Cloaked

By Caroline Frye

Most people met and fell in love, normally, Cami Wilson tumbled through a time tunnel.

Niklaus was trapped in a town of ice and snow by a magic spell when Cami fell into his arms.

With her world turned upside down, Cami struggled to rescue Niklaus, but the clock was ticking, and if she didn't save him soon, the time tunnel would disappear and so would he.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Caroline Frye
• Release date: Dec 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005723194

Caroline Frye

Children's author and musician.

Book preview

CLOAKED

Caroline Frye

All Rights Reserved

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any

means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or other-

wise—without prior written permission of the publisher, except as

provided by United States of America copyright law. Certain names and identifying characteristics have been changed. Actual events or

places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. For more information address the author.

http://inkler.blogspot.com/carolinefrye

CLOAKED: A Twisted Tale First Edition.

Copyright © 2021 Caroline Frye

Dedication

"I dedicate this book to my only daughter, Priscilla. Love, Mom.

In this Beauty and the Beast twist, can Cami use her wits to outsmart a witch and rescue the werewolf who promises to be her happy ever after?

Premise

Most people met and fell in love, normally. Cami Wilson tumbled through a time tunnel.

Trapped by magic in a town of ice and snow when Cami fell into his arms, Niklaus and Cami’s worlds turned upside

down.

Cami struggled to save Niklaus, but the clock kept ticking, and if she

didn't rescue him soon, the time tunnel

would disappear and so would he.

A secret wish. A frozen past. A wicked shift of fate.

Once upon a time only exists in fairytales. Not every girl has a fairy godmother. Especially not this one.

So that’s that.

Hiding beneath a frozen smile, silently awaiting a gesture of love, I’m a loner...and that’s all I’ll ever be.

I sleepwalk in a fairytale world, captured in a spell of loneliness. To cope, I harden my heart and ignore the emptiness—although the sadness chills me to the bones. Still, I console my doubts with lies of optimism to continue from day to day. What does true love matter? I have a good credit card...and friends.

For that, I’m grateful.

At first, I thought the emptiness would go away. If I waited patiently, love would appear. But my birthdays come and go, and now, after years of disappointment, I firmly suspect Fate has its wicked hand on me.

If Fate were a being, it would be a witch because only dark magic could create such darkness in my life. I never dreamed I would experience magic, but how else could I explain the dreaded events that happened? And now, the grave loneliness still follows me like a hungry wolf.

Over the years, my ordinary life has morphed from heartsick to happy and then back again, and this time with even more remorse. Still, I jostle carefree through my days, smiling while hiding my broken heart behind a mask. I don’t want anyone’s pity, nor do I wish to stir Fate’s caldron of misery.

A big mistake.

Now, here I sat...still alone, and undone.

***

Is it too late for me to change my life?

I should have acted long, long ago, but I followed along, blindly afraid of the impending disappointments.

Another mistake.

Now finally, I’m determined to make a change. I wipe my tears and wrap my fingers like ribbons around my broken heart, guarding it like a precious gift to survive the coming days.

My best friend, Triona and I have saved and prepared for another trip together. So just before Christmas Eve, we set out to a land of ice and snow, Austria. As we begin our journey, my heart swells with new hope. What a glorious time to travel. Not even the weather can stop me.

I have nothing against wintry weather. My dreams shoot skyward, riding the wind like flurries in a snowstorm.

By some unforeseen miracle, something remarkable will happen. Dare, I hope? I inhale a deep breath of joy. Call it dreaming, but the dream is mine for the taking. I snarl at the dark clouds that form in my mind.

Still, doubts surround me. What if the vacation ends with me being lonelier than before? Pondering the answer stings like fangs gnawing me to the quick. Refusing to have my dreams crushed by despair, I square my shoulders and banish the doubts from my mind replacing them with more hopes and dreams.

This will be the trip of a lifetime!

This is my last chance to enjoy myself.

Hopefully, something surprising will occur—something magical. I’m not sure what to expect.

But I could never have dreamed of the otherworldly surprises flowing my way.

Time has a way of changing things...

During our time in Austria, I dreamed of enjoying the snowy countryside, and having a general fun time meeting new people.

Upon arrival, my best friend, Triona and I wasted no time, but set out immediately exploring the small snowy village. We wanted not only to hit the hotspots; we wanted to get a real feel of the place by visiting places of business that the locals frequented.

After several hours of scouting out the marketplace, we traipsed through the icy streets and found a local antique shop where the most beautiful snow globe I’ve ever seen set on top of a dusty shelf. I walked closer for a better view.

The globe was larger than most and shines invitingly with a scene of the exact village where we were staying. Something nudged me to reach out and touch the globe. When I touched it, without any warning—the floor seemed to fall out from under me. My breath hitched as a blast of air sucked me into a gigantic black tunnel. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! Some invisible force continued drawing me deeper into itself. It snatched into the thick darkness like a bug in a whirlwind. I tried to catch hold of something and stop myself. Terror took hold, seizing my consciousness. The force flung me helplessly toward the unknown.

Usually, when there was a time lapse, there was also an ordinary explanation, but that would not happen this time. I plummeted through space and time, hearing someone scream—not realizing it was me. I flung my arms and legs in midair, trying to grasp anything to stop the fall.

Panic gripped my body as the frigid air whisked me deeper and deeper through a black tunnel. I am helpless to stop myself, but my mind raced ahead. Would I die?

I gasped, still reaching for something to grab, but the tunnel had now walls. My fingers grasped through mid-air, finding nothing. I could not save myself from the fall. I swooshed head long through the wind tunnel, swirling and tumbling, uncontrollably. And then, just as suddenly as I had hurled through time and space,

I came to a brain-rattling stop.

I caught my breath and groaned, finding myself on the wooden floor of the antique shop with the shopkeeper staring down at me. She looked the same as before, except now she wore a strange medieval-looking garb, like for a costume party. The overhead lights were off, and smoke filled the air, creating a hazy look inside the shop.

Startled, I stood, glancing down to smooth out my clothing, and huffed. My clothes were different. Now I wore a long gown and a red velvet cloak. What was going on?

What is this? I said, shoving my cloak aside and lifting the gown. Where are my clothes?

Calm yourself, deary, said the shopkeeper. She stepped around the counter and stood beside me in a flash.

A wave of distain shot though my body. Don’t tell me to calm myself! I have a right to know what is going on! Now, I will ask you again. Where are my clothes?

The shopkeeper reached for my arm. I yanked it away. There’s nothing to fear, dear—

Oh yes, well, what about all this? I turn, pointing out the weird clothes I now wear and the lighting. Explain this!

She placed her fingers on her hips, grinning. It’s just the usual way of things here once the time changes.

Now, you’re just talking in riddles, I hiss. Stop toying with me. Explain yourself.

I’ve lived in this shop for years, and I’ve traveled back and forth through time. I’ve loved every journey. I welcomed the change.

I take in a deep breath of smoke-filled air. There you go again with the riddles. Just tell me what has happened. Before I call the cops. I reached for my cell phone, but there are no pockets nor is there a phone.

Nothing is ever as it was, my dear... not after traveling to the past, especially not to the 16th century.

Looking about the shop, I notice the smokey haze and the lighting. Before there were overhead electric lights that brightened the shop, but now a wood stove warmed the rooms, and the only lighting was from candles. Seems that more than our clothing had changed. Yet the shopkeeper could not be right. Time travel