Moonhold

By clarissa brenan

When Aurora Carra was a young girl she has always wanted to marry the prince and live in the palace. But when Aurora gets her wish she becomes worried about her family and her soul.

• Language: English
• Publisher: clarissa brenan
• Release date: Feb 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393032533

clarissa brenan

Clarissa Brenan is the author of several young adult novels including Ghosts of Hanna and Revenge of the Scorned Witch. She lives and writes in Oklahoma. You can follow her on her Instagram page @cbrenan75.

Book preview

My name is Aurora and I live in a quaint little town of LostWood. It’s such a beautiful little town with its shops around the square. My mom, Elizabeth, runs a bakery shop. She makes the best wild berry biscuits around. Even though I love my little town I long to live in the palace.

Aurora be a dear and go pick some more berries for me, I have all of these orders to fill or I would go myself, Mom asks as I walk into her bakery one morning. Of course, I say as I grab my basket and head out to the woods on the edge of town. I don’t mind picking berries it is better than being in the hot bakery.

As I am picking some blueberries from the blueberry bush a handsome man with dark brown flowing hair, dark green eyes, and sun-kissed face rides up. Excuse me, my lady, could you tell me where the town of LostWood is, He asks politely as I am awestruck by the stranger's good looks. His deep dark green eyes sparkle as he dismounts from his horse. Yes sir, it is straight down the trail and through the trees, I answer sweetly as I continue to stare into his eyes. He smiles at her as he kisses her hand Thank You, my lady. Prince Aradan smiles brightly. Might I be so bold to inquire your name? He asks.

I blush deeply, I hope that this handsome man doesn’t see. It is Aurora Carra, good sir.

Aurora what a beautiful name for a beautiful lady.

And your name, good sir?

It is Bra`dan, my lady. He continues. So you say it’s down this trail and through the trees?

Yes, I say then pause a second. You know my basket is full why don’t I just show you. He nods and takes my hand as we walk towards my quaint little town of LostWood. What brings you to LostWood, I inquire as we make our way through the tree line. Bra`dan stops suddenly in his tracks with a look of confusement on his face. I am a messenger for the King. He lied. Even though I knew he had lied don’t want to call him out on it. He didn’t need to know that I was an empath. I couldn’t help but think how safe I felt with my hands in his. There’s nothing wrong with that, I say. It’s good honest work 

And you my lady, what do you do when you're not gathering berries, Bra`dan asked. I work with my mother in her bakery shop, I answered suddenly proud of my mother’s bakery shop. That one right there, I said pointing to the little shop with the different flowers out front.

Bra`dan stops in front of Isabel Adams cottage. He noticed me cringe when he stopped. I take it you don’t like the family who lives here, He says with a warm comforting smile on his face that almost knocked me off my feet. Um, yes I do it’s the Adams’s cottage, I went to school with their daughter Isabel, I scoffed trying not to show her hatred for Isabel.

"Well Mrs. Aurora I must deliver this message and head back to the castle, but I would like to see you again.

Me too good sir, I smile happily.

I turn to head back towards my cottage on the far side of town. I didn’t care that people were staring at me as I half dance half skip down the street. Off in my own little world, oblivious to everything around me.

Mom is sitting at the table when I come dancing through the door. Hi, mom I’ve had the most beautiful day, I say in a sing-song voice as I twirled around. Mom smiles in her all-knowing smile I see, he must have been really handsome to put you in this wonderful mood,

Oh mom, I blush as I put the basket of berries down on the table. There might have been a cute guy that I saw while I was picking berries.

I knew it, Mom laughed. So what is his name? Where is he from, She started her million and one mom questions. I broke down and told her everything about how he wanted directions to town, how I decided to show him. However, not his name, that I would keep to myself.

A few days later I was helping in mom's bakery when Isabel shows up with her mother Aurora I didn’t know you worked here,

Yes I do, I mumble, as I glance back and forth between them calming myself while waiting for some more snotty comments from the pair.

My mother owns the shop, so I help out, I add. Isabel just rolls her eyes like she’s bored. I have an order for a batch of your mother’s wild berry biscuits, Isabel’s mother sneered at me. And NONE of those day-old ones that you try and pass off as fresh, I looked at Isabel then back at her mother Fine come back in about an hour, I seethed angrily through my teeth.

Isabel looks over at me So I got invited to the Prince’s ball can you believe it I got the invite yesterday, She exclaimed. So that was the news Bra`dan was delivering to them. Thankfully my mother comes in from the back before I could pop off that it was probably a pity invite. What do you want Iris, My mother glared at Isabel’s mother. Did you come to try to put another pathetic spell on my shop or my daughter and me.

Neither, I just came for some FRESH blueberry biscuits and be mindful they are a treat for the prince tonight, Iris bragged as she gave a little laugh.

She grinned. Oh, were you not invited to the Prince’s ball it’s to celebrate his birthday also he is supposed to choose his bride, No, but then again I don’t try to seduce men, I say smugly, trying to hide my disappointment, but it was no surprise her father was also in the King’s favor so of course she would be invited. We will be back in an hour for the order, Iris quipped as she hotly sauntered out of the bakery with Isabel by her side.

Mom got all upset and yelled as she left through the back door of the bakery I’ll be back. I stand there dumbfounded by what just happened. My mom always told me money is money we have to treat customers the same she didn’t care what coven they were with. So this reaction from her took me for a loop. I had to find out what was going on.

Promptly an hour later Isabel showed up for her order of blueberry biscuits. What’s wrong with your mother she is usually half-way polite, She asked.

I don’t rightfully know that’s my mother’s business anyway, I answer smugly. Well, She started but then decided against it paid for her order and walked out.

With no more orders to fill, I decided to close up shop early and try to find out what is going on with my mother.

Chapter 2

Prophecy

It didn't take me long to find my mother since there are only two places she goes and that is home or to my grandmothers. I found her with my grandmother picking vegetables from the garden. As I walk up I catch a bit of what they were saying. I know mom but how am I supposed to get her the ball she wasn't formally invited. My mother was saying as she pulled up a carrot. I know dear but we can't let that little Adam’s witch marry the prince you know as well as I do that the prophecy states that the firstborn daughter with a flame birthmark is to marry the Prince and my granddaughter has a red flame birthmark on her, My grandmother stated pointedly.

Hi mom, I say as I walk up to them. Are you alright,

Oh hi there sweetheart, Mom says as she looked over at grandma slightly shook her head. Yes, everything is fine, She answered nonchalantly.Did you close up early,

Yes, I finished the order for Isabel then closed up the shop since there weren’t any more orders so I decided to come and find you, I reported to her. Oh okay, what did you need then, She asked. I just stood there looking at her in shock. She can't be serious has she forgotten just a few hours ago that she had stormed out of the shop and left me to do the orders, I tell myself.

You stormed out of the shop plus you pretty much yelled at a customer, I affirmed. I want to know why,

I'm sorry dear but no, Mom warned.

Grandma looks over at my mother with a disgusted look on her face. Well if you won't tell her I will, She bellowed. She then looked over at me in her sweet grandmotherly way. Have you heard about the prophecy of the covens my dear, She asked me sweetly. I looked at her then over at my mom who looked a little upset at her mother then back at my grandmother. No I haven't what prophecy, I asked sitting on the ground as if I was a little child waiting for a story. Mom