Lodestone: Witch-Hunt

Link for: Excerpt of Review by Author Aoife Marie Sheridan

Contains mature themes. 100+reviews Amazon US 4.4*

Scott has a natural flair that lends itself well to this popular genre. Sure to win her a host of enthusiastic followers, Lodestone certainly bodes well for future releases in the Witch-Hunt series and is highly recommended. ~ Review on bookviral.com

Lodestone: Witch-Hunt on Amazon!

Book Description: Two tales entwine. Sabrina is thrust out of her sheltered life at Mistress Florisah’s healing school after the destruction of the witch-ancestor portraits and the appearance of Lauren the Destroyer’s ghost. An anti-witchcraft regime is poised on Karthalon’s borders threatening full scale genocide, unless Sabrina, the last of Lauren’s bloodline, can destroy the Lodestone and restore magic to Valloaria.

Hundreds of years before Lauren had wrought the cataclysmic demise of the Council of Witches by unleashing the Lodestone and now Sabrina is the only one who can undo Lauren’s legacy. Sabrina struggles to accept this suicide mission and is distracted by her inappropriate affection for Micah, a prospect monk. Lauren’s ghost haunts Sabrina’s dreams and her diary reveals the tragic events behind Lauren’s actions. With invasion imminent, Sabrina embarks on her quest armed only with a sliver of the Lodestone and Lauren’s diary.

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Excerpt:

Me bones ached as I dragged the wooden box off the top shelf of the cupboard and I nearly keeled over with dizziness, when I lowered the box onto the kitchen table. Stuffed amongst the jumble, looking abandoned and forlorn with her missing eye, I found Mary-Lou; Adorabelle’s rag doll. I’d promised to fix her doll after we went to the next market day, where we would barter fresh eggs with Maisey Flannagan for a couple of shiny blue buttons. She’d be missing her dolly.

Since being zapped by the witch I’d missed two market days as I’d been laid up in me bed. Never in me life had I ever been unable to scrape meself off me mattress and do a day’s work. A month I lay there with Daphnee spooning soup into me, wiping me chin, and me arse like an invalid. Too weak to stand up while me insides seethed, as I relived the moment over and over when Adorabelle was snatched away from me.

A crisply folded piece of paper lay on top of the box. I plucked it up and me knuckles grew white and me hand shook as I held it. I didn’t need to unfold it. I knew its hideous contents by heart.

#

By the power of the Council of Witches, a representative has appropriated your child for duties. A one-off compensation of ten silvers can be claimed by presenting this voucher at your nearest C.O.W. branch.

#

I wanted to rip it to shreds or shove it down the throat of the next witch I encountered, but it was the only fragile link I had to Adorabelle so I tucked it into me pocket.

The outside door cracked open, spilling a splash of sunshine into the dim kitchen and framing Daphnee’s disapproving glare. “What are ye doing out of bed?”

I saw the moment the shock registered on her face, that I was dressed in me dead husband’s clothes and her voice rose an octave as she said, “What are ye doing?”

I dinna answer her, but grabbed Mary-Lou and stowed her under me belt. Daphnee rushed to me side, fair shrieking, “Ye canna go! They will kill ye!”

“I must go. She’s me only child, she’ll be wanting her ma.”

Me sister loved me. I could see it in every worry etched line on her face. I rested me hand on hers, looked her eye to eye, and said, “If it was one of ye bairns, ye’d go too.”

She held me gaze for a moment, and then nodded. “What will ye do?”

“Find Adorabelle and bring her home.”

“But what will ye do if the witches won’t allow it.”

I hauled the small sack I’d previously packed onto me back and me muscles groaned, but I ignored the pain and squared me shoulders and headed out the door. “I willna be asking them.”

Outside the bairns were tearing around the yard and I could hear Kellvyn out the back chopping wood. Daphnee smothered me in a hug, openly weeping, and I had to forcefully disengage her circling arms. “I dinna want a fuss so you can say me goodbyes for me.”

Still sobbing, Daphnee finally let me go and it nearly took all me strength to stand tall and walk the short distance out of her sight. As I disappeared from her view she called out, “Ye give wee Adorabelle a kiss from her Aunty and ye take care, Lauren. We’ll be waiting here for ye both when ye come home.”

Salty tears pricked me eyes and I scrubbed at them with me sleeve, but I dinna turn around, just kept taking one shaky step after another.

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