Solstice Gifts: A Windborne Holiday Short Story: The Windborne, #4.5

By Laurel Wanrow

A new wizard boyfriend.

Differing holiday traditions.

First gifts for each other.

 

'Tis the season to be jolly…and anxious.

 

Combining wizard and human holiday celebrations becomes tricky when everyone in Fern and Beri's new family—even Hilda the guinea pig!—expects something different, causing trouble and tugging at their heartstrings!

 

SOLSTICE GIFTS is a festive YA fantasy short story in the Windborne series, taking place after the events of The Witch of the Meadows. (It contains spoilers.)

 

Curl up with a clean & wholesome story appropriate for adults and young adults. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sprouting Star Press
• Release date: Nov 29, 2019
• ISBN: 9781943469130

Book preview

Solstice Gifts

SOLSTICE GIFTS

A WINDBORNE HOLIDAY SHORT STORY

LAUREL WANROW

Sprouting Star Press

Copyright © 2019 by Laurel Wanrow

All rights reserved.

Please purchase only authorized editions.

First Edition: November 2019

ISBN 978-1-943469-13-0

Copy Edit by Joyce Lamb

Cover Design by J. Kathleen Cheney

Created with Vellum

Solstice Gifts follows The Witch of the Meadows. You don’t need to have read Book 1 to enjoy this Winter Solstice story, but it contains spoilers!

The Windborne Series

Double Rescue (prequel novella)

Trial at the Faire (prequel novella)

The Witch of the Meadows

Guardian of the Pines

Lost Whisperer of the Seas

Keepers of the Sea Cliffs

Solstice Gifts (holiday short story)

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For Clarissa: Your enthusiasm for Fern and Beri’s story has spurred me on!

CONTENTS

1. Vacations Are For…

2. Getting the Details Right

3. What’s Important?

Thank you

Books by Laurel Wanrow

About the Author

1

VACATIONS ARE FOR…

In the Rocky Mountains of Colorado

Beri of the Moors decided the best course of action—for him, at any rate—was to stand back this Solstice and take direction when given. And to keep his thoughts on human holiday celebrations to himself. Beside him, Fern Fields nearly skipped up the gravel road with a lively energy equaling that of the fox he’d spotted chasing a hare last week. Everyone riding the school bus up the canyon had enthusiastically talked about their holiday plans, but of course he and Fern couldn’t say much about theirs, since their relatives would be arriving through a magical portal, not by car or plane.

You are gonna love winter break, Fern gushed, and he had to smile. What are you most excited about doing for your first Christmas?

Spending time with you, Beri said. And sleeping.

Fern grinned, her brown eyes brightening. Don’t let my mom hear you say those two things in the same sentence. She swatted his chest, her hand sliding over his down vest to corral him around the neck. She pressed her lips to his.

Mmm, nice. Before he could draw her closer, she shifted back and laughed, her breath puffing white and warm in the chill mountain air.

But I know what you mean, she said. We never have enough time together. Long, black hair swinging, she linked her arm through his and tugged him along, clearly too impatient to kiss more.

Being an exchange student at Fern’s human school ate up more hours than he’d expected when they first started dating, and because he still lived on the Isle of Giuthas, wizards there continued to request his help for various wildlife and magical tasks. Beri leaned toward Fern and whispered, I dinnae tell the elders we had a break. I still plan to come here every day and nap on your couch.

Ha. You wish!

They turned onto