Enchanted Locks: The Cursed Girl Series

By Maria Vermisoglou

Life as a witch is hard. Hell is worse.

Be prepared dear reader, for this is no gentle bedtime story...

Fortuna has led a good life as a demon-slaying witch in the White Land until now...

Kidnapped by a demon and locked into a tower with no way out, she's devastated to discover her powers disappeared.

However, when a handsome stranger flies past her prison, she must set aside her distrust and ask for help.

With only weapons her deadly hair, she must come to trust this strange man if Fortuna wants any chance at escape. But can she overcome her distrust in time, or will she be tormented in Hell forever?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maria Vermisoglou
• Release date: Mar 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201921996

Maria Vermisoglou

My name is Maria Vermisoglou and I'm a Bestselling fantasy author who loves throwing her heroes into impossible situations. I draw inspiration from books, travels and...the ceiling. (So, blame the ceiling!) I started writing 4 years ago when an idea came to me. That idea started all... When I'm not writing, I love a good riding on the fantasy dragon but a book can also be exciting along with a cup of tea. I'm currently residing in Crete as a librarian, battling monsters and supernatural creatures from overcoming the world. In July 2018, I was nominated as the second place winner in the First Annual Indie Awards as the Favourite New Female Author. Website: https://maraki2311.wixsite.com/creativequill/ Facebook page: www.facebook.com/thecursedgirl16 Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maria-vermisoglou Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17909964.Maria_Vermisoglou

Book preview

Enchanted Locks

Maria Vermisoglou

Enchanted Locks © 2022 Maria Vermisoglou

All right reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author, except in case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Editor: Paul Davis

Cover: Daqri Bernardo of Covers by Combs

Author Note

*Please note the following story is a spinoff of The Cursed Girl series. This story contains spoilers.*

Enchanted Locks is a dark fantasy paranormal romance story with mild violence and some steam. If you love witches and dark fairytales, welcome aboard!

Contents

Epigraph

1. The End of the World

2. A Broom in the Woods

3. Paradise

4. The Guardian’s Lair

5. The Way to Hell

6. Demon House

7. Orion

8. The Portal

9. Silence

10. Nature Water

Acknowledgments

Also By

About Author

Everything is lost only when hope has abandoned the building

1

The End of the World

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Igazed out of the small crack of the only window in my castle and chuckled as I thought of that word: castle.

If anyone saw me, they would think I was some kind of queen and maybe I was...the queen of solitude.

I lived my extraordinary life in the White Land—the silver planet where we witches resided, away from the curse of humans. We only descended to earth to exterminate demons if the situation went haywire. Rarely did we descend to the human world for no reason, as it was forbidden. However, some did.

I remembered the last day on my birth planet down to the detail.

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Fortuna, the princess ordered me to hunt down the round demon again. Wanna come? Cyrena found me practicing my blows.

So we can make him square again? We both laughed at our common joke. Sure, why not?

I patted my kestrel familiar and she chirped. I won’t be long, alright? Mistress landed next to Cyrena’s sugar glider.

A familiar was not only a witch’s guide to the supernatural world. They were our friends and contained a part of our soul too, and that was the reason we only got one. If they parted this life before we did, a part of us died with them. They even had combat skills and some spells couldn’t be completed without their knowledge. They didn’t talk, but we could communicate somehow.

Fortuna, gotta get going. Round demon awaits. Cyrena prompted and I sighed.

I can’t hold my excitement.

We had hunted this particular demon a thousand times under the order of our good-for-nothing princess. I looked at the punching bag and delivered one last blow, imagining the face of Princess Hanley. Wearing her feathered dress and living in her crystal palace, she treated us as her staff.

Witches had an assigned princess who had the task of taking care of her people. However, princess Hanley abused the power given to her, treating us poorly and going as far as using a number of witches as servants. I loathed her, but my weak powers were in no way a match for her ice power.

Going hunting again? Skye, a lightning witch, called as she stopped her daily run.

Yes, our dear princess ordered us to catch the great square demon. Playing with a silver knife, I sent it in the air.

A wave of electricity shook Skye. Taking small breaths, Skye smiled at us like nothing happened. It was no secret that she was deadly afraid of the princess even if Skye could melt the princess’ power in a minute. Young as she was, her confidence was no greater than a sprout.

I looked at Cyrena for help. She closed the gates for the day, Skye, so we can play electric tennis.

Listening to Cyrena’s soothing voice, Skye relaxed. The usual sparks in her fingers popped. I’ll ask Hilda to come. She could use a bit of stretching. Skye clapped, two bolts illuminating the atmosphere. Did you hear the news about the wiitch?

What wiitch? Cyrena tilted her head. You mean Zion?

Yes, he almost blew out the sun! Fortunately, our assigned team got there before the balance of the universe shifted. Can you imagine? Skye widened her eyes, gesturing wildly and lightning popped up. She blushed and pressed her lips together.

Male wiitches were rare in our world, and because they were so unique, we dragged the word a bit to set them apart from women. However, the males never lived in the White Land but dedicated their energy to exploration.

Well, I wouldn’t expect anything less from him. Zion always gets us in trouble, but wiitches are rare for that precise reason. They cause us trouble because of their uncontrollable powers! Cyrena scooped up her sugar glider and caressed its soft fur. Be nice, buddy, ok? The sugar glider squeaked and leaped down, disappearing behind some bushes.

It’s a shame Eva can’t join us for the game. Skye gazed at the house, resisting Princess Hanley’s sour power.

Cyrena and I exchanged a look. Princess Eva’s stories were legendary among witches, told behind the princess’ back, but I never had the chance to spend time with her. While everyone else was afraid of Princess Hanley, Eva had the courage to stand up to her. If the rumors circulating were true, Princess Hanley was afraid of her because Eva had powers that exceeded those of the princess. Her light shined stronger and brighter and her resistance to the oppression reminded me of who I was: a witch of the White Land that would not yield to the darkness. Light would prevail.

One day, Eva will join us, I reassured Skye, and the crazy chicken will go where she belongs. The chicken coop. I chuckled at the image my mind conjured and placed my knife back in my belt. I wonder what adventure Eva is dealing with now. An imprisoned fairy queen needs rescuing from the formidable Dragon Emperor…

Skye and Cyrena burst laughing.

Maybe you should join her next time. Cyrena pressed her lips, stifling laughter. But until then, we’ve got an annoying demon who’s expecting us. We shouldn’t let it wait.

I stuck my tongue at her and we marched to the portal, readying our weapons. Once we were out of our land, the protection spell would fade. We had one goal but no one said other demons would wait patiently for their turn to come.

Fortuna! I turned to Skye’s call and she waved her fist in the air. This time, no cheating!

I shrugged, waving my silver knife and flew out the portal with Cyrena by my side. The vast galaxy was a hangout spot for every creature that needed a place to relax or make a decision. Demons who escaped Hell’s clutches traveled through portals that spat them into space. There was an assigned team of witches to shut demon portals, but as many portals as they closed, more showed up.

Since we