MIDNIGHT OIL - Book 2 of the Witches of Galdorheim
Shipwrecked on a legendary island, how can a witch rescue her boyfriend if she can’t even phone home?
Kat discovers that an evil forest spirit has kidnapped her brand-new boyfriend. She sets out with her brother, Rune, from her Arctic island home on a mission to rescue the boy. Things go wrong from the start. Kat is thrown overboard during a violent storm, while her brother and his girlfriend are captured by a mutant island tribe. The mutants hold the girlfriend hostage, demanding that the teens recover the only thing that can make the mutants human again–the magical Midnight Oil.
Mustering every bit of her Wiccan magic, Kat rises to the challenge. She invokes her magical skills, learns to fly an ultralight, meets a legendary sea serpent, rescues her boyfriend, and helps a friendly air spirit win the battle against her spiteful sibling. On top of it all, she’s able to recover the Midnight Oil and help the hapless mutants in the nick of time.
Also in the Witches of Galdorheim series:
Bad Spelling: Released October 2011
A klutzy witch, a shaman's curse, a quest to save her family. Can Kat find her magic in time?
Scotch Broom: Scheduled for Spring of 2012
A magical trip to Stonehenge lands a witch in the Otherworld where an ancient goddess is up to no good.
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Excerpt:
Kat’s grandfather has come to the witches’ island to collect his son’s frozen body for transport to Siberia for burial. The witches believe that Kat’s almost-dead father should have a proper send-off.
The crowd hushed as Ardyth moved forward to stand before the black-draped altar. She drew two candleholders from her carryall and set them on the cloth. She placed a black candle in one and a white candle in the other. Next, she stood a carved-stone pentacle on a simple oak base midway between the candles. Her preparations complete, Ardyth lit the candles with a flick of her finger then took a half step back and raised her open hands to head height. With her palms facing toward the ice-encased body, she bowed her head. The others followed her lead for a moment of silence.
Taking a deep breath, Ardyth raised her head and spoke. “The pentacle symbolizes man. This man, my beloved Boris….” her voice constricted, she took a deep breath and then continued, “is moving on to the next phase of life, leaving this one behind.”
The other Wiccans murmured the traditional response, “Peace be.”
“These candles represent the duality of nature—light and dark, male and female, sun and moon.”
“Peace be.”
Ardyth lowered her hands and looked at Kat. When her mother stepped back, Kat moved to stand by the altar. She laid a circlet of flowers on the altar and looked with sad eyes at the shadowy form of her frozen father.
“These flowers stand for the eight virtues: mirth, reverence, honor, humility, strength, beauty, power, and compassion. All these we wish for my father in his journey.”
“Peace be.”
Kat moved back, and Thordis took her place. “We welcome the Guardians to our presence.”
With her palms pressed together, Thordis pointed north. “Earth,” she intoned. She turned to face west. “Air.” She completed the circle with “Fire,” and “Water.” She faced the body again. “May the guardian elements protect our brother on his journey to his next life.”
“Peace be.”
Thordis nodded to Ivansi, who hesitated for a second before stepping slowly to the altar. Kat’s heart swelled with a sudden surge of admiration for her grandfather. His culture had taught him to fear and mistrust witches his whole life, yet here he was participating in a ceremony with them. Kat could only guess at the courage it took for him to come forward.
Ivansi removed a small, sheathed knife from the pouch at his belt. Pulling it from the sheath, he grasped the knife by the blade with both hands and held it out, elaborately-carved hilt first, toward his son. He spoke with solemn tones in the Sami language for a few sentences and then carefully placed the knife on the altar touching Kat’s flowers. He bowed his head for a second and whispered something else in Sami. Kat didn’t know what he said, but she felt her grandfather’s love for his son.
When he straightened and moved back from the altar, the mourners intoned, “Peace be,” and slowly shuffled out of the cavern.
“Well, that’s that.” Thordis clapped her hands. “Now, all we need to do is cut out enough ice to keep Boris frozen until he gets home.” The witch turned to the ice, pointing at a spot well away from the body. A point of purple light appeared. “About here look okay to you, Ardyth?”
Ardyth wiped a tear from her eye. “That ought to do it.”
