“Listen,” he said, trying to think as rapidly as he could, “I don't know where it is, but perhaps I can still help you to find it? You'd make a lot more progress if you would let me help. I don't know where this Iron City is, but I do know some of the other bigger villages in Bretan – where you might be more likely to learn more.”
Lysander fought back the guilt as he saw the hope and relief flooding Tabitha's face.
“Trust me, Tab,” he said with a weak smile, “when I say that I want to help you. Whatever you think you did to wake up the fae, and whatever strange kind of water magic you used last night, I want to help you. To make sure you're okay. Please let me do that.”
Tabitha was nodding enthusiastically, looking brighter already.
“I can teach you some of what I know,” Lysander carried on, “and I'll take charge of where we're going. Alright?”
She nodded even more forcefully.
Lysander breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thank you, Lysander,” Tabitha exhaled slowly. “I can't tell you what a relief that would be.”
Lysander did his best to smile.
“If anyone can get you to where you'll be safe, it's me,” he told her, and he prayed that what he said was true. Lysander would do what he could to help her now.
And he would start by taking her as far away from the Iron City as it was possible to go in Bretan.
29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
The girl who was deep in the mountains sat in a pool of faelight, and wondered what exactly was going on above ground.
She had been woken again by the chatter of the earth around her, the most animated it had been so far. It hadn't even tried to wake her this time; the conversation had been so noisy that the girl had woken of her own accord.
The girl sat up, and tried to listen to what exactly was being said. But the stones and the moss and the insects were too excited for her to make sense of what they were all talking about. They whispered in excited, hushed tones that made the girl feel more awake than she had done in... how long had it been, exactly? Forlornly, she realised she didn't know.
The girl leaned back against the wall and allowed the conversation to just wash over her. Even not knowing what was being said, hearing the voices soothed her somehow.
Whatever it was, it was clear that something important was happening.
- The End -
Keep reading to learn more about the rest of the River Witch series, and to receive a free copy of the prequel to The River Witch...
Author's note
Dear reader,
Thank you so much for reading The River Witch, the first book in the River Witch series. I hope that you loved reading about Tabitha and Lysander as much as I loved writing about them.
If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon – as a new author, this is especially important to me in order to help new readers find my books, so you will have my undying gratitude (priceless, surely).
Want a free copy of the prequel to The River Witch?
If you want more stories set in Bretan, you can get a free copy of The Hagstone, the prequel to the River Witch series, by signing up to my mailing list.
Exclusively available to members of my mailing list, The Hagstone tells the story of how Tabitha's mother Madeleine came to possess the hagstone, and offers a glimpse into Tabitha's childhood in her village.
Get my free copy of The Hagstone
By staying on my mailing list you'll be treated to all kinds of fascinating facts about Faerie and other folklore; the River Witch series is based on extensive reading into the fairytales and folklore of the British isles, so my newsletters are stuffed full of my magical musings. I'll also share reading recommendations, giveaways, and stories shared by other readers, so I hope you'll stick around.
The River Witch Series
I'm sure you'll be relieved to hear that Tabitha and Lysander's adventures aren't over just yet. I've got thirteen books planned out for this series, with the second and third books due out over the next few months:
The Hagstone (Prequel)
The River Witch (Book 1)
The Iron Court (Book 2), available December 2017
The Queen's Court (Book 3), available January 2018
About Helena
I'm a British author currently based in Scotland, who's happiest when poring over old books and imagining what the world used to be like. More recently I've also been wondering what the world might be like in future, and whether there will ever be a turn back to the Old Ways, when people cared about stories and the little people and the land they lived on. These musings provided the inspiration for my River Witch series.
If you want to know more, you can email me at [email protected], or take a look at my website (please do – it glitters, and I'm ever so pleased with it!).
I'm not much of a social media butterfly, but I do have a facebook page where I try to post little snippets that I think my readers might find interesting, so you're also very welcome to connect with me on there.
Thanks again for reading,
Helena
The River Witch Page 21
