The Hidden Islands: Whispers of a Dream Series – Edited for Young Adults, #0.1

By Evelyn Green

Can love survive in a magical kingdom when their love could mean death to her?

Growing up as a witch can be hard, especially if you are in love with someone whose family disapproves of you.  Mayra Johnson is in this predicament and is forced to sneak around to meet up with her best friend and the boy she loves.  Why does it seem that everyone is against the couple being a pair?  Will their love survive the test of time?  What secrets do the parents and the hidden islands hold? 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Evelyn Green
• Release date: Jul 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201629823

Evelyn Green

Evelyn Green is married to her high school sweetheart and has two grown daughters.  She has a Master’s Degree in Nursing Education and has been working as a nurse since 1983.  Evelyn has a vast knowledge of nursing since she has working experience in Orthopedics, Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Surgery, Dialysis, Nursing Education, and Patient Safety and Quality.  When her children were young, Evelyn kept herself busy volunteering as a horse 4-H leader and a volleyball coach.  Now that her children are grown up and have lives of their own, Evelyn thought she could spread her own wings and spend some of her spare time doing things she used to enjoy, like creative writing.

Book preview

Chapter 1

One of the jurors handed the king a piece of paper, then bowed before returning to his seat.  After the juror sat down amongst the other jurors in a chair that was situated on the left side of the stage that housed the king and queen’s thrones, the king slowly unfolded the sheet of paper with the verdict.  As the crowd fell silent, so much that one could have heard a pin drop, the king looked at the verdict.  With a sudden boost of energy, the king stood up and yelled, Guilty as charged.  The crowd that came to watch the trial went crazy with murmurs and gasps as one woman cried out, You can’t sentence my husband to death!  He is only the town butcher.  He was forced to steal those animals.

King Levi Williams walked over to the chair that was positioned between his thrown and the jurors.  As he walked, his crown of gold with diamonds that covered his straw-colored hair sparkled in the light from large wooden chandeliers.  The king was a large man with a square jaw and blue eyes.  He was wearing a form-fitting uniform of gold and blue with a flowing matching robe that showed off his physique.  As he approached the chair, the two guards that surrounded the prisoner stood at attention.  When the king came to a stop next to the prisoner, he towered over the man and said, One last chance.  I can reduce your sentencing to just theft of livestock since you stole animals to sell at your meat market.  Just tell me the names of the witches or warlocks that made you steal those pigs so they could sacrifice them first.

The man looked up at the king shaking his head.  You don’t understand.  I can’t give up their names.  They will torture me and my family.  I have a young son to think about.  A quick death is better than leaving me and my family in the hands of those people.  The butcher was a heavy-set man in his forties, with untamed brown hair falling down around his face.  He twisted the rag in his hands nervously, then used the cloth to wipe his forehead.  Looking out into the crowd, the man said, I’m sorry, my darling.  I love you!

Leewan Johnson stood up from one of the seats in the front roll of the audience.  She was a middle-aged woman with long dishwater blonde hair.  She was wearing her everyday clothes which consisted of a pair of jeans and a lightweight button-down shirt.  Leewan was a powerful witch and a descendant of one of the original founders of the hidden islands.  She worked for the king’s army as a witch consultant.   As she looked at the prisoner, she said, One of our psychic witches led us to you, but we can’t figure out who the other three witches or warlocks are.  The ones you were working for.  All we know is that they were wearing black robes with red slashes in the psychic’s visions while they were performing their ceremony.  If you give us their names, I can ensure you that the witches’ council can put a spell on you and your family—to protect you from them.

The man grabbed his head and started shaking it.  No!  No!  No one can!  Then he looked at the cloth in his hand and acted as if he was going to wipe his forehead, but dropped it instead.  When he reached down to grab it, he grabbed a knife out of his sock, sat up, then plunged the blade deep into his chest before anyone realized what was happening.  The crowd gasped as the man started to fall from the chair.  The guards that were surrounding the prisoner, grabbed the man before he hit the floor.  Sitting him upright in the chair, one of the guards felt for a pulse.  When he could not find one, he looked at the king and shook his head.  Leewan and Queen Chloe rushed up to the scene.  The wife of the prisoner also tried to run up onto the stage, but some guards grabbed the hysterical woman and held her back.  The blonde queen with her hair swept up under a crown of jewels and wearing a shimmering form-fitting gown of blue, looked at the lifeless man, then asked the guards, How did he get a knife?

One of the guards shook his head and said, I’m not sure, your majesty.  He was locked up in the dungeon for over a week.  The only visitors were you and the king, his wife, Leewan, and his councilor.  The guard shook his head, then continued, I personally patted him down before bringing him to this trial.  He didn’t have anything on him then!

The king glanced at Leewan.  Leewan looked around at the chaotic, crowded throne room, and then said with a grimace, Someone in this room must have planted it on him... by using their magic.

The king turned and rushed over to a podium.  He tapped the microphone with his finger, then shouted, Guards, shut all the doors!  I want the names of everyone in this courtroom before anyone can leave.  As the guards in the back of the room closed the doors, the noise of the restless, confused crowd grew louder.  The king walked back to the chair where the body was resting.  He looked at the man and then said to his guards, Take him to one of the back rooms.  Then call the forensic pathologist.

Leewan spoke up, When the pathologist removes the knife, have him put it in a bag for me to examine it.  I might be able to trace the magic back to its original owner.

The guards nodded their heads while they reached under the dead man’s arms to drag him away.  As the guards started carrying the body towards the back door of the stage, the queen spoke up and said, After the body is examined... and cleaned up, let his wife in to see him.  Tell his wife, she can make the funeral arrangements and charge it to the castle.

Will do, your majesty, said one of the guards as he continued to drag the body away. 

LEEWAN UNHITCHED THE wagon and then led her old gray horse into the paddock.  As she was brushing the horse down, her 16-year-old daughter, Mayra, rode up on a brown mare.  Mayra was a beauty with long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, a flawless complexion, blue eyes, and high cheekbones.  She didn’t look like an average teenager since her body had the curves of a grownup young woman.  Leewan looked up at her daughter with a smile and asked, What have you been doing all day?

After school, I just decided to take a ride around the island by myself.  It’s a beautiful day!  Mayra looked down at her hand that was holding the reins and thought:  Oh, sugar cookies.  I hate lying to my mother... but she hates me hanging out with the prince.  Mayra didn’t want to tell Leewan the truth since Leewan always discouraged her from hanging out with the prince, and told her she should be hanging out with other people or other witches, that were similar to her.  Mayra didn’t understand why Leewan was so set against her forming a close relationship with the prince.  After all, it was Leewan that introduced Mayra to the prince when she was only 5 or 6—when Leewan took Mayra to work with her at the king’s castle.  After their first introduction, the prince started attending the one-room school with Mayra.  The prince wasn’t allowed to socialize