Category: The Faerie Thief

The Faerie Thief: The Ruby Queen’s Garden 013

The Ruby Queen's Garden (Episode One)“What are you thinking of when you find a door?” Lyra asked, her voice heavy with sleep.

Gwyn stared at the sky some more. A star-man contemplated three rosebushes before reaching out an plucking a rose from the middle bush. The rose melted away into a beautiful princess, and the other two bushes turned into her sisters. They cheered and danced as the ancient curse had been broken. At long last, they were free.

Free.

“I don’t know. Being able to visit with you. Doors to your realm are the only ones I’ve ever been able to find.”

“Hmmm. Well, what are you thinking when you try to summon a door?”

Read More


The Faerie Thief: The Ruby Queen’s Garden 012

TFTcoverGwyn’s first try resulted in a small purple toad.

It blinked up at them with mournful eyes, its shoulders humped over.

“That was a good beginning,” Lyra said, patting her arm. “Most people don’t get anything on their first try. I know I didn’t.”

“What did I do wrong?” Gwyn frowned down at the toad. It was nothing like a door.

“I’ve never conjured a toad like that, so I don’t know.” Lyra leaned over and brushed her fingers across the toad’s brow. Its face relaxed right before it puffed into a golden cloud of magic. “Try again.”

After summoning a pink hatbox, a shoe, five pieces of silver, and an old coat that was mostly patches, Gwyn slumped down. “I’m never going to get this.”

Read More


The Faerie Thief: The Ruby Queen’s Garden 011

TFTcover“So it’s hopeless then?” The creature gnawing at her heart sprouted another set of teeth.

Lyra grinned, and the sparkle came back into her eye. “Of course not! I may not be able to do anything about it, but there’s nothing saying you can’t.”

Gwyn lifted her head, and the air around her turned fragile as spun glass. “What can I do?”

“Well,” Lyra drawled, linking her arm with Gwyn’s, “I may not know how to break the binding, but I can teach you how to make a door.”

“A door?” Gwyn asked, thinking of the many doors Lyra always insisted she find on her own. “Can’t I already do that?”

“Yes and no. You know how to find a door if you have to, but it’s always better to know how to make one. Doors are handy things, but only if they’re there.”

Read More


The Faerie Thief: The Ruby Queen’s Garden 010

TFTcoverHer lips pursed into a tight rosebud, Lyra reached into Gwyn’s apron pocket and pulled out a pair of disgruntled gloves. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to.

“All this time . . .” All this time she’d been fearful of the Ruby Queen because she knew she couldn’t fight back. She hadn’t the magic for it.

Or so she’d thought.

Lyra held out the gloves and Gwyn took them. She felt numb all over, as though she were nothing more than one of the queen’s tiny marionette dolls. She had a wooden head that was too solid for thought. Strings she didn’t control lifted one hand while her other slid the glove onto it.

The change was instantaneous.

Read More


The Faerie Thief: The Ruby Queen’s Garden 009

TFTcoverGwyn blinked slowly as what Lyra said started to unravel the shock cocooning her like a thick quilt. “On magic?”

Hysteria felt as though it was only a breath away. Waiting with eager hands to clutch at her with long, desperate fingers.

“Yes. Isn’t it wonderful?” Lyra gave her a hug that squeezed the breath right out of her. “I always suspected you had more to you. You have no idea how hard it was to wait. I didn’t want to tell you, get your hopes up and risk dashing them if I was wrong—”

Gwyn ignored the sparks of magic flowing from her fingers and grabbed her friend by the shoulders. “What are you talking about? And why here? Why now?”

“Who knows?” Lyra grinned bigger than she’d ever grinned before. “What matters is that you’ve found your magic at long last. Oh! The adventures we’re going to have! What would you like to do first?”

Read More