Tag: everything has its price

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.”

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Mira Morganstein: The Pink Lemonade Club 005

MMCoverThe old woman grinned at her, and for a moment, she looked impossibly, heartbreakingly beautiful. Then the moment passed, and she was a harmless old woman once more.

Or maybe not.

The old woman wanted something from her, it was plain in the eager brightness of her eyes and the way she stood as though she was coiled and ready to spring forward. Mira glanced at the doll again, wondering if there was something wrong with it.

The cover of her book jabbed into her collarbone and ribcage, reminding her of other tales. Tales of princes or maidens meeting old women along the roads they traveled. Of what happened to the older brothers and the unkind sisters.

“I suppose I could come back with the money. How much is it?”

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The Curious Leaf: Voyage to the Moon 005

TCL Cover“Right.” Kya went to lift her foot, but found her feet—her whole self, actually—had frozen some place in between flight and moving forward. Moving at all seemed an impossible task, no matter how her heart jumped and juddered.

“You could always go back,” Hearthorne said lightly, as though what she was saying was nothing of consequence.

“Back?”

“Yes. Back to the pot sitting empty on your keeper’s window sill. It’s still there, you know.”

With great effort, Kya managed to turn her head enough to look Hearthorne in the face. “But what of our bargain?”

The faerie-flower shrugged her leaves. “What good is a bargain that doesn’t have a back door if things get too messy?”

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