Ariadne and the Cod Father: Magic and Mayhem Universe: My Dead Soulmate Series, #1

By Scarlet Le Clair

One wish + One Dead Soulmate = One hilarious trip to visit the Cod Father.

 

When Ariadne blew out the candles on her 18th birthday cake, she had just one wish, to have someone who was all hers.

 

What she didn't bank on was finding her soulmate who's been dead for hundreds of years.

She also got her magical powers; powers she never thought she would get.

 

Add to the mix an adventure into the Scottish hills to meet the infamous Cod Father.

The one to bring her true love back to life.

 

But true love never runs smoothly and Ariadne ends up with way more than she bargained for including a long dead mother in law back from the grave.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scarlet Le Clair
• Release date: Oct 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201149727

Book preview

Chapter One

"Happy 18

th

birthday my sweet girl." Ariadne’s mother beamed at her over the multi coloured marble frosted birthday cake.

The warm glow of the candles cast flickering shadows across the room.

Make a wish Ari. Her best friend, Lucille whispered at her side.

Ariadne closed her eyes and thought for a few moments as she always did when it came to wishes.

For her wishes were serious and she wouldn’t want to waste one on any frivolous idea. No, she liked to think about what she wanted, what she really wanted. Over the years her birthday wish had changed many times, sometimes coming true, like when she had wished for a pony, only to be led moments later to their horse stables where there was a little stubby legged light brown shaggy pony waiting for her.

Ariadne had named him biscuit and other than Lucille, he was her only other best friend.

Other times her wishes had not come true, like when she had wished for her magic to show itself like it had with her older sister, Bella, but Ariadne still held hope that it would come true one day.

What she truly wished for this year was another person to be in her life, someone who was only for her.

For in the last few weeks she had never felt so alone, Lucille had come into her powers just two months earlier on her own 18 th birthday and had been whisked up into the academy that Ariadne’s parents, Rose and Patrick run. Ariadne had seen less and less of her as her magical training took over her life.

Okay, here goes. She whispered, ‘I wish upon the goddess, bring me someone for me and only me, so I am not so lonely. Thank you.’ It was a little selfish she knew, but hey, that’s what birthday wishes were for, right? She held her flame red hair back and blew out the candles in one puff.

Ariadne opened her eyes to the loving, eager faces of her family and Lucille, sucked in some air and puffed out her cheeks ready to blow any remaining candles.

Woo hoo, let’s get this party star- Bella’s sentence was cut short when a huge rumble ripped through the building.

The lights from the hallway outside the room and even the ones she could see dotted throughout the expansive gardens outside the window blacked out.

What in the name of pandemonium is that? Rose moved to Ariadne and gestured to Bella and Lucille to come to her, she did her best to hug them all to her.

Her face now lit by only the roaring fire at the back of the room.

I’m not sure. Patrick pulled out his cell phone, any idea what’s going on?"

Is it an earthquake? Lucille asked as the walls around them shook.

No, it can’t be. We don’t get them here. Bella spoke through gritted teeth.

Yes, okay. I’ll head there now, meet you and Lewis there. Patrick tucked his phone back into the breast pocket of his checked waistcoat.

It seems to be coming from the main house. Rose, take the girls to our room. If anything happens or I’ve not called in twenty minutes, send them to the safe room under the hall. Call Sally and tell her the same with the other students.

Her mother straightened her shoulders and nodded Okay let’s go girls. She tried to usher them out but Ariadne’s feet felt like they had a mind of their own.

She began to walk to the door but instead of turning left, and towards their living quarters she turned right and went outside towards the main building where the other students and staff slept, ate and had their lessons.

Ari, we need to stay inside, come back. She barely heard her mother call out, though she could see her father in front of her, shouting, his hands on her arms trying to turn her around and steer her towards the safety of their home.

The chill October air sending goose bumps over her bare arms though she barely noticed.

Oh dear goddess, Rose come and take a look at this. Her father’s voice sounded as though he spoke through water.

Suddenly her mother was in front of her but still her feet kept moving forward, it was like an invisible string around her waist pulling her in the direction she needed to go.

She, has a power? Oh Pat, she has a power. Her mother looked both proud and worried.

Professor Jon Morgan and Professor Lewis Mountfor ran around the building just as they neared the main entrance.

What’s happening? Professor Morgan called out over the fierce wind that had started up, the closer she got to the main door, the worse it got.

Ari has come into her powers. We’re not sure what is happening though. I’ve never seen a reaction like this. Patrick replied.

What do we do? Professor Mountfor called.

Can you go to Sally and keep the children safe and in their rooms? Jon, you come with us.

Yep. Without another word, professor Mountfor turned the way she was headed and through the doors to the main living quarters just before them.

What do we do? professor Morgan asked falling into step with her father.

For now, we follow her and see where it leads. But be ready for anything.

Bella, take Lucille back to your room and stay there until one of us comes to get you. Rose pulled her eldest daughter in close and hugged her.

But mother I want to come too. Her sister all but stamped her foot. Ariadne would have laughed but since Professor Mountfor had opened the doors the pull for her had been even stronger.

Her feet were moving faster towards… well she didn’t know where she was headed but she didn’t feel afraid just a kind of longing, a buzzing throughout her whole body.

Up and up she went until they were outside the door of the attic.

She pushed at the age old wood but it wouldn’t budge, a dim purple light pulsed from underneath and through the cracks in the wood telling her she was definitely in the right place.

What’s in here? she asked her father.

He looked to Professor Morgan and then to her mother worriedly before replying It’s just the attic. He shifted his gaze away from her.

I know what it is father, I’m asking what is in there?

Oh for goddesses sake Pat. It’s where they lock away the most powerful and dangerous magical artefacts there are. Sweetheart, do you know why we are here?

Ariadne thought about it, but no she didn’t know why. She had never been to this part of the house before; she hadn’t even known it existed.

I don’t know. It’s like a ….pull. Like something is leading me here. Can we go inside?

Her father and Professor Morgan looked at each other for long moments before each nodded.

Stand back, it takes two of us to open the door. Her father replied, resignation in his voice.

Ariadne watched as her father and the professor linked hands and muttered an incantation in a language she had not heard before.

Her mother had stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked behind her, confused and worried to see Lucille and Bella down at the bottom of the stairs that led to the small landing in front of the attic.

Both looked up to her,