The Lion, the Witch, and the Secret Garden

by Larissa Emerald

  Madame Dubois turned away. “I’m sorry. I can’t help you.”

  Grace didn’t press. Another time, perhaps. “Thank you for lunch, at least.”

  She got in the passenger side, and Skylar drove off.

  The road wound and turned as they headed back toward Puits, the village where they had stayed the night before. As Skylar slowed for each bend, Grace was glad she’d paid a little extra to rent the automatic transmission.

  At least they drive on the right side of the road here.

  Along the way, Grace kept sight of the acres and acres of land that made up Chêne Sacré, which was easy to spy with its grandeur and high elevation. Actually, the beauty of the place far exceeded her shabby expectations, although she supposed it could still be neglected up close.

  “That’s Chêne Sacré up there,” she said to Skylar. “There’s a small vineyard-guesthouse combo up the road to the east. Let’s try there next for a place to stay. It would really help to be as close as possible to Ian Hearst’s estate.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  Grace caught sight of what she presumed was his home staring down at her from a crest at the highest elevation. Even from a distance, the château resembled an ancient castle on a hill. When the Peugeot rounded a curve, the château disappeared, only to reappear around another bend. They seemed to be moving in a downward circle around it, and she kept tabs on it as they drove.

  “What was it about this place that cured Maely?” she asked, not expecting an answer. Her thoughts began to wander. Could it have been the soil? Something in the vines themselves? A ghost or spirit? What? Why? How?

  Her mind tried to wrap around such a phenomenon capable of altering the very nature of the cells in the girl’s body. That’s essentially what would have taken place as there no longer seemed to be even a trace of the disease the child once carried.

  Skylar navigated a sharp bend in the road, instinctively clutching the wheel and easing off the gas. The car smoothly came out of the turn, and Grace was vaguely aware of how few vehicles she passed. Not like in the States.

  Maely. She pictured the girl’s bright blue eyes.

  The narrow road opened up into a small valley. Something white blocked the road immediately ahead. Were those…sheep?

  “Look out!” Grace yelled.

  Skylar slammed on the brakes, and the car veered to the right.

  Oh shit.

  Out-of-control now, the car bucked up and down over the rough terrain and pitched front-end first into a small ditch.

  When her vision and nerves finally settled, Grace heaved a long, calming breath. Thank God not a single sheep had been hit.

  She looked at Skylar. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes.”

  Slowly, Grace opened the car door, stepped out, and surveyed the damage. The front end was buried to the bumper. “No way we’re getting out of this on our own.”

  Looking around, she took stock of their location. It wasn’t that bad, she supposed. She dug her phone from her pocket, snapped a picture of the car, and then engaged Google Maps. The Dubois’s small winery was around eight miles back, and the Hearst mansion was straight up the hill, though it probably wasn’t a good idea to just show up there.

  “Guess we walk the rest of the way.” With a shrug, she reached into the car and grabbed her backpack, which contained her wallet, iPad, and water bottle. A walk to the next guesthouse didn’t faze her in the least. She’d faced far worse challenges in search of a story—the shack she’d investigated along an alligator-and-snake-infested bayou outside of New Orleans came to mind. Now that had tested her resolve. But the place had been haunted big-time, so it made the airboat trek and all the other yuck factors worthwhile.

  Grace led the way to the road and stopped. “It will take over an hour to make it to the guesthouse, I’d guess. Maybe we’ll be able to hitch a ride. And hopefully they’ll have a tractor or truck that could get the car unstuck.” She looked up and down the road. The sheep had almost cleared it. She passed one last straggler and shooed it along. “See the trouble you caused us?” she said to the laggard.

  Grace walked along the poorly paved road, thinking of her next move. When they found a nearby place to stay, then what? How would she gain access to a recluse’s property?

  ~ ~ ~

  Want more?

  Check out Larissa Emerald’s other books for more adventures in romance and all things paranormal.

  ~ ~ ~

  Start at the beginning of

  the Divine Tree Guardian series

  Awakening Fire

  Awakening Touch

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  Discover more about Larissa’s books at www.larissaemerald.com.

  Acknowledgments

  Many thanks to my fabulous team!

  Cover design: Dreams 2 Media

  Interior formatting: Author E.M.S.

  Editor: Theresa Cole

  About the Author

  Larissa Emerald has always had a powerful creative streak. Whether it’s altering sewing patterns, making minor changes to recipes, or frequently rearranging her home furnishings, she relishes those little walks on the wild side to offset her otherwise quite ordinary life. Her eclectic taste in books covers numerous genres, and she writes sexy contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and futuristic romantic thrillers. But no matter the genre or time period, she likes to put strong women in dire situations where they find the men who will adore them beyond reason and give up everything for true love.

  Larissa is happy to connect with her readers. Stop by and say hello on her Website, Facebook, or Twitter, or send her an e-mail at larissaemerald@gmail.com.