Ripening Gold

By Mary Catelli

Rosette studies magic, tends a long spell of her father's -- the drudge work of turning lead into gold -- longs to know what is happening at war. . . .

When she realizes her studies hold a spell that will let her learn, she learns more, and worse, of the war than she had expected.  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wizard's Wood Press
• Release date: Oct 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781942564621

Mary Catelli

Mary Catelli is an avid reader of fantasy, science fiction, history, fairy tales, philosophy, folklore and a lot of other things. (Including the backs of cereal boxes.) Which, in due course, overflowed into writing fantasy (and some science fiction).

Book preview

Ripening Gold

Mary Catelli

Published by Wizard's Wood Press, 2019.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

RIPENING GOLD

First edition. October 16, 2019.

Copyright © 2019 Mary Catelli.

ISBN: 978-1942564621

Written by Mary Catelli.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Ripening Gold

Also By Mary Catelli

About the Author

Ripening Gold

The roses bloomed behind her and filled the air with sweetness.  Rosette, kneeling on the flagstones, could not look at them.  Coin by coin, she turned each one and made sure it sat in the sun.  By now, they were not so much lead as metallic and even showing signs of gold.  Still, they needed many a day of sunning to become gold.  Many a day inching sideways on her knees.  Many days had passed, and more were to come.

She turned another.

Her father Ruggerio had sworn and raged when he had to leave, as if inheriting a title were a plot against him, and he threatened to raze her roses if she did not meticulously carry this out.  Sometimes, she wondered what he would do to replace the roses' protective enchantments, but every day, she turned the coins over and shifted them into the sun from shadows.

She used it to dawdle, Rosette told herself.  She