chosenkeepersworld

[chosenkeepersworld]

Reading Updates!

TITLE: FLY WITH THE ARROW SERIES:(BLUEBEARD'S SECRET #1) AUTHOR: SARAH K.L. WILSON

Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

POSSIBLE SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT!

Review: I wasn't very familiar with the original Bluebeard tale so I had to look it up before I started reading. After reading the original tale I was curious to see how this one would go and I'm happy to say I enjoyed it a lot. My favorite part is definitely the relationship between Izolde and Arrow. I was definitely intrigued with how they would be communicating given the circumstances but I just loved their interactions with each other. Bluebeard has so many nicknames for his wife and I am weak for that. I love them, I just love them.

But of course we end on a cliff hanger and you can bet that I'll be reading the next book.

#recently read #Bluebeard's Secret #Fly with the Arrow #Sarah K.L. Wilson #Fantasy #january reads

[chosenkeepersworld]

Reading Update and minor writing update

Greetings all!

Rest assured I am alive. Just came here to give some updates.

Not sure if anyone's noticed but I am a huge Elise Kova fan, I have read her entire back list. Last August she released book 3 of her Married to Magic Series, A Deal with the Vampire Lord.

This might just be my favorite book in the series. I found that I liked the plot and characters more than the first two books. I liked Floriane but in the earlier part of the book, when Ruvan first brings her to Midscape, it felt like it took her forever to accept that vampir had their own issues the entire time her own people had the vampir problem. As for Ruvan, he’s probably my favorite among the male leads in this series. He felt more complex compared to the Eldas and Davien, especially regarding his motivations in breaking the curse. In terms of romance, I consider it to be on par with book 2. I like it when they’re together and I think this is more on the Upper YA side. The blood sharing is hot, more than the steamy scenes in my opinion. 

I really enjoyed this book and I’m very excited to see what happens in the next book. 

I am currently reading,or rather re-reading, Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent, I've gotten a few discord friends on board and watching the emotional damage has been entertaining.

As for writer's side of things, I'm still in the midst of writing my new WIP, I'm on chapter 3 right now and once I have a decent amount of chapters I will begin posting. I'm also trying to get back into writing those monthly shorts I do except I'll try to make it less of a monthly thing and instead make it shorter but more frequent, I'm still figuring it out.

That's it for now. See you all soon!

#reading updates #writing updates #things i'm up to

[chosenkeepersworld]

Reading Update 08/02/22

Greetings all!

Here's that reading update for the series I recently finished.

The Scarred Mage of Roseward by Sylvia Mercedes is a fantasy trilogy. This is the story of Peronelle Beck, commonly known to many as Nelle. When we first meet our heroine, she's on a snatching mission for a quill used by Mages as a conduit for their magic. This is so she can wipe out any debts her father has piled up. This eventually leads Nelle to be captured and blackmailed into stealing for one of the Mages she had stolen from.

Her mission? To steal a book of spells from the Mage living on the Isle of Roseward, Soran Silveri. But she never could have expected what she would find once she arrives.

Spoilers below, read at your own risk!

Overall, I enjoyed the series. The plot was intriguing and our main villain was terrifying. There was so much intrigue when it came how Soran got into this mess ( he got himself into it, what he did was just big yikes). When we finally got the answer to it in book 3, it just felt so satisfying.

What could have been done better were the characters and the romance between them. The characters were a little dull and Nelle was a little frustrating, she was a thief but didn't really as intelligent as what her profession required. And don't get me started on the made up swear words, every time read it I would groan internally. And then there's the romance, or lack of it. It's supposed to be a slow burn but in the end it wasn't satisfying, there was just a lack of romantic interactions through out the series that just made me feel sort of empty.

But here the thing about the end. I actually read one of SM's recent series Prince of the Doomed City and what do you know this book is actually connected to it. Heck when I started the series, the magic system was way too close to Prince of the Doomed City for it to be just coincidental.

Series rating: 3 Stars

#recently read #the scarred mage of roseward #sylvia mercedes

[chosenkeepersworld]

Writing Updates

Greetings all!

Just wanted to let you guys know how all the writing is going.

The Curses We Inherit

TCWI is close to being finished, the only thing left is an epilogue. Once that's done and after I give the chapters another edit I'll start posting again. I'll probably start posting on Tumblr again first so it can catch up to the chapters on Wattpad then I'll post the remaining chapters simultaneously.

New WIP

I've also started a new WIP! It's still in the very early stages where I'm planning the plot and characters down. I'm taking my time with this part so that I don't make the same mistakes I did with TCWI.

I don't have a lot of details I can tell you guys yet but I know for sure it's going to be a fantasy. I have lot of stories that take place in the modern world but I also feel like I have a lot more freedom in a fantasy setting since I'm making the world up.

I'm very excited to get to work on these and to post them. Thanks so much for being patient with me.

See you all in the next one!

#writing updates

[chosenkeepersworld]

Reading Update 07/16/22

Been reading a new series by an author I've read before. Will give my thoughts after I finish the trilogy. I finished Book 1 and started book 2.

#currently reading #sylvia mercedes #thief #prisoner #the scarred mage of roseward

[chosenkeepersworld]

[chosenkeepersworld]

The Return - with Book Posts

Greetings all! I have returned!

I hope everyone has been doing well. If not, I hope things get better for you, just hang in there.

It feels good to be back after so long away. I'm really excited to be posting again. I thought I'd take it slow and do a book post while I try to get back into the swing of things.

RECENTLY READ

I recently finished The Cruel Prince (Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black. It follows Jude Duarte who grew up in the land of Elfhame, the land of Faeries, after her parents were murdered when she was seven years old. Lots of Court Intrigue.

I've heard about this series a lot for so long and since the book discord I joined was doing a read along, it was a good opportunity to at least the start the series.

I enjoyed the book. The world is interesting, the events got intense and the characters are all complicated...except maybe Taryn? She probably has her reasons but what she did, especially to Jude were such crappy moves man. Worst sister of the year award for sure.

The Vega twins from Zodiac Academy would never. (Another great series I may talk about at some point).

Back on track, the book was a little slow for me which made it hard for me to get into the book but I still enjoyed it. I will definitely be continuing the series but it may take some time for me to get to books two and three.

3 out of 5 stars.

CURRENTLY READING

Before I started reading The Cruel Prince I actually started A Bond of Venom and Magic (The Goddess and the Guardians #1). The story follows Diamond, a young half-blood fae as she becomes a target for her strange powers.

It started getting really good when I paused to read The Cruel Prince, so I hope to get that steam back.

What's surprising is that our main male lead is 19 years old instead of 500 like most of leads would be for an upper YA fantasy.

Welp, that's it for now. It's great to be back here on tumblr and I hope everyone is having a great day. See you next time!

#recently read #currently reading #the cruel prince #folk of the air #holly black #a bond of venom and magic #the goddess and the guardians #karen tomlinson

[chosenkeepersworld]

Hello! Yes, I'm still alive!

My many apologies for lack of updates and communicating in the last month. I got my first job! And I'm technically still in training, so life has been majorly hectic right now. Honestly work has taken a lot of my energy and mental space. After two years of just being at home and working on my stories at my own pace, it has been quite the adjustment.

I can't make any promises regarding my schedule for my current story and future ones but the least I could do is fill you guys in.

Thank you so so much for all the support for the past 2 years, it has been greatly appreciated. I promise this is not for forever, just a hiatus while I get my life in order.

Thank you again and goodbye for now❣

#self reblog

[chosenkeepersworld]

Hello! Yes, I'm still alive!

My many apologies for lack of updates and communicating in the last month. I got my first job! And I'm technically still in training, so life has been majorly hectic right now. Honestly work has taken a lot of my energy and mental space. After two years of just being at home and working on my stories at my own pace, it has been quite the adjustment.

I can't make any promises regarding my schedule for my current story and future ones but the least I could do is fill you guys in.

Thank you so so much for all the support for the past 2 years, it has been greatly appreciated. I promise this is not for forever, just a hiatus while I get my life in order.

Thank you again and goodbye for now❣

#life updates #y'all deserve answers #and here's the best i can give you #I need to get my life in order #and things will get back on track #i promise

[chosenkeepersworld]

The Girl in the Alley

Original Work

Word Count: 1552 words

Date Posted: December 31, 2021

Life has an interesting way in making you see that there may be something missing in yours. It can be just about anything and is only meant to bring something more into your world. However, nobody really knows what that something would be. It could be an object, an opportunity, even an animal.

But more often than not it is a person that has the power to change our lives.

Luna Harken would often say to people who’d ask that she was satisfied with her life, more than satisfied actually. She smiled as she walked down the street, nodding politely when she walked by someone. Luna was only taking a short break from work to buy herself some lunch and other materials for her current project.

A joyful greeting boomed from the workers at the deli when Luna entered their shop. A grin spread across her face returning their greetings with equal joy then stepped in line. As Luna was a creature of habit, it was always enjoyable going to familiar places and seeing familiar faces.

“Your usual, Miss Luna?”

Luna chuckled but nodded “Yes, please Javi. I’ve been anticipating this all week.”

“Coming right up, Miss Luna”

Luna gave a wave goodbye when she left the deli. As usual, for sandwich lunches Luna loved eating them with a view and the best view was always at the park. The view of the lake had always been Luna’s favorite the very first moment she stepped foot in the park. The ducks bobbed in the water, quacking at each other as they continued swimming around the lake.

She smiled softly before stretching her arms. She peeked at her phone and practically jumped when she saw the time and messages. Luna tossed the sandwich wrapper in the garbage, turning to speed walk home. The other things she needed can wait until after she finished other things at home.

“Yes, I will be finished by tomorrow morning and can send it to you by noon.” Luna held her phone between her ear and shoulder, talking to her client. She nodded, occasionally giving little noises of affirmation at what was said.

“Right, of course…It was my pleasure, we’ll talk again tomorrow. Have a nice night” She hung up with a sigh, surveyed the room. Luna pursed her lips at the nearly empty living room and felt a sharp pang in her chest. She lifted the phone and called a familiar number “Hi, this is Luna Harken…yes, I would like to order the usual large sized pizza…”

Luna clutched her pillow tightly to herself that night, waiting for sleep to take over and start her day again.

But each day is different and always brings a change. The following day brought heavy rains forcing Luna to stay home most of the day. The rain had finally let up when the sky darkened. Luna glanced at the clock on her wall.

Eight PM wasn’t so late…

While she was out however, the rain began to fall hard again. Luna waved goodbye to the cashier then exited the store, clutching her raincoat even tighter. The young woman ran through the downpour as fast as she could. Lightning flashed ahead of her and as she ran, skidding to a stop when something metallic bounced out of the alley.

Luna swallowed thickly as she stared at the metal can tipping gently back and forth. She had to be careful now, there was no telling who and what might be in the alley. Hundreds of scenarios rushed through her mind, a homeless person digging through the trash? A mugging? Shady alley deals?

Shaking her head at the last one, Luna approached the mouth of the alley. She moved carefully, trying not to startle anyone who was there but gasped then moved to get a better look at what- who - she saw.

A woman, about her age, maybe a little older, was huddled against the dumpster, her dark hair fell around her face and blocked most of her features. She wore a thin, white dress, arms bare and her knees tucked close.

“Excuse me? Do you need help, ma’am?” Luna asked hesitantly. Her eyes darted to the woman then to the mouth of the alley.

When Luna stepped closer the odd woman cringed back “It’s okay! It’s okay!” Luna backed away with her hands up, palms open “I promise I won’t hurt you.”

The woman cringed again when Luna moved closer. Shrugging off her raincoat, Luna held it out to the stranger, speaking softly and calmly so as to not upset her before draping the clothing over the woman in the alley. It probably won’t do as much considering she was already soaked through but at least it would give her an extra layer of protection.

“I can help you. At least give you some shelter for the night if that’s alright?”

Luna could tell that the woman was cautious. Her body was still tense but she kept an eye on Luna from behind the curtain of dark hair. The two stared each other down, both much too stubborn. Luna only wanted to help, the hospital was on the other side of town and she didn't have a car. If she called an ambulance or the police there's a high chance the stranger will run before they get here.

The only option Luna could think of was her apartment. The rain was getting much worse and so Luna used the only thing she could think of to convince anyone.

"I have food in my home."

The growl that came from her strange, new friend's stomach made Luna smile.

The sound of the door opening drew Luna's attention as the woman from the alley exited her bathroom. Once they arrived at Luna's apartment, the young woman immediately directed her guest to the bathroom to bathe and dress, and once sure her guest was well enough to handle that on her own, Luna dried and changed clothing as well then began to heat the leftovers from earlier.

She had given her guest a sweater and jogging pants to wear as well as a pair of flip flops to walk around in. Perhaps they could go shopping this week…

And now that her guest was clean and freshly dressed allowing Luna to see her better. “It looks good on you. Are you comfortable?” her guest didn’t answer, only moving around the apartment, picking up objects, putting them down then moving on to something else that caught her attention.

Luna lifted her mug to her lips to sip at the hot chocolate, slumping in her seat as the heat spread through her body. She took another long sip, careful to blow on the hot drink before doing so. Her guest had finally moved into the tiny kitchen, her light brown eyes staring intently at the drink in Luna’s hands.

“Please sit while I-” the sound of the oven immediately took Luna’s attention “get your food out”

Once the plate and utensils were set Luna’s guest was on it in a second. It was fascinating watching her eat, it was expected that she was hungry, starving even, so one would also expect that a mess was likely during her meal. She ate fast but oddly poised, she ate with her mouth closed, pressing her fingers to her lips a time or two. She would also grab one of the cloth napkins that Luna bought on a whim and gingerly wipe the corners of her mouth.

She must have felt Luna’s stare, causing her to raise her head allowing their eyes to meet. Luna flushed at being caught and stammered out something to say.

“So, uh, what can I call you? I can’t keep calling you “Alley Lady” in my head-” Luna’s mouth clamped shut when her guest turned her head away.

“I’m sorry that was rude-”

“Bree”

Luna’s mouth fell open in shock.

“You can call me Bree”

“Bree, are you home?” Luna called out as she entered the door, she tossed her keys into the small bowl on the table close by. Glancing at her watch Luna could only guess that her roommate was still at work. Luna couldn’t help but smile at that thought, the anniversary of when she found her friend was coming close and Bree was doing quite well for herself.

Luna went about her usual ritual upon coming home when a sound came from the direction of their bedroom. The young woman froze, her heart beginning to beat faster. Her roommate should still be out unless it was her day off, but considering Luna always made sure to double check both their shifting schedules, that was definitely not the case.

The young woman quietly made her way towards the bedroom she and Bree shared. She paused to grab the baseball bat before continuing forward, Luna swallowed before slowly opening the door with her bat raised.

Luna blinked.

And blinked again.

Little men were in her room. They looked like children at first glance, their heights reached around her hips, but the longer Luna looked she noticed their long hair, beards and physique that definitely didn’t belong to young children. Their heads turned simultaneously in her direction once the door opened.

Luna didn’t have time to scream as they lunged and everything went black.

#self reblog

[chosenkeepersworld]

The Girl in the Alley

Original Work

Word Count: 1552 words

Date Posted: December 31, 2021

Life has an interesting way in making you see that there may be something missing in yours. It can be just about anything and is only meant to bring something more into your world. However, nobody really knows what that something would be. It could be an object, an opportunity, even an animal.

But more often than not it is a person that has the power to change our lives.

Luna Harken would often say to people who’d ask that she was satisfied with her life, more than satisfied actually. She smiled as she walked down the street, nodding politely when she walked by someone. Luna was only taking a short break from work to buy herself some lunch and other materials for her current project.

A joyful greeting boomed from the workers at the deli when Luna entered their shop. A grin spread across her face returning their greetings with equal joy then stepped in line. As Luna was a creature of habit, it was always enjoyable going to familiar places and seeing familiar faces.

“Your usual, Miss Luna?”

Luna chuckled but nodded “Yes, please Javi. I’ve been anticipating this all week.”

“Coming right up, Miss Luna”

Luna gave a wave goodbye when she left the deli. As usual, for sandwich lunches Luna loved eating them with a view and the best view was always at the park. The view of the lake had always been Luna’s favorite the very first moment she stepped foot in the park. The ducks bobbed in the water, quacking at each other as they continued swimming around the lake.

She smiled softly before stretching her arms. She peeked at her phone and practically jumped when she saw the time and messages. Luna tossed the sandwich wrapper in the garbage, turning to speed walk home. The other things she needed can wait until after she finished other things at home.

“Yes, I will be finished by tomorrow morning and can send it to you by noon.” Luna held her phone between her ear and shoulder, talking to her client. She nodded, occasionally giving little noises of affirmation at what was said.

“Right, of course…It was my pleasure, we’ll talk again tomorrow. Have a nice night” She hung up with a sigh, surveyed the room. Luna pursed her lips at the nearly empty living room and felt a sharp pang in her chest. She lifted the phone and called a familiar number “Hi, this is Luna Harken…yes, I would like to order the usual large sized pizza…”

Luna clutched her pillow tightly to herself that night, waiting for sleep to take over and start her day again.

But each day is different and always brings a change. The following day brought heavy rains forcing Luna to stay home most of the day. The rain had finally let up when the sky darkened. Luna glanced at the clock on her wall.

Eight PM wasn’t so late…

While she was out however, the rain began to fall hard again. Luna waved goodbye to the cashier then exited the store, clutching her raincoat even tighter. The young woman ran through the downpour as fast as she could. Lightning flashed ahead of her and as she ran, skidding to a stop when something metallic bounced out of the alley.

Luna swallowed thickly as she stared at the metal can tipping gently back and forth. She had to be careful now, there was no telling who and what might be in the alley. Hundreds of scenarios rushed through her mind, a homeless person digging through the trash? A mugging? Shady alley deals?

Shaking her head at the last one, Luna approached the mouth of the alley. She moved carefully, trying not to startle anyone who was there but gasped then moved to get a better look at what- who - she saw.

A woman, about her age, maybe a little older, was huddled against the dumpster, her dark hair fell around her face and blocked most of her features. She wore a thin, white dress, arms bare and her knees tucked close.

“Excuse me? Do you need help, ma’am?” Luna asked hesitantly. Her eyes darted to the woman then to the mouth of the alley.

When Luna stepped closer the odd woman cringed back “It’s okay! It’s okay!” Luna backed away with her hands up, palms open “I promise I won’t hurt you.”

The woman cringed again when Luna moved closer. Shrugging off her raincoat, Luna held it out to the stranger, speaking softly and calmly so as to not upset her before draping the clothing over the woman in the alley. It probably won’t do as much considering she was already soaked through but at least it would give her an extra layer of protection.

“I can help you. At least give you some shelter for the night if that’s alright?”

Luna could tell that the woman was cautious. Her body was still tense but she kept an eye on Luna from behind the curtain of dark hair. The two stared each other down, both much too stubborn. Luna only wanted to help, the hospital was on the other side of town and she didn't have a car. If she called an ambulance or the police there's a high chance the stranger will run before they get here.

The only option Luna could think of was her apartment. The rain was getting much worse and so Luna used the only thing she could think of to convince anyone.

"I have food in my home."

The growl that came from her strange, new friend's stomach made Luna smile.

The sound of the door opening drew Luna's attention as the woman from the alley exited her bathroom. Once they arrived at Luna's apartment, the young woman immediately directed her guest to the bathroom to bathe and dress, and once sure her guest was well enough to handle that on her own, Luna dried and changed clothing as well then began to heat the leftovers from earlier.

She had given her guest a sweater and jogging pants to wear as well as a pair of flip flops to walk around in. Perhaps they could go shopping this week…

And now that her guest was clean and freshly dressed allowing Luna to see her better. “It looks good on you. Are you comfortable?” her guest didn’t answer, only moving around the apartment, picking up objects, putting them down then moving on to something else that caught her attention.

Luna lifted her mug to her lips to sip at the hot chocolate, slumping in her seat as the heat spread through her body. She took another long sip, careful to blow on the hot drink before doing so. Her guest had finally moved into the tiny kitchen, her light brown eyes staring intently at the drink in Luna’s hands.

“Please sit while I-” the sound of the oven immediately took Luna’s attention “get your food out”

Once the plate and utensils were set Luna’s guest was on it in a second. It was fascinating watching her eat, it was expected that she was hungry, starving even, so one would also expect that a mess was likely during her meal. She ate fast but oddly poised, she ate with her mouth closed, pressing her fingers to her lips a time or two. She would also grab one of the cloth napkins that Luna bought on a whim and gingerly wipe the corners of her mouth.

She must have felt Luna’s stare, causing her to raise her head allowing their eyes to meet. Luna flushed at being caught and stammered out something to say.

“So, uh, what can I call you? I can’t keep calling you “Alley Lady” in my head-” Luna’s mouth clamped shut when her guest turned her head away.

“I’m sorry that was rude-”

“Bree”

Luna’s mouth fell open in shock.

“You can call me Bree”

“Bree, are you home?” Luna called out as she entered the door, she tossed her keys into the small bowl on the table close by. Glancing at her watch Luna could only guess that her roommate was still at work. Luna couldn’t help but smile at that thought, the anniversary of when she found her friend was coming close and Bree was doing quite well for herself.

Luna went about her usual ritual upon coming home when a sound came from the direction of their bedroom. The young woman froze, her heart beginning to beat faster. Her roommate should still be out unless it was her day off, but considering Luna always made sure to double check both their shifting schedules, that was definitely not the case.

The young woman quietly made her way towards the bedroom she and Bree shared. She paused to grab the baseball bat before continuing forward, Luna swallowed before slowly opening the door with her bat raised.

Luna blinked.

And blinked again.

Little men were in her room. They looked like children at first glance, their heights reached around her hips, but the longer Luna looked she noticed their long hair, beards and physique that definitely didn’t belong to young children. Their heads turned simultaneously in her direction once the door opened.

Luna didn’t have time to scream as they lunged and everything went black.

#writeblr #creative writing #original story #original writing #original characters #unbeta'd #critique welcome #monthly writing #The Girl in the Alley

[chosenkeepersworld]

The Curses We Inherit - Chapter 14

Original Work

Date Posted: December 30, 2021 (Tumblr)

Word count: 1,003 words

A/N: I hope everyone is doing well and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Masterlist / Part 13

"Is this really the best idea?" Liam swallowed the lump in his throat, pushing himself deeper into the backseat of Krysanthe's truck.

"Oh please, she's doing so well" Krysanthe waved her hand dismissively as Danika shifted gears then stepped on the wrong pedal causing the truck to lurch forward then stop. The blonde shifted gears again and the truck ran smoothly, Danika let out a sheepish laugh while Krysa turned to Liam and shrugged "She'll get better"

They were getting close to the biggest town on the island, just in time for the auction that would be happening later tonight. Everything was set and now all they had to do was get there. But as they got closer to their destination the heiress tightened her grip on the wheel, she became more and more anxious as all sorts of scenarios ran through her head. Krysa placed her hand on her friend's shoulder "Are you alright?" she asked.

Danika nodded "Yeah, just nervous. I hope everything goes well tonight"

"The sooner we get this necklace the sooner we get Danika safely back home" Liam said, keeping his gaze out the window.

Krysanthe turned and frowned at him but Danika was the one who spoke up, confusion evident in her voice "Nothing's happened to me since I left home. No one even knows who I am here, only that I'm aunt Aileen's niece"

A light flush slowly came on Liam's cheeks "I'm glad to hear that" he stammered "But don't you miss home?"

The car was silent and for a while Liam didn't think the heiress would answer him but when she did it was in a soft and thoughtful voice.

"Of course I miss home. I actually miss my daily schedule, I miss the comforts of home and I miss being surrounded by familiarity" she told him "But going on this trip has helped me in a lot of ways. I'm learning a lot"

Liam raised an eyebrow.

"I'm learning how to drive right now, aren't I?"

"That won't be enough," Liam told her.

"But it's a start!" Danika argued "I've learned more things here than I ever would at home, it may not seem much because you know how to do these things! For the first time in my life I get to decide how I want to live, I can get to experience things other people do and you have no idea how fulfilling it feels to make my own accomplishments"

The dark haired man crossed his arms and sighed "I get it. I never really had to work for much when I was running the family business, someone would always do majority of the work and I never truly understood" he lifted his head "It wasn't until I started working with your cousin that I finally got it"

"I'm sorry, I understand why you needed to do this but I'm not sorry I'm concerned. So if there's any danger, Danika, you should understand if Foalan and I will need to do something to ensure that safety."

Danika sighed "I know and I understand. You guys do what you have to do but fair warning" she took a quick glance at him "so will I"

"I wouldn't expect any less from Nika the Great," he chuckled.

The heiress froze. "What did you say?"

"Okay I think this is when we stop the lesson" Krysa softly interjected then instructed Danika to park the truck which the younger blonde was able to do but needed improvement on. The car behind them slowed and the window rolled down to reveal Jacqueline in the driver's seat "Everything good?" she asked

"Yeah, just switching places. I was giving Danika a driving lesson but I needed to take the wheel back now."

"Why, what did she do ?" Jac snorted "have a messy dashboard?"

Krysa rolled her eyes "Just drive ahead, Jacqueline. We'll follow"

"Fine, fine. In case we get there before you do, what do I say to the front desk officer again?"

The older blonde sighed "Is Foalan awake?"

Jac glanced back for a moment "No, totally asleep"

"Just text me when you get there or let Folan check us in," Krysanthe said with a tired smile.

"Gotcha. Safe driving, Krys" and with that Jac rolled up her window and drove off.

Danika and Krysanthe buckled in once they were able to change seats and followed after Jacqueline and Foalan. Once the car began moving, Danika quickly turned in her seat "How did you know that name?"

Liam sat straight in his seat, side eyeing the windows before finally looking at Danika. "I wasn't completely honest with you about meeting Foalan. I knew him when we were kids, my family and I were visiting the states at the time and that's when I met your cousin. I'd visit his house and we'd spend a lot of time together"

"That's weird I don't remember seeing you there, Alan would always have his friend there. The skinny kid, with glasses and he brought candy..." Danika trailed off as the realization slowly came to her. The blonde American gasped "Oh my god, you're Donny Alvern"

Liam winced and waved his arm "No one calls me that anymore"

"Wait, what?" Krysa asked, glancing back for a second.

"Is Liam your first or your second name?" Danika asked, her body shaking slightly

"That isn't important. But yeah I was that kid"

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"I don't know, I just felt weird after seeing you again after a long time" Liam said lamely.

"Well. it's good now. And I'm really glad to see-" Danika froze, there was a terrible itch at the back of her neck. The heiress sat back, scratching the spot furiously.

Krysa turned her to Danika to ask her if she was alright when a deer jumped on the road.

"Deer!"

Krysa and Danika turned their attention to the road and the world slowed. Krysanthe turned the wheel, the car swerved then everything went black.

Taglist: @mel-writes-with-her-dragons @woodhousejay @dustylovelyrun

#writeblr #original story #original writing #creative writing #original wip #unbeta'd #The Curses We Inherit #The Curses We Inherit Ch 14

[chosenkeepersworld]

The Curses We Inherit - Chapter 13

Original Work

Date Posted: December 15, 2021 (Tumblr)

Word count: 1,349 words

A/N: I hope everyone is doing well and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Masterlist / Part 12

She was in the cottage again, in the small bed pushed up against the wall. Everything was the same except for the grand bouquet flowers, even grander than the ones she'd seen before. But Danika paid it no mind.

It was draining at this point, seeing the dream over and over again but this was different. Instead of the quiet and still house she'd known for weeks, there was a fire burning with a metal pot hanging over it, the scent of food cooking in the air.

The door to the garden opened and a young woman with long brunette hair came in. She set a basket of vegetables on one table before closing the door again. Her hazel eyes shined bright as she moved around the cottage.

The woman returned to the table but paused then lifted her head as if she heard something. Her head turned to look outside with a grin on her face. She wiped her hands before running outside into a man's arms.

He spun her around before putting her down and kissing her temple. He wore a navy blue cloak but from where Danika was standing she could see that he wore some sort of embellished uniform underneath. He lifted his head and the heiress's eyes widened upon seeing his face. He was a complete stranger but Danika could spot similar features that she often saw in the men and women in her family. The face shape, the nose and even the chin. But the undeniable trait was always the eyes. She had them, her father had them and so did many others. The Prince that started it all.

Danika gasped, sitting up in her bedroll. She took in deep breaths to help her process her thoughts. The man in her dream looked too much like her and her relatives to be anyone other than the ancestor who caused the curse to happen. And that woman...

The blonde groaned, it was so confusing. That had to be the same woman who cursed her family, wasn't it? But she looked happy. Was it all because her ancestor left her for someone else? While Danika understood why she would be upset, the curse was a little much.

The sound of the zipper caught Danika's attention and Krysa popped her head in through the opening "Oh, good you're awake. Come have some breakfast."

Foalan and Krysanthe were the only ones around when Danika came out. Her cousin was cooking their breakfast and Krysa was fixing her belongings, however their other two companions were missing.

When Danika inquired about their whereabouts Foalan had only said that they went to bring some of the bags back to the car so they could leave as soon as possible. Danika raised an eyebrow at the thought of the two spending time together without arguing.

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Krysa reassured her "I talked with Jac last night about it and she told me a lot of things I'm not allowed to share." she chuckled "She just needs to figure things out"

Danika nodded but could not help but look towards where they parked the car. She hoped whatever was going on with those two would work out.

"I'll let Jac know we're eating now and she'll come running"

When it came to Jacqueline's habits, Krysa was not wrong, in a matter of minutes the brunette came running with Liam in tow. Jac slowed to a stop then sat between her friends, Krysa moved to hand Jac her plate but narrowed her eyes upon seeing the brunette's face.

Jac blinked in surprise and Danika tilted her head in confusion.

"Later" Krysa whispered.

The group ate without the same energy as the night before. Whatever happened between Jac and Liam did not seem to end very well, the two were blatantly ignoring each other and Liam was glaring even harder at the normally energetic brunette.

It was deeply concerning for the cousins and Krysa was seeing something the other two couldn't. They packed up their things in silence, it was difficult for Danika not to say anything to Jacqueline but whenever she'd try the brunette would wave it off.

She exchanged looks with her cousin who was trying to get Liam to talk too. But like her, he wasn't getting anything out of his friend. When they reached the cars, Krysa immediately ushered Jac into her car then turned to Danika "Load up the car, I need to talk to Alan before we leave"

Danika nodded in response and did as Krysa had told her to do. She would occasionally turn back to see what the smaller blonde was doing, Krysa approached Foalan once Liam was in the driver's seat, whispering to each other. Danika lingered by the trunk once she finished her task, once the two were finished with their own conversation the curly blonde turned back "Let's go" she murmured.

The two vehicles started up and went on their way. The trio sat silently in Krysa's truck for a while, Danika could tell the other blonde wanted to say something but kept her silence.

It didn't take long for Jac speak up "Just say it" she sighed "I know you have something you are just itching to say"

"What happened? I thought you two were getting along?" Krysa cried out

"Oh trust me, I'm frustrated with myself too. I did something wrong, put my foot in my mouth again"

Krysa closed her eyes briefly before giving Jac an exasperated and pained look. "Why? Just why?"

"We had a moment, and I thought we might kiss and then he started telling me about the girl he likes, he was practically singing her praises and it made me jealous" her lips pressed into a thin line "I had no right to be but I said some things I prefer not to repeat." she admitted

"And of course you two argued" the curly blonde sighed.

"Probably the worst one since we all got together" Jac slumped in her seat , she turned her head to Krysa and the corners of her lips twitched upward.

"Not surprising since you badmouth the person he likes."

"Taking a couple steps back" she sighed but then eyed her friend with a grin "At least you and Foalan are getting along now"

"Yeah what did you guys talk about last night? You both looked happy when I came back to camp" Danika leaned towards the other blonde with a knowing smile.

Krysa rolled her eyes at her friends but could not keep a smile from forming "We talked about history and we will keep on discussing history until we're ready to move on from that. It does not" she emphasized the word "mean we will be getting back together. We're trying to focus on our little quest and when we're done with it he and I will be talking more"

"So do not expect so much just because I'm not outright avoiding him anymore" she gave them a serious look before turning her eyes back on the road.

Jac and Danika exchanged looks "Fine we won't have any expectations about how this will turn out but we will be as nosey and meddling as possible."

"Ladies..."

"We want you to be happy, Krysa" Danika told her "but we also think you two could be good together."

"We'll see how this all goes later, right now we should focus on the auction happening tonight."

"Hold on let me just get the guys on so they can hear this too " Danika said quickly dialing her cousin's number and once they were Krysa started relaying her ideas for tonight. Since the auction was open to everyone with money the only problem they would probably be concerned with is getting everyone in the venue.

"Why would that be a problem?" Liam's voice came through the phone.

"The dress code is formal. Do you have a formal outfit for this thing?" Jac asked.

It was silent for a moment before Liam replied "Fair point. Do you guys know if there's a place to rent formal clothing there?"

Danika turned her head to the other two who also exchanged looks. Krsyanthe sighed "I honestly don't remember I haven't been there in years so who knows what'll be there"

"Let's just hope for the best," Danika muttered

Taglist: @mel-writes-with-her-dragons @woodhousejay @dustylovelyrun

#self reblog

[chosenkeepersworld]

The Curses We Inherit - Chapter 13

Original Work

Date Posted: December 15, 2021 (Tumblr)

Word count: 1,349 words

A/N: I hope everyone is doing well and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Masterlist / Part 12

She was in the cottage again, in the small bed pushed up against the wall. Everything was the same except for the grand bouquet flowers, even grander than the ones she'd seen before. But Danika paid it no mind.

It was draining at this point, seeing the dream over and over again but this was different. Instead of the quiet and still house she'd known for weeks, there was a fire burning with a metal pot hanging over it, the scent of food cooking in the air.

The door to the garden opened and a young woman with long brunette hair came in. She set a basket of vegetables on one table before closing the door again. Her hazel eyes shined bright as she moved around the cottage.

The woman returned to the table but paused then lifted her head as if she heard something. Her head turned to look outside with a grin on her face. She wiped her hands before running outside into a man's arms.

He spun her around before putting her down and kissing her temple. He wore a navy blue cloak but from where Danika was standing she could see that he wore some sort of embellished uniform underneath. He lifted his head and the heiress's eyes widened upon seeing his face. He was a complete stranger but Danika could spot similar features that she often saw in the men and women in her family. The face shape, the nose and even the chin. But the undeniable trait was always the eyes. She had them, her father had them and so did many others. The Prince that started it all.

Danika gasped, sitting up in her bedroll. She took in deep breaths to help her process her thoughts. The man in her dream looked too much like her and her relatives to be anyone other than the ancestor who caused the curse to happen. And that woman...

The blonde groaned, it was so confusing. That had to be the same woman who cursed her family, wasn't it? But she looked happy. Was it all because her ancestor left her for someone else? While Danika understood why she would be upset, the curse was a little much.

The sound of the zipper caught Danika's attention and Krysa popped her head in through the opening "Oh, good you're awake. Come have some breakfast."

Foalan and Krysanthe were the only ones around when Danika came out. Her cousin was cooking their breakfast and Krysa was fixing her belongings, however their other two companions were missing.

When Danika inquired about their whereabouts Foalan had only said that they went to bring some of the bags back to the car so they could leave as soon as possible. Danika raised an eyebrow at the thought of the two spending time together without arguing.

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Krysa reassured her "I talked with Jac last night about it and she told me a lot of things I'm not allowed to share." she chuckled "She just needs to figure things out"

Danika nodded but could not help but look towards where they parked the car. She hoped whatever was going on with those two would work out.

"I'll let Jac know we're eating now and she'll come running"

When it came to Jacqueline's habits, Krysa was not wrong, in a matter of minutes the brunette came running with Liam in tow. Jac slowed to a stop then sat between her friends, Krysa moved to hand Jac her plate but narrowed her eyes upon seeing the brunette's face.

Jac blinked in surprise and Danika tilted her head in confusion.

"Later" Krysa whispered.

The group ate without the same energy as the night before. Whatever happened between Jac and Liam did not seem to end very well, the two were blatantly ignoring each other and Liam was glaring even harder at the normally energetic brunette.

It was deeply concerning for the cousins and Krysa was seeing something the other two couldn't. They packed up their things in silence, it was difficult for Danika not to say anything to Jacqueline but whenever she'd try the brunette would wave it off.

She exchanged looks with her cousin who was trying to get Liam to talk too. But like her, he wasn't getting anything out of his friend. When they reached the cars, Krysa immediately ushered Jac into her car then turned to Danika "Load up the car, I need to talk to Alan before we leave"

Danika nodded in response and did as Krysa had told her to do. She would occasionally turn back to see what the smaller blonde was doing, Krysa approached Foalan once Liam was in the driver's seat, whispering to each other. Danika lingered by the trunk once she finished her task, once the two were finished with their own conversation the curly blonde turned back "Let's go" she murmured.

The two vehicles started up and went on their way. The trio sat silently in Krysa's truck for a while, Danika could tell the other blonde wanted to say something but kept her silence.

It didn't take long for Jac speak up "Just say it" she sighed "I know you have something you are just itching to say"

"What happened? I thought you two were getting along?" Krysa cried out

"Oh trust me, I'm frustrated with myself too. I did something wrong, put my foot in my mouth again"

Krysa closed her eyes briefly before giving Jac an exasperated and pained look. "Why? Just why?"

"We had a moment, and I thought we might kiss and then he started telling me about the girl he likes, he was practically singing her praises and it made me jealous" her lips pressed into a thin line "I had no right to be but I said some things I prefer not to repeat." she admitted

"And of course you two argued" the curly blonde sighed.

"Probably the worst one since we all got together" Jac slumped in her seat , she turned her head to Krysa and the corners of her lips twitched upward.

"Not surprising since you badmouth the person he likes."

"Taking a couple steps back" she sighed but then eyed her friend with a grin "At least you and Foalan are getting along now"

"Yeah what did you guys talk about last night? You both looked happy when I came back to camp" Danika leaned towards the other blonde with a knowing smile.

Krysa rolled her eyes at her friends but could not keep a smile from forming "We talked about history and we will keep on discussing history until we're ready to move on from that. It does not" she emphasized the word "mean we will be getting back together. We're trying to focus on our little quest and when we're done with it he and I will be talking more"

"So do not expect so much just because I'm not outright avoiding him anymore" she gave them a serious look before turning her eyes back on the road.

Jac and Danika exchanged looks "Fine we won't have any expectations about how this will turn out but we will be as nosey and meddling as possible."

"Ladies..."

"We want you to be happy, Krysa" Danika told her "but we also think you two could be good together."

"We'll see how this all goes later, right now we should focus on the auction happening tonight."

"Hold on let me just get the guys on so they can hear this too " Danika said quickly dialing her cousin's number and once they were Krysa started relaying her ideas for tonight. Since the auction was open to everyone with money the only problem they would probably be concerned with is getting everyone in the venue.

"Why would that be a problem?" Liam's voice came through the phone.

"The dress code is formal. Do you have a formal outfit for this thing?" Jac asked.

It was silent for a moment before Liam replied "Fair point. Do you guys know if there's a place to rent formal clothing there?"

Danika turned her head to the other two who also exchanged looks. Krsyanthe sighed "I honestly don't remember I haven't been there in years so who knows what'll be there"

"Let's just hope for the best," Danika muttered

Taglist: @mel-writes-with-her-dragons @woodhousejay @dustylovelyrun

#writeblr #original story #original writing #creative writing #original wip #unbeta'd #The Curses We Inherit #The Curses We Inherit Ch 13

[chosenkeepersworld]

Book Rec!! 11/28/21

SAlrighty I keep forgetting to do this but thankfully I finally remembered to do it today.

So for my favorite reads for the past two months have to be these two wonderful books by these amazing authors!

A Shadow in the Ember is the first book in the by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It's also a prequel and companion series to her Blood and Ash series, which is also pretty good.

As always JLA makes another fantastic start to the new series. Sera is a real badass leading lady and Nyktos was just wonderful until he started pissing me off near the end, man I hope they resolve their issues, relationship wise, ASAP.

It's so fun to see some of the characters that were introduced in the Blood and Ash series as well as reading some other things that I can't really talk about because of spoilers hehe.

And my favorite read for November is the long awaited Death by Laura Thalassa. Death is the last book in The Four Horsemen series and I just loved it. Lazarus, our main heroine, was such an amazing badass, she is my favorite among the leading ladies in the series. It's honestly much harder to pick my favorite Horseman. They're just so surprisingly complicated, Laura just did an amazing job with them.

The series ended very nicely and resolved everything it needed to. I wish there was more. More of the Horsemen after each of their books, there is so much possible extra content and I really hope Laura writes bonus content for us to read.

There are still so many books out there I'm excited to read about and I can't wait.

What recent read was your favorite?

#recent reads #finished reading #an ember in the ashes #asite #jennifer l armentrout #JLA #death #the four horsemen #laura thalassa

[chosenkeepersworld]

The Curses We Inherit - Chapter 12

Original Work

Date Posted: August 28, 2021 (Tumblr)

Word count: 1,348 words

A/N: I have returned! And with a new chapter :D It was good break, step back and come back to this story with fresh eyes and a new perspective. I hope everyone is doing well and I hope you enjoy reading!

Masterlist / Part 11

The fire crackled and the smoke rose into the night sky, green eyes followed the smoke make its way into the evening sky. The stars were brighter tonight or perhaps Danika never really saw them while being blinded by the lights in largely populated areas. The slender blonde smiled to herself as she continued staring up at the sky.

Things did not go the way they had planned. Foalan and Liam were waiting for them by their car when the trio went down to leave. They had heard Danika and Jacqueline talking quite loudly about their plans of escape and cut them off before they could. After much time arguing over the matter, they came to an agreement to travel with each other.

The group had just finished dinner, thankfully Krysa had insisted on stopping by the goods store before they left the town, and were indulging in a dessert Danika had been curious to try since her childhood. Jacqueline was practically bouncing in her seat as she held the pierced marshmallow over the open flame, Liam gave the brunette annoying glances from Danika's side and Krysa was happily roasting her own marshmallow in silence.

Once satisfied with the new coloring of the previously white, squishy candy both girls carefully sandwiched the piece between two graham crackers and pulled the stick away before giving it to their companions.

Liam raised his hand to refuse but Jac shoved s'mores filled napkin at the dark haired man anyway "Just take it" she insisted "A little sugar might boost your mood" she added with a smile. He grumbled to himself but ate the sweet square anyway, as he chewed his body and expression relaxed.

"I told you" Jac grinned, sandwiching another marshmallow but Liam snatched the sandwich out of her hands. She stared at him incredulously while he grinned at her "My mood needs more boosting" he said simply.

Jac's eyebrows scrunched together, her mouth set in a grimace. At the sound Krysanthe' laughter the brunette head snapped in her friend's direction and whined.

"Don't give me that" Krysa picked up the bag of marshmallows and held it out "There's still plenty left" the blonde chuckled, her expression turned curious "Do you two know each other?"

Jac raised an eyebrow while Liam turned sharpy towards the shorter blonde.

"I meant before all this" she raised her hand to gesture their surroundings "I heard you two talking about The Snowglobe"

The pair in question shared a look before Liam sighed and confessed "We do. Our families know each other, I helped with a joint venture for a time but then I met this guy" he jabbed a thumb in Alan's direction "I found out what he did and couldn't stop thinking about it. On the day I was supposed to go home I changed my mind, stayed here, found Alan and started working at the firm." His lips formed a small smile.

"What did you work as?" Danika asked him.

To everyone's surprise a deep flush stained Liam's cheeks. Foalan and Jacqueline knew what he used to do and it wasn't in any way embarrassing. Jac narrowed her eyes at Liam but he still had his eyes on Danika, there was a soft look on his face, one that the brunette never thought she would see. Her blue eyes then drifted to Danika who was just as confused as the rest.

And just like that a thought went off in her head like a bell. But before she could say anymore Foalan spoke up "Your old job wasn't that bad. You even told me how much you loved it, hell I think I would have liked to have your job"

"Owning a confectionery is harder than you think!"

Krysa's mouth fell open while Danika softly gasped, a grin spreading across the younger blonde's face.

"A confectionery?" Danika asked

"A candy factory" Jac clarified

"I know what that is. I meant which confectionery"

"Carrick Confectionery" Liam revealed, leaning back against the tree behind him.

"Carrick Confectionary..." Danika trailed off then gasped even louder "You guys make those chocolate easter eggs right? The ones with different fillings?" she rattled off excitedly.

The dark haired man across from her nodded.

"Best chocolate ever!"

Liam chuckled "Thank you."

Silence settled over the group as they sat together around the flames, listening to the soft chirps under the twinkling stars.

Danika awoke to the call of nature, she hurriedly got out of her bedroll and tent then did a double take when she realized she had forgotten the toilet paper and shovel. Jac had educated the younger blonde on doing her business in the woods. The heiress felt her face heat up upon remembering the conversation.

She slowly walked back to camp, taking in the feel of the forest. There was something peaceful about being around nature. Nothing felt complicated when she was out here, as if there was nothing else beyond this moment.

From the corner of her eyes she saw some kind of white fabric disappear into the bushes. The heiress paused.

Now, logically she knew following whatever that was would most likely get her killed, one way or another. Danika could just pretend she never saw it, head back to her tent and go back to bed but there was a feeling that Danika couldn't ignore. So, despite what horror movies taught her, the blonde hurried to find what she had seen.

Danika swallowed, nervous at the sight of an endless forest. It would be so, so easy to get lost.

The sound of laughter made Danika turn her head just in time to white disappear in another direction. This went on for a little while until the heiress stumbled to a stop, taking in the sight around her. The area looked...wrong.

The entire area looked like it was burnt, the ground was an ugly blackish-gray color. Tall, thin, blackened objects stood from the earth and a little ways ahead she could see what was once a small house, with its structure the only thing left standing.

It took a few moments for Danika to realize she was standing in the ruins of a garden, there were mounds of earth lined up in separate sections and there were pots closer to the house.

The young heiress could not help but look around at the property's ruins one last time. It was unsettling, there were knots tightening in her stomach and she felt a strange guilt as she stared at the remains of the house.

Danika found her way back to camp, to her surprise Foalan and Krysanthe were sitting across from each other, the campfire lit between them. They turned their heads upon hearing her come out from behind the bushes.

"How-" Foalan's voice cracked causing him to clear his throat "How long have you been there?" Danika didn't know if it was the fire or not but their faces looked really red.

"Not long, I just came back from taking care of business," Danika said, going over to sit beside Foalan. "I wasn't expecting you two to be up"

"I couldn't sleep" Krysa said "So I came out here to get some thoughts together, I woke Foalan up from being too noisy-"

"I never said you were noisy" Foalan interjected "I said a noise woke me up so I had to check it out. The noise just happened to be you"

"In other words I woke you up because I was noisy?" Krysa asked, a smile spreading across her face.

Foalan's mouth opened and closed for a few moments before he sighed, his lips twitching upward "I really can't win with you, can I?"

"I'm sure you'll win one eventually"

The pair exchanged grins. Danika fought to keep a smile off her face, clearly what had happened prior to her arrival had changed their relationship for the better. The heiress excused herself and returned to her tent with a smile on her face.

She settled back into her bedroll and slowly fell asleep, her body relaxing as she fell deeper into slumber.

Taglist: @mel-writes-with-her-dragons @woodhousejay @dustylovelyrun

#self reblog

[chosenkeepersworld]

The Curses We Inherit - Chapter 12

Original Work

Date Posted: November 13, 2021 (Tumblr)

Word count: 1,348 words

A/N: I have returned! And with a new chapter :D It was good break, step back and come back to this story with fresh eyes and a new perspective. I hope everyone is doing well and I hope you enjoy reading!

Masterlist / Part 11

The fire crackled and the smoke rose into the night sky, green eyes followed the smoke make its way into the evening sky. The stars were brighter tonight or perhaps Danika never really saw them while being blinded by the lights in largely populated areas. The slender blonde smiled to herself as she continued staring up at the sky.

Things did not go the way they had planned. Foalan and Liam were waiting for them by their car when the trio went down to leave. They had heard Danika and Jacqueline talking quite loudly about their plans of escape and cut them off before they could. After much time arguing over the matter, they came to an agreement to travel with each other.

The group had just finished dinner, thankfully Krysa had insisted on stopping by the goods store before they left the town, and were indulging in a dessert Danika had been curious to try since her childhood. Jacqueline was practically bouncing in her seat as she held the pierced marshmallow over the open flame, Liam gave the brunette annoying glances from Danika's side and Krysa was happily roasting her own marshmallow in silence.

Once satisfied with the new coloring of the previously white, squishy candy both girls carefully sandwiched the piece between two graham crackers and pulled the stick away before giving it to their companions.

Liam raised his hand to refuse but Jac shoved s'mores filled napkin at the dark haired man anyway "Just take it" she insisted "A little sugar might boost your mood" she added with a smile. He grumbled to himself but ate the sweet square anyway, as he chewed his body and expression relaxed.

"I told you" Jac grinned, sandwiching another marshmallow but Liam snatched the sandwich out of her hands. She stared at him incredulously while he grinned at her "My mood needs more boosting" he said simply.

Jac's eyebrows scrunched together, her mouth set in a grimace. At the sound Krysanthe' laughter the brunette head snapped in her friend's direction and whined.

"Don't give me that" Krysa picked up the bag of marshmallows and held it out "There's still plenty left" the blonde chuckled, her expression turned curious "Do you two know each other?"

Jac raised an eyebrow while Liam turned sharpy towards the shorter blonde.

"I meant before all this" she raised her hand to gesture their surroundings "I heard you two talking about The Snowglobe"

The pair in question shared a look before Liam sighed and confessed "We do. Our families know each other, I helped with a joint venture for a time but then I met this guy" he jabbed a thumb in Alan's direction "I found out what he did and couldn't stop thinking about it. On the day I was supposed to go home I changed my mind, stayed here, found Alan and started working at the firm." His lips formed a small smile.

"What did you work as?" Danika asked him.

To everyone's surprise a deep flush stained Liam's cheeks. Foalan and Jacqueline knew what he used to do and it wasn't in any way embarrassing. Jac narrowed her eyes at Liam but he still had his eyes on Danika, there was a soft look on his face, one that the brunette never thought she would see. Her blue eyes then drifted to Danika who was just as confused as the rest.

And just like that a thought went off in her head like a bell. But before she could say anymore Foalan spoke up "Your old job wasn't that bad. You even told me how much you loved it, hell I think I would have liked to have your job"

"Owning a confectionery is harder than you think!"

Krysa's mouth fell open while Danika softly gasped, a grin spreading across the younger blonde's face.

"A confectionery?" Danika asked

"A candy factory" Jac clarified

"I know what that is. I meant which confectionery"

"Carrick Confectionery" Liam revealed, leaning back against the tree behind him.

"Carrick Confectionary..." Danika trailed off then gasped even louder "You guys make those chocolate easter eggs right? The ones with different fillings?" she rattled off excitedly.

The dark haired man across from her nodded.

"Best chocolate ever!"

Liam chuckled "Thank you."

Silence settled over the group as they sat together around the flames, listening to the soft chirps under the twinkling stars.

Danika awoke to the call of nature, she hurriedly got out of her bedroll and tent then did a double take when she realized she had forgotten the toilet paper and shovel. Jac had educated the younger blonde on doing her business in the woods. The heiress felt her face heat up upon remembering the conversation.

She slowly walked back to camp, taking in the feel of the forest. There was something peaceful about being around nature. Nothing felt complicated when she was out here, as if there was nothing else beyond this moment.

From the corner of her eyes she saw some kind of white fabric disappear into the bushes. The heiress paused.

Now, logically she knew following whatever that was would most likely get her killed, one way or another. Danika could just pretend she never saw it, head back to her tent and go back to bed but there was a feeling that Danika couldn't ignore. So, despite what horror movies taught her, the blonde hurried to find what she had seen.

Danika swallowed, nervous at the sight of an endless forest. It would be so, so easy to get lost.

The sound of laughter made Danika turn her head just in time to white disappear in another direction. This went on for a little while until the heiress stumbled to a stop, taking in the sight around her. The area looked...wrong.

The entire area looked like it was burnt, the ground was an ugly blackish-gray color. Tall, thin, blackened objects stood from the earth and a little ways ahead she could see what was once a small house, with its structure the only thing left standing.

It took a few moments for Danika to realize she was standing in the ruins of a garden, there were mounds of earth lined up in separate sections and there were pots closer to the house.

The young heiress could not help but look around at the property's ruins one last time. It was unsettling, there were knots tightening in her stomach and she felt a strange guilt as she stared at the remains of the house.

Danika found her way back to camp, to her surprise Foalan and Krysanthe were sitting across from each other, the campfire lit between them. They turned their heads upon hearing her come out from behind the bushes.

"How-" Foalan's voice cracked causing him to clear his throat "How long have you been there?" Danika didn't know if it was the fire or not but their faces looked really red.

"Not long, I just came back from taking care of business," Danika said, going over to sit beside Foalan. "I wasn't expecting you two to be up"

"I couldn't sleep" Krysa said "So I came out here to get some thoughts together, I woke Foalan up from being too noisy-"

"I never said you were noisy" Foalan interjected "I said a noise woke me up so I had to check it out. The noise just happened to be you"

"In other words I woke you up because I was noisy?" Krysa asked, a smile spreading across her face.

Foalan's mouth opened and closed for a few moments before he sighed, his lips twitching upward "I really can't win with you, can I?"

"I'm sure you'll win one eventually"

The pair exchanged grins. Danika fought to keep a smile off her face, clearly what had happened prior to her arrival had changed their relationship for the better. The heiress excused herself and returned to her tent with a smile on her face.

She settled back into her bedroll and slowly fell asleep, her body relaxing as she fell deeper into slumber.

Taglist: @mel-writes-with-her-dragons @woodhousejay @dustylovelyrun

#writeblr #original story #original writing #creative writing #original wip #unbeta'd #The Curses We Inherit #The Curses We Inherit Ch 12