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Irene, Nan, Kay series
Ravenswood
Category:
Fantasy
Publisher: Ravenswood
ISBN-10: 0692931775
Type: Fiction
Pages: 486
Copyright: September 10, 2017
ISBN-13: 9780692931776
Price: $4.99 (eBook)
The Crown Prince is missing..stolen from the tiny kingdom of Cabbage. His mother, Irene and her two best friends Nan and Kay travel north in search of the missing child.
The Hunt for Winter: An abducted child, a wizard thought long-dead and a plot to resurrect an evil menace.
Queen Irene's son, Winter, is missing. His wizard teacher, Seever, has tried to find the boy using his “far-away vision,” but it is blocked when he looks to the north. Since only a powerful enchantment can block his sight, Seever concludes an unknown wizard must have taken the young prince.
But aside from Winter, Seever and Kaza, there are no other wizards left alive.
Or are there?
Book two in the Irene, Nan and Kay series, The Hunt for Winter, continues the story of Irene and her best friends as they travel north in search of the Crown Prince.
Excerpt
Chapter One
“It’s a boy, Your Majesty—a fine, healthy boy!” Tillie the midwife said as she examined the baby Queen Irene of Cabbage pushed from her body with one last, mighty effort. Irene lay back, exhausted, but smiling.
A boy, Irene thought, a wizard.
Aloud she said, “Let Seever know at once, and let the bells in the palace tower ring to announce the arrival of the Crown Prince of Cabbage. Let me see my son.”
Irene stretched her arms out to take the small bundle Tillie had swaddled in warmed blankets. She gently pulled back the cloth to look at his face. He had her dark looks, she noted, not his father Anton’s fair features.
“What is the time?” she asked.
“Why, ‘tis just an hour or so ‘till the Spring Equinox, Your Majesty,” the old woman replied, smiling. “I had thought you might deliver a spring baby, but your son was born in wintertime, still.”
The midwife bustled about the royal bedroom, tidying up and removing the soiled linens. She placed more linens and towels underneath Irene, in preparation for the after-birth. But some time went by and still Irene had not passed it. Then Irene began to moan, softly at first and then with more urgency.
“Should the after-birth be so painful, Tillie?” she asked. “I feel much as I did when I brought my son into the world.”
Perspiration broke out on Irene’s brow. Another wave of painful contractions hit her and she clutched her stomach and cried out. Tillie was immediately by Irene’s side, gently feeling her belly. She spread the queen’s legs apart to take a look. Irene caught the look of surprise on the midwife’s face.
“Bless me, it’s another baby!” Tillie cried. She quickly took the first child from Irene’s arms and handed him off to a lady- in-waiting. She instructed the chambermaid to get more towels and a basin of fresh, hot water.
Through her pain, Irene murmured, “No, no, it mustn’t be twins! Not that! ‘Twill be Anton and Anthony all over again! No, no, no!” Her voice rose both in pain and fear as she felt the baby coming. Tillie held her hand and coaxed her to ride out each contraction. At long last, when the midwife knew the time was right, she went down to the edge of the bed to help bring forth the unexpected child. With another great effort, Irene bore down one last time and the baby came out.
“A girl, Your Majesty—and quite the prettiest newborn I’ve ever seen!” said Tillie, holding the baby up for Irene to see. “Let me clean her up a bit for ye. Twins! My word, I never would have guessed it!”
Two hours later, Irene was sitting up in bed holding both her children. The girl was as fair as the boy was dark, and looked a good deal like her father. Irene smiled, happy that she had now a living reminder of her late husband, Anton.
“What will you name them, Your Majesty?” asked Charlotte, Irene’s favorite lady-in-waiting.
“I shall name my son for his father, but since he was born while it was still winter, that shall also be his name: Winter Anton of Cabbage. And because my daughter came after the equinox, she shall be called Spring Evangeline, as Evangeline means “messenger of good news.”
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