"Do you like me?" I asked. "Do you really like me?"
Imogen nodded. Water gathered at the edges of her eyes. "Yeah," she whispered, in a voice pained enough to crack my heart.
"Then let's...go out, after this," I said. "We'll go on a date. We can figure this out together, and we can take one step at a time. Okay?"
Imogen nodded again. I took her hands in mine. 
Heartwood: Forbidden is the tale of the young, headstrong Ophelia stepping into a world of magic and witches. At first it seems like her greatest challenge will be finding her Familiar or drawing her Implement from a great tree, but then she runs into Imogen, daughter and heir to the Magnolia family, and learns very quickly that romance and magic probably shouldn't be allowed to mix. If Ophelia plays the game well, she might be able to get the girl and still end up on top. But Ophelia has never been good at following the rules... 
Heartwood: Forbidden is created by EOK Gifford-Smith, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

Heartwood: Forbidden

"Standing up for us," I answered. "He's not actually in charge, and he wasn't going to give us what we wanted any time soon. I'm not staying here. Let's find the Matriarch, make our peace, and get out."


The witch I'd yelled at scampered up to us, keeping a wide berth when Olezhka threatened him with another growl.


"I'm sorry," he stammered. "But the Matriarch is unprepared for visitors at the moment. Can I bring you to a lounge to wait in for a while?"


"Please," I smiled sweetly. "And if you could scare us up some lunch too, that would make the visit just that much better."


He led us to a smaller chamber with several chairs and a couch, then disappeared to do as I requested. I flung myself down into a seat and Olezhka curled up on the floor beside me.


Chapter 26: Confrontation is a Learned Skill