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

The next morning, everyone woke to a bright but cold dawn. The sun shone down and melted the icicles hanging from the awning and rooftop. After a quick breakfast of bread and coffee, everyone gathered around the table to decide what to do next. After reassurances that Elaine was still alive, Alicia told them that Elaine was willing for Avril's husband to be rescued first. 


"In fact, she encouraged it," said Alicia. "She knows that she made mistakes. She knows that we all are disappointed and angry with her." And here she looked pointedly at Maria, who crossed her arms over her chest. "So we need to make a plan on how to get him out."


"I'll go," said Maria swiftly. "I can finally feel useful in this fight, and it will take suspicion away from why the princess is gathering so many prisoners."


Chapter 63