Enchanted Ever After Read online

  Enchanted Ever After

  Author’s Preferred Edition

  Robin D. Owens

  Copyright © 2021 by Robin D. Owens

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

  This is fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either imaginary the or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is coincidental.

  By payment, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read this book. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without the express written permission of copyright owner.

  Please Note: Violating the above without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law.

  Please purchase authorized electronic editions, and don’t pirate electronic copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher, except where permitted by law.

  Except for the use of quotations under 250 words in a book review.

  © 2021 Cover Art by Tudor Popa

  978-1-951612-10-8 Enchanted Ever After ebook

  978-1-951612-11-5 Enchanted Ever After print book

  Created with Vellum

  Dedication

  For the original developers of the game, City of Heroes; for the Homecoming Team who brought it back; and most especially for my Weekly Warriors team: Richard, Eric, Mitch, Tim, Chad, Chris, Alec and Tom.

  Risha/Rexxa Red

  Contents

  Author’s Preferred Edition Forward

  Cast of Characters

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Epilogue

  About the Cut Scene

  Cut Scene-Backstory

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Robin D. Owens

  About the Author

  Enchanted Ever After

  AUTHOR'S PREFERRED EDITION, RECENTLY REVISED AND INCLUDING NEW MATERIAL, EPILOGUE (AND CUT SCENE)

  * * *

  A dwarf at the door, brownies in the garden, and a merman near the koi pond…welcome to Mystic Circle in Denver, Colorado

  * * *

  Magic around the corner…

  Kiri Palger knew the difference between reality—new house, hard work, and not too many friends—and fantasy—the fun she had playing an online game. And when the chance to work for the best gaming company in the world came up, how could she not apply?

  Suddenly she had new friends, interesting neighbors and a handsome guy lurking nearby. Then the game began to awaken a new potential within her. Talents she never expected…and an evil she'd never imagined.

  Now her nice, safe life was not the same—and once she took up the mantle of her powers, it never would be again….

  Author’s Preferred Edition Forward

  Years have passed since I wrote and sold Enchanted Ever After to a traditional publisher and it first hit the street. I believe it’s one of the least read of all my books.

  I also believe I’ve grown in writing technique, and I know I’ve grown personally and feel my new edits reflect who I am now, without changing the story.

  My editor didn’t agree with me about opening inside the game Fairies and Dragons, and cut that opening (I’ve merged the original and the published scene in this edition). She also thought that I spent too much time in the game Transformation, and we significantly cut two scenes. I put them back in, you can decide whether you like those particular changes.

  If you know the book at all, you’ll recognize the editing of one of the scenes near the opening of the story. I’m hoping I did a better job of it this time. That said, I include the original scene that was cut from the manuscript (a good call) at the back of this Preferred Edition.

  I’ve also written a brand new Epilogue for additional reading material.

  I hope you enjoy this version of Enchanted Ever After.

  Cast of Characters

  Kiri Palger, HEROINE, Human woman with the potential to become a magical being of the Lightfolk, owner of #1 Mystic Circle.

  * * *

  Lathyr Tricurrent, HERO, Merman with a trace of elven blood who gained another magical skill earlier in the year.

  * * *

  Shannon Tuzo, Kiri’s best friend, human, works in an IT department like Kiri, and games with Kiri in Fairies and Dragons. Shannon’s main game character (toon) is Saturnina.

  * * *

  Averill Tuzo, Shannon’s husband and Kiri’s friend, human, web designer, and games with Kiri and Shannon in Fairies and Dragons. Protective of Kiri.

  * * *

  Mystic Circle Residents:

  #8, the Denver Square blond brick house with enclosed porch

  Princess Jindesfarne Mistweaver Emberdrake (Jenni Weavers), lead game software developer for Fairies and Dragons, the game purchased by Eight Corp, heroine of Enchanted No More.

  Aric Paramon Emberdrake, Jenni’s husband, Treeman, son of a tree dryad and an elven bard, hero of Enchanted No More.

  Chinook, Jenni’s cat.

  Pred and Hartha, a brownie couple who lives with Jenni and Aric

  Crag, a brownie “owned” by Jenni’s cat, Chinook, who splits his time with the cat and with Jenni’s brother in England.

  * * *

  #7, the Victorian house

  Amber Davail, human with a touch of elven magic, genealogist and cursebreaker, heroine of Enchanted Again.

  Rafe Davail, human enhanced by the Lightfolk, former extreme sportsman and part owner of The Denver Fencing Lyceum, hero of Enchanted Again.

  Tiro, brownie.

  Sargas, firesprite.

  * * *

  #6, the half-timbered Tudor house

  Tamara Thunderock, half-elf and half-dwarf, pastry chef/baker.

  * * *

  #3, the Spanish-style house with red tile roof

  Dan and Frank, gay couple, dowsers. Dan is fully human, Frank has a touch of djinn in his bloodline.

  * * *

  The Eight Royals, in order of Power

  Dwarf, Earth King, Ajaxon Drumgrund

  Merfem, Water Queen, Alika Greendepths

  Merman, Water King, Marin Greendepths

  Dwarfem, Earth Queen, Jara Drumgrund

  Elf, Air King, Zhust Cloudsylph

  Elffem, Air Queen, Megana Cloudsylph

  Djinn, Fire King, Blackstone Emberdrake

  Djinnfem, Fire Queen, Flamish Emberdrake

  * * *
br />   Others:

  Pavan, Elf Guardian

  Vikos, Dwarf Guardian

  Stoneg, minor male merfolk, a naiader who lives in Maroon Lake

  Melody, brownie assigned to the Castle

  Dade, brownie, Melody’s husband, also assigned to the Castle

  Stargrass, St. Louis naiad

  Princess Whitefroth of North America, lives in the Great Lakes

  Flawn, ocean merwoman

  Twilight Hope, dolphin

  Chapter 1

  INSIDE THE GAME: FAIRIES AND DRAGONS (and Denver, Colorado), Friday Night, Mid September

  Life was not a game. If life were, Kiri Palger would ace it...or reach level one-hundred-five with massive amounts of gold and arms and armor, not to mention a fabulous wardrobe. But real life doesn't come with do-overs. Like not taking the energy and soul draining job with a national accounting firm in downtown Denver. Computer support for their internal software. That had been a mistake.

  Thank heavens she could escape after work to her house in Mystic Circle and into her favorite game, Fairies and Dragons, with her BFF to decompress after a harsh week.

  "Oops." Kiri – Moonsilver – stared at her fallen partner, Saturnina, as giants jumped on her body in the shadows of the tall trees of Deathgulp Forest.

  "Wha’ happened?" Shannon, the person running Saturnina, asked over her tinny electronic mic. Shannon played the game from her home a few blocks west of Kiri’s neighborhood in Denver.

  For a minute Kiri considered lying. But she was the long-distance shooter and she loved her sonic bow and arrows. She’d be doing the same thing again.

  She cleared her throat softly, so the mic didn’t amplify it. "You were fighting the giants next to a high explosive tree burl and I, um, shot it. Took most of the giants and you out."

  "Dammit, they’re stealing my new wings!"

  Kiri winced as the giants ripped the pretty transparent wings off Saturnina’s back. Kiri opened the messenger window and sent her friend some gold pieces to replace them. Least she could do.

  Shannon said, "I think this forest mission is too difficult for us to play, and I’m wiped. The whole work week was hard. Let’s call it a night."

  They’d only been in the game for an hour after she’d gotten home, but Kiri agreed. "Yeah."

  "Teleporting to the Dome," Shannon/Saturnina said.

  "Okay," Kiri said as she hit the spacebar on her keyboard to do the same. During the few seconds it took to move her character from the Deathgulp Forest to the safe area, her game concentration and adrenaline faded. Heavy weariness filtered through her, muzzying her mind. She let her shoulders slump. Her job had been rough that week, too.

  When Moonsilver landed in the plush and pastel Dome, a safe lounge for good fairies, she saw the sparkly Saturnina rise with a groan and shake her limbs. "Got the gold pieces, thanks," Shannon said.

  "‘Welcome."

  "Kiri, have you talked to your neighbor, Jenni Weavers yet?"

  Kiri’s heart stuttered, even as she let Moonsilver walk to the proximity of the couch which would trigger her to sit. Jenni Weavers was the best writer for the game, Fairies and Dragons. The woman had advanced into a developer position. "No."

  "But you sent in your resume and application for the game writing job to Eight Corp," Shannon pressed.

  "Yes," Kiri answered. She'd needed Shannon's support to take such a big step, even though she wanted the position.

  "And your docs have your Mystic Circle address on them, so Jenni knows you live in the same cul-de-sac."

  "Yes." Kiri swallowed. Her mouth had gone dry.

  "Follow the plan then. Go, Kiri!"

  "Thanks." She inhaled loud enough for it to sound over her mic. "I intend to say something to Jenni tomorrow at the block party. Sure you don’t want to come?" She always liked backup when entering a new social situation.

  "Unlike you, stalker-girl, I have a man."

  "Yeah, yeah." All of Kiri's focus was on her career right now. She didn't need a guy. The very idea of juggling a man with her work and the new house and maybe the new job made her temples ache. Her teeth had clenched, so she loosened her jaw.

  Shannon’s voice softened. "I know how much you want this opportunity."

  "Work sucks," Kiri said, leaning back into her mesh chair in her tiny home office area. She rubbed her neck, not wanting to recall how people had shrieked in her ears all week.

  "IT always sucks, especially end-user software support. Nature of the business. By the time they get to us, users can be fuming."

  "Yeah. A shot at working on this game, Fairies and Dragons it’s like a dream." Hope energized Kiri as gaming hadn't, switching her thoughts to the future. "The developers are opening that new area in the game, Pegasus Valley, in a few months. I know I have good story arcs for it," Kiri said.

  "I liked 'em when I read them," Shannon said.

  "Thanks. It’s real luck that the people who bought out the company are based here in Denver. I’ve got a chance. I have the background and some credits."

  "You can do it."

  "Good to hear that," Kiri said. She was breathing a little fast and her palms had gone damp. She would think positively.

  "It’s true. You can do it, and tell me everything about your meeting tomorrow with Jenni Weavers at our Sunday brunch," Shannon said.

  "Right. See you Sunday."

  "Mmmmm," Shannon purred. Her guy must be doing the neck-kissing thing on the other end of the line.

  "Smooches to Averill," Kiri said.

  "Mmm. ‘Night." Shannon’s mic thumped and sounds of smooching came. Shannon’s character began the logoff countdown.

  Kiri stared at the wide computer monitor. Blinked. Her shoulders and fingers ached, but sometimes the game beckoned more than reality. And once you began spending more time in the game than anywhere else, you were in trouble. Not in control. She logged off.

  She sighed and stood, stretching. Her glance swept over the bare living room–she had a lot of house and not much anything else, like furniture. She’d been so lucky to get the house. She hoped she hadn’t used up all her good luck on that, and had some left to land the job.

  A soft golden sunset slanted through the bay window alcove of the dining room where Kiri had set up her desk and computer.

  The smack of an early autumn had already swatted away summer evenings for the year, but there was still enough light at seven-thirty to take a walk around the cul-de-sac of Mystic Circle. Get the kinks out. She was at the age, twenty-six, where she considered how wide her ass would spread if she stayed in a chair all day long every day.

  And she’d check on the fabulous koi in the center park’s pond.

  She looked down at her sweats. She didn’t want to change, and you could barely see the hot chocolate stains against the black fabric. Her hair had tangled enough to hurt, so she brushed it out.

  She’d recently moved from concrete and asphalt near Capitol Hill and the beautiful fish captivated her. With a smile, she slipped outside into the cool evening.

  She had the first house of the cul-de-sac on the southeastern end, number one, a craftsman bungalow. The smallest home, it had still been more than she could afford, but she loved it.

  If she could land that new job . . . . She wanted to love her work. To live her job, not do it.

  Like much of Denver, the homes in Mystic Circle displayed a variety of styles, each house different. She’d passed the small house named “Fanciful," the Spanish influenced two-story with orange-tiled roof; the red brick Craftsman with the many window-paned porch and neared the top of the circle and the Castle. She walked quickly, the day dying faster than she'd anticipated with thick gray clouds blocking the sun.

  A movement caught her eye and she glanced toward the round center park.

  The first thing she noticed about the pale man with the pale hair was that he was tall. The next was that he had pointed ears…like a Vulcan…or an elf…and a certain shimmer like a famous vampire.

  Ha
lloween was a month and a half away.

  He stepped from the shadows of the tall pine, as if he'd just appeared.

  "Kiri Palger?"

  How did he know her name? She hadn't seen him before, and though she hadn't met all her neighbors, she knew them by sight.

  Kiri scanned the area. No one was around. Mystic Circle was safe, but… He didn't live here and he'd been lurking in the dark shadows of the park.

  She backed up to the far edge of the sidewalk. No help from the Castle residents—the owners were never home.

  "I was told to approach you tomorrow, but since you're here tonight…" He shrugged elegant shoulders under a thick capelike coat.

  Not overly broad shoulders, a runner's body.

  And not threatening, but she'd moved from a rather dangerous neighborhood and kept her wariness.

  Should she yell? The houses were old and nearly soundproof. Lights brightened windows in several of the homes, and if she zoomed… But the guy had a runner's musculature. She didn’t think she could beat him.

  "Pardon me." He dipped a hand in his pants pocket. When he brought it out—something funny about his hand, too, like he might have more joints than the norm or more flexible bones—he held out a card. "I'm with Eight Corp. Human resources."