Book 1: The Accusation

Chapter 1: The Healer

The scent of herbs filled the small wooden hut as Selene crushed dried lavender and sage in a stone bowl. A faint golden glow flickered over her hands—just for a moment—before she clenched her fists, willing the magic to fade. She had to be careful. Magic was forbidden in Eldoria, and even a whisper of suspicion could mean death.  

Across from her, a frail woman lay on a straw bed, her skin pale and feverish. “Drink this,” Selene said gently, offering a cup of warm tea infused with healing herbs. “It will ease the pain.”  

The woman’s husband, a weary farmer, watched with desperate eyes. “Thank you, child. You have a gift,” he said, voice thick with gratitude.  

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

A curse, Selene thought but forced a smile. “Just knowledge passed down from my mother.”  

She stood and wiped her hands on her apron, glancing toward the window. The sun was sinking behind the hills, casting long shadows over the village. It was time to leave. The less people saw of her work, the safer she was.  

But as she stepped outside, the feeling hit her like a cold gust of wind—*someone was watching her.*

She turned sharply. The narrow dirt paths of the village were empty, but she spotted a figure in the distance, lingering near the well. A man in a dark cloak. He stood still for a moment before vanishing into the mist.  

A shiver ran down her spine. She had been careful… hadn’t she?  

Selene pulled her hood up and hurried home, heart pounding. If someone had seen the glow of her magic, even for a second, it could be enough to bring the Witch Hunters to her doorstep.  

She prayed she was wrong.  

But deep down, she knew—**she wasn’t.**  

That night, as she lay in bed, a distant sound cut through the silence.  

**A horse’s hooves.** Slow. Heavy. Coming down the village path.  

Selene’s breath caught in her throat. She sat up, peering out the small window of her cottage.  

At the edge of the village, torchlight flickered in the darkness.  

They were coming.  

*For her.!!*