Page 1

Chapter 1

Amalia would like to say she felt terrified as the storm raged outside with a vengeance. That its unbending will elicited fear as the screeching wind clawed its way around her little cottage, threatening to take down the four weak walls surrounding her as it rattled the foundations.

A deafeningboomrumbled as lightning sliced often through the clouds and illuminated the small town in the distance. Angry and relentless, fire burst to life when it struck the tops of trees before the unending rain drenched the leaves and snuffed the flames out.

At least that is something,she thought.

The sideways pouring water tried to fly into her home by the windows while puddles steadily formed anywhere there was an entrance.

At any point, her cottage could blow over.

But instead of being terrified, the storm both calmed and infuriated her.

In between staring out the window, hoping to catch the lightning strikes with their odd red hue, she was mopping the water up to take back outside into the elements.

She’d already used the rainwater to her advantage, cleaning her floors without having to refill her bucket. However, that task had been completed a while ago, and it was now long into the black of night.

I do not think I have ever seen a storm this bad before.

It appeared that the Gods were angry with them tonight.

Fearing her house would flood if she slept, she stayed awake, cleaning and boiling herbs to make herself tea – one that she hoped would keep her awake. She often went outside, not only to empty one of many buckets collecting rain, but to also shout into the deafening storm.

“Bala!” Amalia didn’t think she had yelled this loudly yet, but she was starting to worry. “Bala!”

Where is that darn cat?It wasn’t hers, but a stray who often found comfort in the warmth of her home.

He might as well be hers with all the whining he did for her to feed him. She often found him at the foot of her porch steps, tired from doing Gods knew what or meowing to come inside.

With another sigh, she took one last look into the shadows of the forest beyond her yard, then turned away from the freezing winds trying to make her eat her own hair to find salvation back inside.

He probably found a hole to crawl into.

She’d bet tomorrow when he came here, she would have to bathe him.

Peering down at her hands, she pulled back the sleeves of her peasant dress and looked at the healed, but puffy red scars that marked her. They were the hazards of washing a stray who definitely hated to bathe.

He also hated the rain, which was one of the reasons she was so worried about Bala being out in the storm.

She debated whether she would toss herself out into the storm to find him but decided against it... again.

The rain was pouring so heavily that along with the black of night, she could barely see farther than three feet in front of herself. She knew she’d never find him, and with the howling rain, she doubted she’d hear him either.

Return safe, old friend.

Amalia heard quick fluttering, then squawking. She let out a frustrated groan when the sound of clawing feet and bumping started right before the squawking turned into shrieks. Then the angry growls of another animal started.

Quickly grabbing her broom, she shoved it repeatedly into the ceiling while hoping she didn’t poke a hole through the straw.

“Hey, you lot! Share!” she yelled while eyeing the timber ceiling supports that kept the straw of her roof in place. Her yells halted all sounds. Then she began to mutter to herself, “Bloody ravens and racoons.”

Animals flocked to Amalia.

Right now, the ravens and racoons sought shelter from the storm in a burrow the racoons created in the straw roof of her house. They weren’t adjusting well to seeking refuge together.

I really need to fix that.Especially since the burrow was causing water to drip into her home and into multiple buckets she’d placed on the floor. Then again, she didn’t like the idea of leaving them defenceless if another storm this terrible occurred.

She would like to invite the animals inside, but the last time she did they’d wreaked havoc in her home. When they ruined some of her favourite herbs and spices, she’d tossed them all outside, despite enjoying the comfort of their presence.