Relic Huntress

By Renee Joiner

Temperance Parris: A daring relic huntress on a quest for mythical stones that could break her family's curse.

Temperance receives a tantalizing tip: the legendary Futuri stones, along with the scepter of the Atlantis seer, lie hidden in the Caves of Alegai. Determined, Temperance sets her sights on claiming these artifacts, not just for the glory but to save her mother's life and lift the family's blood curse.

Her journey is also a chance to restore the tarnished honor of the Parris witches within their coven. However, time is a luxury she doesn't have, as destiny's clock ticks perilously close to a fate she desperately seeks to avoid.

The path to the Alegai Caves bristles with challenges, including treacherous spells and curses rivaling her own. To navigate these dangers, Temperance must seek help from the last person she wanted to rely on: her ex-lover, Jalen Baker.

Jalen, a man of many secrets, might hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of the Futuri stones and altering Temperance's luck forever.

This captivating tale is a must-read for fans of Indiana Jones and The Secret Circle, blending thrilling adventure with mystical intrigue.

Join Temperance on her daring quest to change her destiny. Grab your copy now and delve into a world of ancient mysteries and familial legacies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Oshun Publications, LLC
• Release date: Apr 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781956319095

Renee Joiner

Renee Joiner has been in love with the supernatural for longer than she can remember, so it is no surprise that she is an author of paranormal urban fantasy. Although she discovered her passion for writing when she was only twelve years old, she didn’t make her writing debut until many years into the future. Adventurous and fun-loving, she enjoys traveling to new places, exploring new sights and meeting new people. Thus, she delights in creating fantastical worlds that are sure to give her readers an escape from the real world while simultaneously providing thrilling entertainment. Besides her special knack for writing, you'll also find a passion for metaphysics spirituality which she has been nurturing for over four decades. Renee hails from New York and currently resides with her husband in their empty nest—unless you count their three adorable fur babies—in Florida. She enjoys adding to her sea of knowledge and thus spends her free time learning new things.

Book preview

ONE

The Parris’ Curse

Watch out! a feminine voice shrieked.

It came from the Shadow Grave, an ancient temple located deep within the woods of a desolate town. Beneath the temple was a large tomb set with deadly traps. Along the walls was thick, green scum crawling with insects. Long and curly copper-colored hair was tossed up then tied into a messy bun to reveal a lean, tense face with protruding topaz tinged eyes watching vigilantly. This was the face of Temperance, who was worried about her trusted companion’s demise because he unknowingly absorbed her bad luck.

Are you okay? she asked.

He was tall with dark brown eyes and a small mole under his right eye. Calvin answered and adjusted his glasses with a nod, nearly falling into the deep cavity before them. It appeared bottomless, with two sharp-pointed anchors swinging over the pit. Temperance and Calvin studied the trap before exchanging glances. Their destination was on the other side of that room, and dusk was falling rapidly. Temperance took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She raised her palms as dark purple smoke swirled around her hands. Calvin stood back and watched in awe while Temperance chanted a spell she’d recently learned. She had yet to master her craft in sorcery, but magic was the last thing on her mind. Sure, it sometimes came in handy, but Temperance felt it was a waste of time.

Her main focus was her family’s curse. Aunt Georgina named it the Parris’ Curse because it only dwelled within their family. No one knew of the curse’s origin or how to stop it, but it had been around for generations, causing nothing but chaos and despair. Another disadvantage was that the curse only fell upon the women in the family. A curse of immortality and bad luck, which was also why Temperance’s faint scar stretched from under her right nostril to the edge of her top lip. Although she was 190 years old, she didn’t look a day over 28.

Temperance swung her arms to the side and kept chanting. She twisted her hands toward the walls and telepathically broke pieces of the walls off. Forming a bridge as her hands motioned swiftly before her. When she finished, the smoke around her hands evaporated. She nudged Calvin and pointed to an opening in the wall next to him. He grabbed a thick rod and wedged it deep into the gears. The mechanism malfunctioned and stopped moving, so did the sharp-pointed anchors.

Temperance gave Calvin a friendly pat on his back and jogged across the bridge while Calvin followed behind. They stood before a tall, rusty door with small ancient runes carved into it. Temperance brushed her fingers on the runes and selected three to press down, causing the door to slowly unlock. Temperance widened her eyes, grabbed Calvin by his shirt, and quickly moved back to avoid a poisonous gas emitted from the door as it opened. They waited for the gas to evaporate.

Upon entering a bare and gloomy room, Calvin lit a torch he found by the entrance and placed it in the holder. It didn’t help much, but it was good enough for them to notice the thick clouds of dust floating in the room. Old and dried-up vines hung from the ceiling with thick webs stuck between them. Calvin stood in the middle of the room and glanced around.

It’s just an empty room, he clarified.

Temperance moved along the walls, scanning them.

She scoffed. You know just as well as I that nothing is as it seems.

She noticed the inconsistency of the wall’s patterns and knocked on it three times. A secret compartment shifted out, revealing the treasure that Temperance had been seeking, causing a cocky smile to form on her mouth. Calvin packed the jewelry in a wooden box then placed it in his bag.

We need to leave, he said.

Temperance pushed the compartment back into the wall and followed Calvin to the tomb entrance. She channeled her sorcery again and reset all of the traps, making the place seem untouched.

After a four-hour flight, Calvin and Temperance returned safely to East Hallow, an ancient coastal town built centuries ago by a coven of sorcerers who discovered the land after being exiled. As decades passed, the town’s architecture remained the same until the early 2000s when a new mayor was appointed—a human one who ‘upgraded’ the town’s infrastructure. The residents didn’t mind, of course, and adapted rather quickly. Those who disagreed with the changes had a tough pill to swallow when their opinions were crushed by the new residents and mayor. On All Hallows eve, as thick fog clouds covered every street, every new resident, including the mayor, fell dangerously ill. Rumors of witchcraft surfaced among the residents when one of them claimed to have seen a hooded figure standing by their window. The mayor was found dead in her bathtub a week later. What made it even stranger was that the coroner found no evidence pointing to her death. And so, the unsolved mystery of East Hallow’s mayor had caused many residents to relocate.

Temperance gazed up at the mesmerizing night sky and smiled at its beauty. She clutched onto a purple iridescent pendant hanging from her neck on a silver chain. It was the last gift Temperance received from her mother, vowing to never take it off. Whenever she felt the need, at 2:04 a.m., when her nights would become uncomfortable stillness, she’d hold onto it and talk to her mother, hoping to get a response. Some nights were better than others because she’d get a reaction from her mother, but Temperance was still hopeful each time.

There you are, Calvin said.

Temperance sat in an upright position and tucked her necklace beneath her shirt. Calvin extended his hand and helped her to her feet, transferring Temperance’s bad luck back to her.

I came to say goodbye. I’m done sealing the chest.

Great. Remember to meet him on the west side of the market, 2 p.m. sharp.

Calvin nodded. I’ll call you when I’m done.

She returned the nod and waved goodbye as she watched her butler, Lincoln, accompany Calvin to the front door.

The next day arrived in East Hallow, and it was a peaceful and quiet afternoon at the Parris residence. Temperance was in her kitchen, baking. She opened the oven door slightly to check on her strawberry and lemon cream tarts and closed it again. They were her and Calvin’s favorite dessert, and Lincoln would make it whenever Calvin visited. Today was no different, except for the fact that she insisted on making them herself. Unfortunately, she forgot that the bad luck was transferred back to her when Calvin left, and the tarts didn’t fare too well.

A large flame burst through the oven door at the Parris residence, alerting Temperance. She paced her way down the stairs of her large Victorian Gothic-style home. Once she entered her kitchen, an irritable sigh came from her mouth. She had become pretty blasé about her family’s curse and had grown accustomed to it. The flame attacked Temperance’s forearm without warning. She clenched her hand into a fist and released it, causing the flame to disappear instantly. Lincoln entered through the back door with two grocery bags.

There’s a man at the front door requesting your presence, he said.

Thank you.

Without changing his facial expression, he asked, Would you like me to check that?

Temperance smiled sheepishly. I’ll just put some ice on it.

Lincoln turned around and resumed his duties.

Temperance walked to the front door, wrapping a green, leafy bandage around her left forearm. When she opened the door, she found nothing but an empty driveway. Strange. She shrugged it off and made her way down the foyer. The moment Temperance passed her living room, she became startled. She stopped in her tracks when her peripheral vision caught a tall figure sitting on one of the sofas. It was a man who was tall indeed, waiting patiently for Temperance. She cautiously made her way into the living room and sat across from him.

I hope you don’t mind. I let myself in, his deep and melodic voice said.

Temperance’s eyes traveled from the tip of his black shoes to the top of his sleek hair. The man was dressed in a smooth, dark gray suit and tie with a black shirt that matched his neatly combed hair.

And you are? Temperance asked.

Zak Bennett. He introduced himself without extending a hand.

How can I help?

Zak explained, I’ve heard through the grapevine that you are quite the adventurer. I’d like to send you on a mission to retrieve the Futuri Stones.

TWO

A Deadly Journey

Temperance frowned. May I ask why?

That information is classified. However, I will reward you abundantly.

Temperance narrowed her eyes as she pondered over Zak’s offer. It was no surprise that the Futuri Stones were the most desirable artifacts. Still, only the brave would pursue such a task because of the clues