Making those plans had been easy. Just one little hitch: waking Merrigan so she could join them on the quest. Two full days had passed in discussing how to break the spell before Bryan got up the courage to admit how he felt about her, and try to kiss her awake.
Merrigan finally got up on her feet and went out to have supper with the orphanage family. She was more pleased than she could understand, when the children welcomed her just as boisterously as they had when she was Mistress Mara. She feared that regaining her own face would frighten them, would make her a stranger to them.
"Silly girl," Auntie Gretel said with a sigh and an exasperated shake of her head. "You've been growing younger for the past four moons, but it was so gradual that none of us really noticed. Not with the whirlwind of everyday living, when you're tending nearly a hundred children. It's not really that much of a change. We could see you under the gray hair and wrinkles. I have to admire you, managing as well as you did. It's hard enough growing old at the normal pace, but to be turned into an old woman all at once ..." She patted Merrigan's cheek. "Stronger women have crumpled."
Her words tumbled through Merrigan's thoughts for a full day, until she finally confronted Bryan.
"So ... you recognized me?" she said, finding him alone for the first time in what seemed like weeks.
Only two days had passed since she had awakened. Days full of planning, with King Auberg and Aubrey's eager help, and loads of advice from Bergomass. The enchanter was only too eager to help make sure the enchantresses faced their deserved punishment. Their vindictive magic had been interfering with the majjian springs throughout almost the entire continent. When the underground veins of magic water were blocked or soured, it unbalanced everything, the magical as well as the ordinary, everyday things and activities and people.
"Yes ... and no." His eyes twinkled and his lips twitched, threatening to change his somber expression into laughter.
The problem was that every time Bryan's lips twitched, she found herself wishing he would kiss her again.
"Just what is that supposed to mean?"
"We haven't seen each other since you were what, twelve? I only had a glimpse of the woman you would become. There was an echo of that woman underneath the old woman, so I always felt I knew you, but ..." Bryan shrugged. "My heart nearly stopped when I saw you fall, the enchantment shattered, and you were yourself again. I knew who you were. I was frantic. I nearly—I actually thought of—" His gaze shifted to her lips.
"You wanted to kiss me right there? Right away?"
"I knew how I felt about you, but no idea if you even remembered who I was. True love's kiss doesn't work for strangers. Then I remembered all the things you said, talking about the boy you knew and ... I hoped."
"I'm glad you hoped," she whispered. "But just in case ... in case it was only a temporary cure ..." Merrigan's face heated and she could almost laugh at how timid she felt, afraid to speak the image that filled her mind and heart.
"Regular doses?" Bryan bent down slowly, his warm, strong hand cupping her cheek just as slowly, and kissed her, even more slowly, until she could feel the ripple of magic washing through her from head to toe.
END
Coming titles:
Book 2:
Majjian Springs
Book 3:
Thorns and Magic
About the Author
On the road to publication, Michelle fell into fandom in college and has 40+ stories in various SF and fantasy universes. She has a bunch of useless degrees in theater, English, film/communication, and writing. Even worse, she has over 100 books and novellas with multiple small presses, in science fiction and fantasy, YA, suspense, women's fiction, and sub-genres of romance.
Her official launch into publishing came with winning first place in the Writers of the Future contest in 1990. She was a finalist in the EPIC Awards competition multiple times, winning with Lorien in 2006 and The Meruk Episodes, I-V, in 2010, and was a finalist in the Realm Award competition, in conjunction with the Realm Makers convention.
Her training includes the Institute for Children’s Literature; proofreading at an advertising agency; and working at a community newspaper. She is a tea snob and freelance edits for a living ([email protected] for info/rates), but only enough to give her time to write. Her newest crime against the literary world is to be co-managing editor at Mt. Zion Ridge Press and launching the publishing co-op, Ye Olde Dragon Books. Be afraid ... be very afraid.
www.Mlevigne.com
www.MichelleLevigne.blogspot.com
www.YeOldeDragonBooks.com
www.MtZionRidgePress.com
@MichelleLevigne
Look for Michelle's Goodreads groups:
Guardians of Neighborlee
Voyages of the AFV Defender
NEWSLETTER:
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ALSO BY MICHELLE L. Levigne
Guardians of the Time Stream: 4-book Steampunk series
The Match Girls: Humorous inspirational romance series starting with A Match (Not) Made in Heaven
Sarai's Journey: A 2-book biblical fiction series
Tabor Heights: 20-book inspirational small town romance series.
Quarry Hall: 11-book women’s fiction/suspense series
For Sale: Wedding Dress. Never Used: inspirational romance
Crooked Creek: Fun Fables About Critters and Kids: Children’s short stories.
Do Yourself a Favor: Tips and Quips on the Writing Life. A book of writing advice.
Killing His Alter-Ego: contemporary romance/suspense, taking place in fandom.
The Commonwealth Universe: SF series, 25 books and growing
The Hunt: 5-book YA fantasy series
Faxinor: Fantasy series, 4 books and growing
Wildvine: Fantasy series, 14 books when all released
Neighborlee: Humorous fantasy series
Zygradon: 5-book Arthurian fantasy series
AFV Defender: SF adventure series
Young Defenders: Middle Grade SF series, spin-off of AFV
