Innocent

By Shereen Vedam

A girl in trouble. A boy on the hunt. And magic gone terribly awry.

Wishing to bring peace to her beleaguered land, and soothe her father's worries about a looming war, Elena agrees to an arranged marriage with the handsome son of their most volatile enemy. Her future husband's only stipulation? She must be a virgin bride.

Elena shrugs away that minor obligation, for fulfilling it will be a breeze for a lady who prefers books to boys. Yet, a year later, when her bridegroom announces he's coming to claim her, Elena is in a panic. She's no longer the innocent he's expecting.

Her concerned maid suggests Elena seek out an unorthodox solution to her shameful problem. Cast a spell to hide her guilt. Yet, once the spell is wrought, not only does the result jeopardize Elena's chance to fulfill her promise, but endangers her dear father by raising the specter of war.

If you enjoy your fantasy with a humorous magical twist, you'll love this sweet tale of love, loss, and loose women.

Pick up your copy now.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shereen Vedam
• Release date: Sep 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9781989036303

Shereen Vedam

Once upon a time, USA Today bestselling author Shereen Vedam read fantasy and romance novels to entertain herself. Now she writes heartwarming tales braided with threads of magic and love and mystery elements woven in for good measure. Shereen's a fan of resourceful women, intriguing men, and happily-ever-after endings. If her stories whisk you away to a different realm for a few hours, then Shereen will have achieved one of her life goals. Please consider leaving a review wherever you purchased this book.

Book preview

Chapter One

E lena, Lord Giles is coming! the Baron of Hawk’s Perch proclaimed from out in the hallway.

Reading by the hearth in the castle’s library, she looked up, startled.

Child, your bridegroom will be here tonight. Her father’s voice rang with joy tinged with relief as he reached the doorway.

All his hopes and wishes for peace and prosperity swept into this small book-lined room ahead of him. With the arrival of those sentiments, Elena’s safe world shattered.

Her favorite private space, filled with tomes and manuscripts her mother had collected from around the realm, suddenly felt threatening. She’d spent hours in here poring over love poems and songs, monastic theories about God and handbooks about running a castle, and even a fascinating volume on sorcery that one of her cousins, a Principal of Magic at the King’s university, had gifted her mother.

Most of the latter she didn’t understand but she had loved marveling over the colorful paintings, wondering what it would be like to possess magical ability. How exciting would it be to cast intricate spells and control the way the world worked? No wonder sorcerers were viewed as mysterious and dangerous. They had the power to alter the world around them. As a child, she’d often daydreamed of being one of them. Once she learned to read, those dreams blossomed within this room.

Now, all the comfort and confidence she’d gained faded as a looming specter arose. For Elena could envision nothing but a return to wartime living if Lord Giles arrived tonight. And there was nothing she could do, no spell she could cast, to stop his coming.

She kept her gaze fixed on the book clutched in her trembling hands. Written in a small scraggly script, the sermon blurred. What use were prayers to her now?

What have you to say, my child? her father asked, stopping before her.

A portly man, his flushed face reminded her that he was no longer in his prime. A call to war would not only decimate him but all their people who had grown complacent since a truce had been called with their most contentious neighbor.

She had been so grateful the day the King of Emerset intervened and insisted that his two most troublesome barons stop fighting and sort out their differences once and for all. Her father was getting old and he had no son to take up his battles. She doubted either baron would have listened, however, if their liege hadn’t threatened to arbitrarily gift both their lands to one or the other, at his whim, if they did not stop their constant battles.

That unthinkable consequence ended up affecting Elena the most because it had been the impetus that brought about this distasteful marriage contract between the two fighting barons’ son and daughter.

Elena, you are unhappy, her father said, his voice softening. Pulling up a chair, he sat and tilted her chin up so she was forced to look into his inquiring gaze. Why so gloomy, my girl? This is excellent news.

He paused and frowned as if trying to understand the workings of her mind. Are you frightened of married life? Have I not impressed upon you the advantages of making such a union? The years your mother and I were married were my happiest.

Cringing from this line of talk, she pulled out of his hold and swung her gaze back to her book of sermons. For a year now, she’d buried her fears in homilies and devotions. None helped one whit, yet, she’d persisted, praying for a miracle.

It had been her father’s insistence on how he’d found tranquility after he fell in love, and those silly tomes spouting romantic drivel that she used to devour, which lured her to linger by a lake a year ago. To be curious why her body sent such delicious signals simply because she stood in a stranger’s presence. Not just any man, but him.

While curiosity might kill a cat, it had thoroughly compromised Elena.

I promise you, my dearest, her father said, and took her chill fingers in his warm ones, you will not be disappointed by this young man. He chuckled gleefully. Women consider him a dashing fellow. There’ll be plenty of wailing when news goes out that he is all yours.

She clamped shut her mouth on her scathing response. Then why didn’t he come for me as soon as the contract was signed? Before I met my minstrel?

Memories instantly flooded back of the man she’d lain with. Had he even been real? She’d not seen him since that one eventful day. No one appeared to recall a minstrel passing through the shire. At first, she’d questioned so many people that folks began to grow curious about her interest. Eventually, she had to stop asking about her minstrel or risk word leaking back to her father about her clandestine inquiries.

Yet, how was it that no one remembered his passing through? He was a memorable fellow. Funny, endearing, and appealing to the eyes. Whoever saw him would have surely recollected the encounter. Besides, what type of minstrel didn’t stop to entertain folk? That was how he said he’d made his coin.

If only the nightmare of this past year could be but a horrible daydream. But then it would mean her interaction with her minstrel had never been and Elena could not bring herself to wish that. Ever. It had been the most magical experience of her life.

Elena, do not fret so. Her father’s gentle voice broke into her wandering thoughts, dragging her back to her nightmare. "I have met your bridegroom, my dearest. Lord Giles is kind. I would not have agreed to this match had I not felt you would be safe in his care. It is a pity circumstances impeded your meeting him yet but, the