Ariel Slick writes original fiction including short stories, novels, and memoirs to spread the joy of imagination and creativity. She also helps clients achieve their fiction writing goals with her ghostwriting skills on Upwork.com and Guru.com. Although she has  worked as a freelancer for three years, she has been dedicated to the craft all her life. Her fiction focuses on themes of love, justice, and magic, and her most popular works include romance and fantasy romance. 

What would make a girl, terrified of everything, go into the woods? Knights chasing after her, for starters. All Elaine wants is to stay in her small village forever, baking bread with her family. All that changes when she discovers that she is one of seven girls with the gift of magic. Elaine must leave behind her family and flee into the deep, dark woods where anything and everything can happen. Only guided by a talking fox, who may not be who he says on the surface, Elaine battles thieves, murderous plants, and magical creatures of all sorts. She will discover her powers and why they matter: to dethrone the evil king.  Will she be brave enough to embrace her powers?

Valient

"You're hiding something," said Elaine, as she stepped closer to the firelight. 


Renard shifted, as if he too wanted to get closer to the fire, or away from the wrathful tone of Elaine's voice. 


"I do not know what you are talking about," he said, not meeting her gaze. 


"Yes, I think you do," said Elaine. She was surprised at how forceful her voice was. She knew that Renard was hiding something, and usually she shrank from confrontation, but even so, the authority in her own tone shocked her. She sat down beside him, carefully not touching his beautiful, fur that had turned white with the snow. "Why else would you not look at me for five days, or barely speak to me? Normally you are so keen to offer up some sarcastic comment on how I'm failing or need to do better. Usually, you can't help but crack a joke at my expense. Why not now?"


Chapter 54