She wants to be ordinary... #YA #Paranormal

Family Magic

by Patti Larsen

Patti has a serious passion for YA paranormal and thrillers. Now with multiple books in happy publication, she lives on the East Coast of Canada with her patient husband and four massive cats.

I batted at the curl of smoke drifting off the tip of my candle and tried not to sneeze. My heavy velvet cloak fell in oppressive, suffocating folds in the closed space of the ceremony chamber, the cowl trapping the annoying bits of puff I missed. I hated the way my eyes burned and teared, an almost constant distraction. Not that I didn’t welcome the distraction, to be honest. Anything to take my mind from what went on around me.

Being part of a demon raising is way less exciting than it sounds.

From "Tainted Blood" by Nina Hobson

“Come on out Ron,” coaxed Kevin jokingly. “I’ll help you fix your bike.” 

“Okay,” answered back a voice from the dark alley to his left.  Out came the kid on his flat-tired bike moving directly under the streetlight yet somehow managing to stay cloaked by the darkness.  “I’ve got some tools over by that garbage can; we could have it fixed in no time." 

 “That’s okay I don’t need’em, I’ve got the only tool I need right here,” said Kevin as he flicked open his switchblade slowing his pace even more to savor the moment.  This time he was going to gut the boy and leave him for rat food in that alley. 

Kevin expected Ron to scream or cry or try to run but the kid did none of those things.  Instead he climbed off his bicycle and began walking towards him.  Kevin’s steps faltered and he stopped dead in his tracks.  So did the other kid; still seeming to drag the darkness along with him. 

 Something felt terribly wrong about the situation now. 

From "Lord of Fire" by Brent Nichols

"Hazel Miller," he intoned, "you have been found guilty of practicing magic in contravention of the laws of the League of Sorcerers. You are to be burned at the stake until dead."

"What!"

She turned to look at the monk. So did everyone else.

"You're going to kill her?"

The mayor said, "Um, yes?"

The monk looked flabbergasted. "What did she do?"

The mayor frowned, annoyed. "We have testimony from her husband. She tipped over a cup. With magic."

For a long moment the monk just stared. Then he said, "Are you people insane?"

There was a shocked silence. Hazel said loudly, "I like him."

"The law," said the mayor, "is very clear. People just can't go around practicing magic uncontrolled. That's why the Wizard Wars -"

"This is what you had us chopping wood for?" The monk sounded outraged.

Hazel said, "Thanks for that, by the way."

The mayor, red-faced, snapped, "Enough! The law is clear. The execution will continue."