The Girl With Ten Diamonds

By Karina McRoberts

Sweet and Savvy!

Another brick in the wall? Not bloody likely!

Rebel student Samara Jones is one very lost young woman, until she happens upon a flock of silvery geese, their goofy shepherd, and his whacko pals.

Can they really help her turn her life around, or will Samara tank totally? The answer will surprise you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Next Chapter
• Release date: Jan 13, 2022
• ISBN: 4824108853

Karina McRoberts

I write intelligent fiction - currently in four genres - historical romance/adventure fiction, epic fantasy, ghost stories, and comic fantasy. Books to enthrall and delight, entertain and enlighten. Fabulous characters and plenty of surprises. Lots of interesting author's notes for book club people! Writing since 2013, Karina McRoberts has published five novels in two genres - a time travel adventure/romance series (The Palace of the Stars and The Mine's Eye) and an epic fantasy trilogy with a female lead and modern themes (Chelandra, Master of the World, and Juggernaut). Her smaller works include an anthology and a short-story (The Haunting of York - A Ghostly Anthology and Lost and Found - A Ghost Story). Karina derives inspiration from living in a beautiful forest, while working with her husband to restore the remainder of their environs from degraded farmland to habitat for wildlife. Tahshi, their wonder dog extraordinaire, is a friend to all. In addition to being an avid conservationist, Karina is a musician with a keen interest in world and renaissance music. She has wandered very far and been engaged in a variety of professions, ranging from migrant sweat-shop labourer to research scientist. Recently, she's been busy as a lizard surgeon and sometime snake handler. Karina has intense interests in the evolution of social justice and the expansion of human (and animal) consciousness. Never at a loss for inspiration, she aims to bring her readers entertainment, enlightenment and, most of all, pure enjoyment! Karina is presently hard at work on her next novel, The Light, Book Three of the Harker Investigates Mysteries.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

Once, not such a very long time ago, a young slave toiled away in her master's laboratory. This was metaphorically speaking, of course.

But she did think of it that way, the slave.

She had completed her assigned task, but, glancing again at the page of instructions the master had given her, she groaned at the thought of how much more work remained to be done. Work she could never understand—in time that was nearly elapsed.

The slave watched her master, there in the corner of the room, engaged with another slave, much beatific countenance in evidence. Good slave. Nice slave.

There were many slaves in the room. Every one of them had heads well bent to their endeavours.

Somehow, it was very noisy. She wondered if slaves were allowed to make so much noise. They actually seemed to be enjoying themselves! But, our slave was not.

The master approached and addressed her in a stern manner. "Why aren’t' you working, slave? What is the matter with you?"

She could say nothing. Because, somehow, some way, she was some…where…else.

She could hear his scolding droning on and on, but it rapidly grew fainter, until it was very far away indeed. Fail was the one word the slave just managed to discern.

Suddenly, all the other slaves began to fade from her view until there was not a single one remaining. That was always happening—people going away.

Ah, peace at last, mused the slave.

But, at some point, the slave came to a realization. She was out. On the outer. Dismissed. Cancelled. Expelled from the academy of slaves. A slave no longer.

Which should have made her happy. After all, who on earth wants to be a slave? Who anywhere, for that matter?

Seeing as there was no one else around, the slave left the laboratory. She had the presence of mind to close the door, however. Contrary to popular belief, slaves are not stupid.

She knew she was closing a pretty big door behind her.

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Big. Big! … Big!!!

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She almost changed her mind.

But the slave had always been told that, when one door closes, another opens. And so, she walked on.

And walked and walked—but came upon no other doors. Not a single one.

To stop herself from feeling exceedingly foolish, guilty, depressed, angry, frightened, disheartened, frustrated, and