Hawthorn & Ash: Hawthorn & Ash, #1

By Stacey Jaine McIntosh

Hawthorn & Ash is a compilation of fantasy drabbles and flash fiction from authors worldwide.
Within in its pages you will find enchanting stories of myth, legends and fairytales woven throughout.
Dive into the magic and wonder of these 50+ tales in Volume One.

Featuring: Stacey Jaine McIntosh, Chris Bannor, Umair Mirxa, Winter Avarice, Cindar Harrell, DJ Tyrer, John H. Dromey & Zoey Xolton. Including 14 other gifted authors!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Iron Faerie Publishing
• Release date: Dec 6, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393575405

Stacey Jaine McIntosh

Stacey Jaine McIntosh is the author of ten short stories. "Freya" and "Blood Sacrifice" were published late 2011 and "Fallen Angel" published in 2012. "Life or Death", "Exiles of Eden" and "Morrighan" published in 2013. "Red" and "The Summer Girl" were published in June 2015 and "The Hunter Million" and "Shadows of Annwn" are due to be published later in 2015. She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband and four young children.

Book preview

And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.

Roald Dahl

The Gateway to Faerie

ZOEY XOLTON

THE FOREST SHIVERED as Analia passed, trailing her fingers over lush bracken. Brightly coloured fungus climbed the ancient bark of the gnarled oaks, and fireflies danced in the growing darkness.

In the distance – a mournful howl.

Save the princess!

The beast comes!

Open the Gateway!

A cacophony of small, frightened voices sang. In answer, a bright, swirling portal materialised before Analia.

Come, Analia! You must hurry.

Where does it lead? she asked.

To Faerie!

The underbrush behind her stirred, red eyes gleaming from the shadows.

No time!

Shoved by an unseen force, Analia tripped through the door – and into Faerie.

Unregistered

EDDIE D. MOORE

SIR ZANE’S EYES NARROWED as the man they were watching thrust his arms forward, and a gust of wind tore the house’s door from its hinges.

Ayleth asked, Our thief is an unregistered magic user?

There’s no doubt about that. A few minutes later, the thief left the house carrying an over-stuffed sack in one hand and eating a sandwich with the other. Zane gave his apprentice a sideways look. And what have I taught you about untrained wizards?

Ayleth grinned. That they can’t use their magic with encumbered hands and a stuffed mouth.

Zane nodded and drew his sword.

Freedom

CHRIS BANNOR

THE RIVER BUBBLED WITH dancing waves upon the rocks.  The water was fresh, fed by a large lake with tributaries that eventually fed to the great oceans. 

They lived on land now, a colony of creatures that kept to themselves and thrived in the waterways of the river-heavy country they called home. 

Seal skins littered the rocks, like dresses set to dry in the sun.  The day was young though, and they played in their human skins, water and laughter splashing across the golden sky.  Soon, they would return to their furs and the song of the selkies would begin.    

Misdirection

G. ALLEN WILBANKS

A DARK ELF MATERIALIZED out of the forest, emerging onto the deer trail Aaryn followed. The elf hissed, seeming equally as startled by the unexpected confrontation. In the time it took for the creature to raise its bow and reach for an arrow, Aaryn bolted from the path into the cover of the surrounding trees.

A soft rush of air tickled at his left ear and a black-feathered arrow buried itself in the trunk of a nearby tree. Low hanging branches slapped and scratched at his face, tore at his clothing, as Aaryn continued his wild flight through the forest. He did not slow his pace. The elf would follow.

A second arrow whistled past, glancing off a sturdy sapling before sailing harmlessly into the distance.

Aaryn knew his luck wouldn’t last. Eventually one of the dark elf’s arrows would bring him down unless he found a way to lose his pursuer. He couldn’t simply outrun the elf, either. The hateful creatures were faster and had more endurance than most humans. His only hope was to mislead the elf; send it running after a distraction while he slipped