Curse

  Isidora cringed and looked down at her arm. The pink-purple splotches that had first appeared on the back of her hand had spread up her forearm. The discomfort that had started with an itch now burned as if with fire.

  Isidora opened her mouth to curse but could only scream.

  Shadow

  The first day of spring was so pleasant.

  The pixie queen Gwenla, her dragonfly-like wings fluttering, admired her own shadow as it played across the meadow below her.

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  A shining glint of gold caught her eye and aroused her curiosity. She had to turn back to see what was there.

  Oracle

  Words written in the old tongue appeared on the Oracle Stone.

  Jeb’s eyes were wide. “Kill him? Kill who?”

  The priest shrugged. “That is for you to discover.”

  “I’m no murderer!”

  The priest shrugged. “Apparently you will be.”

  Those words, as shocking as those of the stone, chilled Jeb’s blood.

  Ghost

  A cold strike stripped Esparza’s lantern away and an icy grip seized her sword arm.

  She wanted to cry out from the lancinating pain but fear had halted the very air in her lungs.

  Esparza gasped at the appearance of sinister red eyes that floated disembodied before her. “A ghost!”

  Quest

  “Your quest ends here!” the knight growled.

  Jam’s lip curled. “We shall see.”

  The knight’s attack was wild. Their swords clashed. Jam parried with ease.

  The knight stumbled and Jam pushed his off-balance opponent onto his back.

  The knight’s bravado vanished as he found Jam’s sword hovering above his throat.