navigated through end-of-school traffic, finding her best friend Zoe waiting at her locker, fresh off a field trip to the Rolling Hills Science Center.

Zoe glanced up from her cell phone and smiled. Ooh cute, she said, twirling her finger through the violet streaks in Jensen’s bangs. Violet streaks that weren’t supposed to be violet.

Jensen rolled her eyes. Yeah right.

No, it really is.

Zoe, it’s supposed to be pink.

Your hair is too dark for that and I think it’s cute this way. She crossed her legs and leaned against the locker beside Jensen’s. So, did you get it?

Jensen swirled the dial on her padlock, avoiding Zoe’s gaze. Get what?

Come on, you know.

Of course Jensen knew. Most thirteen-year-olds had it by now and she’d just turned sixteen. Without it. She sighed and shook her head, wondering why she’d ever told the girl in the first place.

Zoe’s eyes widened. Really? I was sure you would’ve gotten it over Spring Break. Well, look at it this way, at least you don’t have to deal with cramps yet or bloating. Or worry about ruining your brand new Vicki Secrets. Or have some Neanderthal steal your tampon and toss it around the classroom like a football. Her eyes darkened and she glanced away. That’s not very fun.

And apparently not something you could live down either. Even the teachers had taken to calling her Scarlett Rose now. And the name actually fit. Her eyes were green, just a shade darker than Jensen’s, and her hair, the color of … well, a rose.

Jensen put her pen in her mouth, opened her locker, and grabbed her sketchpad, sliding it into her messenger bag. So you and Benji still on? She needed to change the subject. Fast.

Zoe scowled. Hell no! Can you believe the idiot forgot our anniversary? I mean, who does that?

Haven’t you only been dating for two months?

Zoe cocked her head to the side, staring up at Jensen like she had just flown in from another planet. Yeah, but you’re supposed to celebrate it every month until you’ve been together a full year.

Jensen raised her eyebrows, but said nothing else to incur Zoe’s wrath. Once she got started on the Zoe and Benji show, there would be no timeouts or take-backs.

Anyway, Mackenzie’s party. Zoe angled the locker door and touched up her lip gloss in the mirror. Are we a go?

Jensen scratched her elbow, still chewing on the pen. Mackenzie, Jensen’s lab partner, had invited them to a party at her beach house on Saturday, a party she’d never be able to attend. Can’t. Lauren wants to check out this art gallery in Tampa. And at some point, I’m supposed to practice driving on the interstate. The truth. Just not this weekend.

Look, she has that pen in her mouth again, a raspy voice said. I wonder what else she likes to put in there. Shrill giggles followed and someone slammed a locker door.

Jensen ground her teeth against the blue pen top, not needing to see the face that voice belonged to. The sugary sweet stench pouring off the girl said enough. Shelby. Zoe’s twin.

She walked up beside Jensen, holding a bubblegum-pink scrapbook against her chest. Zo, can we please go? she asked, though it sounded more like a demand. Some of us have things to do.

I’ll be right there, Zoe said, still staring in the mirror.

Shelby sauntered off, having accomplished her bitchy deed for the day. And one finger at a time, Jensen relaxed her fist. I don’t know what her problem is.

In a word. You.

Jensen slid her pen into her messenger bag and started twisting her emerald ring around and around on her middle finger. Zo, I’ve never done anything to her and you know it.

Zoe raised her eyebrows, sliding her lip gloss into her pocket. Yeah you have.

Ok, so tell me what I did then?

Well let’s see. She tapped her chin, flicking her gaze upward. You transferred here. That’s all she would ever say, which both frustrated Jensen and endeared her to the girl at the same time. She had to hand it to her. No matter who did what, Zoe never played sides.

Well, that was insightful.

Zoe laughed. I do what I can.

But seriously, don’t be mad when I start fighting back. And she did mean fight, because so far in the game of social warfare, Shelby held down the lead with a