Rising Storm: A Fast-paced Humorous Urban Fantasy Book (The Witch's Bestiary Book 5) by Hunter Evangeline

Author:Hunter, Evangeline
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bouquets and Blades Press
Published: 2025-11-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Morning sunlight spilled across the dining hall, catching the long table in bands of gold. I breathed in the scent of fresh bread and coffee as I stirred my tea. My mind wandered back to the hallway, the moaning in the dark, the way the house seemed to lean in and listen. If Taranis noticed the tension in my shoulders, he didn’t mention it.

He took the seat across from me, his gaze searching my face. “Good morning,” he said. “Did you sleep well?”

I kept my eyes on my teacup. “It was fine,” I said. I took a sip, hiding behind the rim.

Taranis raised an eyebrow. “Fine?” He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “That doesn’t sound convincing. What’s up?”

I forced a laugh, waving him off. “It’s nothing—just . . . weird noises. I think the wind was playing tricks on me. The window was open, and you know how old houses creak.”

He watched me a moment longer, his brow knitting. “Weird noises?”

“Yeah, you know,” I said. “Old house, lots of drafts. Maybe some raccoons tap dancing on the roof. It’s nothing.”

He sat back. “The wind does have a mind of its own here,” he said. “Glad it didn’t keep you up.”

I rolled my eyes for effect. “It takes more than a creaky floorboard to scare me.”

He smiled at that, a real one, then took a slow sip of coffee. “Good to know. So . . . what do you want to do today?”

“I don’t know. What’s the plan?”

His eyes glinted, a mischievous spark lighting up his face. He placed his cup down with a gentle clink. “I have a special surprise for you.”

That set off alarms. I narrowed my eyes. “Surprise? I don’t like surprises, Taranis. You know that.”

He grinned wider. “That’s what makes this so much fun.”

“Fun for who?” I shot back, folding my arms, but the edge of my mouth twitched upward.

He shook his head, all sly confidence. “No hints. That would ruin it.”

He pushed away from the table, brushing a stray crumb from his jacket. “Finish your tea and meet me outside in ten minutes.”

I groaned. “If this is a prank, you’ll regret it.”

He paused in the doorway, flashing a smile. “Trust me, Alicia. You’re going to love it.”

I watched him go, shaking my head. “I’ll be the judge of that,” I muttered, sipping my tea.

After breakfast, Taranis led me into the forest behind the mansion. The path cut through dense stands of pine and maple, the ground spongy with old needles and autumnal leaves.

We walked in silence for a while, just the sound of boots crunching and the distant rush of wind in the treetops. My curiosity prickled with every step. I tried not to let on how uneasy I felt, following a storm god into the woods for a “surprise.”

At last, we came to a small shed half-swallowed by brambles. The roof sagged under a blanket of moss. Paint peeled from weathered boards. A lazy trail of vines climbed the walls and curled across the stoop.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.