Dark Star, page 29
The back door swung open, and a slight figure slipped out wearing a long, elegant cardigan, and Shadow watched warily as Estelle joined her, cradling her own glass of whiskey. She leaned on the railing too, silent for a moment. They weren’t friends, and she doubted they ever would be, but there was also no doubting she was a good witch.
Shadow forced herself to speak and be civil, wondering why on Earth Estelle had come to stand next to her. “That was some impressive magic you pulled off in there. Are you okay?”
“Of course,” she said brusquely, immediately annoying Shadow. “It was hard, but I was equal to it.”
“So, you pass out after every time you use magic?” Shadow couldn’t resist saying.
“No!” Estelle glared at her. “That was a particularly big spell!”
“Herne’s balls, Estelle! Calm down! Why are you so damn prickly? I’m not doubting you. I was impressed!”
Estelle’s face froze, and she turned away abruptly. “I’m tired.” There was a moment’s silence, and then she grudgingly said, “You’re a very good fighter. Shockingly fast.”
Shadow couldn’t help herself as she said, “I know. I’m fey.” She stared at the vineyards again, feeling Estelle’s animosity rolling off her in waves; she wished she’d just sod off and leave her in peace. “That bloody monster was virtually unstoppable. I’ve got bruises in places I didn’t know I could. I think my hair is singed, too. How do you think they stopped it? The original alchemists, I mean. They sealed it in a tomb, neatly packaged and tucked away!”
“Good question,” Estelle said, curiosity replacing her anger. “They obviously had a fight with it at some point. When we first arrived, we found broken tables and destroyed columns. They must have employed a fail-safe that we knew nothing about. Something alchemical. Perhaps with the aid of the research, Caldwell will find out.”
“Perhaps. And,” Shadow added, still brooding, “my beautiful bow was destroyed.”
“But you can get another one, I’m sure.”
“Not like that one,” she said sadly, wondering where in fact she could get one made. Something she could talk to El about, perhaps.
They fell into an awkward silence, and Shadow wondered what Estelle wanted. She would never normally seek her out for conversation. And then it struck her. Barak. They all knew Barak liked Estelle—hence the bet. He’d often joked about how he liked her feisty nature, but he always made light of it. Frankly, Shadow was appalled. But maybe there was something more there—for Estelle, too. Or was it just about the White Haven witches and her brother?
Sick of standing in silence and refusing to move—she liked leaning against the railing and listening to the murmured conversations around her, and the clatter of the others inside—she said, “Caspian must not have been that pleased at you coming here so soon after he was attacked.”
Estelle looked startled at that. “Caspian? I don’t think he cares one way or the other. A break will do us both good. I’ll probably stay on a few days, actually. You could all stay.” She offered it casually, almost tentatively.
“Could we?” Shadow thought through the possibility. They had no new jobs to rush off to, and the witches were okay, although they may need their help soon with the missing witches who had betrayed them. “I guess we could, for a few days. I must admit I like this heat, and the château. It’s very beautiful. I guess it depends if Caspian can manage without Barak and Niel for a few days longer. They do work for you.”
“They work for Caspian, not me, and I know he’s arranged cover for a few days. I’m sure he can cope,” she said, a hard edge to her voice.
“Well, that’s good to know,” Shadow answered uneasily. “I’d have thought you’d be glad to see the back of us. Why don’t we ask when the others come out?”
“Yes, let’s.” Estelle shuffled and stared into her glass. Here it comes. “Is it my imagination, or do you and Gabe have a thing?”
“Oh, yes. We have a thing. A big thing.” She smiled. “I tried to pretend it didn’t exist or would be bad for business, but what’s the point in that? You only live once. And it was inevitable, despite the fact that he’s a big, winged idiot,” she said affectionately, not thinking he was an idiot at all. “And my brothers can only tease us so many times before they get bored and move on to something new. Although, I gather there was a bet that I’m not very happy about.”
Estelle still wasn’t looking at her. “They do tease, don’t they? All of them. It’s hard to know when they’re serious.”
“They do, but they’re good men. Honest. Despite their wings they are essentially human, which means they come with all the crap that goes with that.” She shrugged, mischievous. “Not fey, obviously, which is a flaw.”
Estelle rolled her eyes. “Really?”
Shadow just laughed. “And they have nice muscles, too.”
The door swung open again behind them, and Gabe’s arms slid around Shadow’s waist as he kissed her neck. “Ladies.” He nodded to Estelle, and said to Shadow, “You smell good.”
“That’s because I’ve washed the smell of roasting monster off me.”
He laughed, sending a shiver up her spine. “Food’s ready. You both coming?”
“Yep.” Shadow wiggled out of Gabe’s embrace and looked at Estelle, who hadn’t moved. “Come on, Estelle. If you don’t get to the table quickly, it will all be gone. They eat like horses.”
She trailed after them, and while Niel, Harlan, Nahum, and Barak delivered dishes to the table, everyone else settled into seats.
Shadow decided to broach the subject first as soon as everyone sat down—well, everyone except Jackson, who still must be at the chamber. “Estelle says we can all stay here for a few more days. What do you think?”
“I think it sounds fantastic!” Niel said enthusiastically. “Fine food, French wine, the heat! Yes, please.”
“This heat reminds me of Greece, so that’s a yes for me,” Ash said, smiling.
“Fine with me,” Gabe said easily, reaching for a dish of bacon and topping his plate up. He glanced at Nahum. “What do you think?”
“I think our brothers at home will be glad of the peace.”
“I’d love to stay,” Harlan said, looking at JD and Mason. “But it depends on what my bosses say!”
Mason looked as if he’d aged ten years. He’d lost his confident demeanour; obviously Robert’s death had hit him hard, but he nodded. “I think you should, Harlan. I, however, will head back later today. I need to sort things out regarding Robert…talk to his family, address the staff. Take a few days, but make sure you’re back for the funeral.”
“Of course, I will be there. And then we’ll talk.” He stared at Mason for a long moment, and he just nodded.
What did that mean? Shadow wondered. It sounded ominous. “What about you, JD?” she asked.
He too looked haunted, but he still had that stubbornness around the eyes she’d come to recognise. “I’ll stay a day—if Caldwell is happy that I help him with his new research—and then I’ll head to the Paris branch.”
Caldwell nodded. “Of course, JD. A day or so to gather my thoughts would be good. And despite what Jackson said, I would like to revisit the chamber before I go. Then I too must deal with Aubrey’s death, and the implications for the order.”
Barak smiled at Estelle and raised his glass. “That sounds like a plan, then. To the next few days.”
Estelle returned his smile, and Shadow inwardly groaned as she raised her glass with the others. What in Herne’s horns had she just collaborated in?
As if Gabe had read her thoughts, he nudged her and winked. “See? She’s not so bad after all.”
Thanks for reading Dark Star. Please make an author happy and leave a review here. Hunter’s Dawn, Book 4 will be out in May 2022. Pre-order it here.
This series is a spin-off of my White Haven Witches series. The first book is called Buried Magic, and you can get it here for free.
If you enjoyed this book and would like to read more of my stories, please subscribe to my newsletter at tjgreen.nz. You will get two free short stories, Excalibur Rises and Jack’s Encounter, and will also receive free character sheets of all the main White Haven witches.
By staying on my mailing list you’ll receive free excerpts of my new books, as well as short stories, news of giveaways, and a chance to join my launch team. I’ll also be sharing information about other books in this genre you might enjoy.
Read on for a list of my other books.
Author's Note
Thanks for reading Dark Star, the third book in the White Haven Hunters series. I really wanted to explore some of the wonderful world of alchemy in this story, and Jackson and Estelle wrote themselves in.
Estelle is such a fabulously complex woman, I wanted to see how she and Barak interacted. I also thought Jackson had more to share, and can quite honestly say I never saw his involvement with a government organisation happening until I was in the scene. I love it when that happens!
I also thought it was time for some very dangerous bad guys, and hence Black Cronos appeared. I’m sure they’ll be back, especially The Silencer of Souls. The Chateau du Porge is a real place, but I fabricated everything about it! It was in the right place for my story, so I decided to use it.
JD continues to mystify and confuse Harlan. John Dee was a fascinating man, and is credited with developing England’s spy network, but I’ll share more about that on my website https:/tjgreen.nz
Shadow and Gabe had to end up together. I’m sure their continuing relationship will be eventful. I also loved writing about the other Nephilim, and their characters will continue to grow and evolve, as will Harlan’s.
Book 4, as yet un-titled, will be out in May 2022.
I am still planning on writing a few short story prequels—for Shadow certainly, and hopefully Harlan and Gabe, too.
If you enjoy audiobooks, Spirit of the Fallen, White Haven Hunters #1, and Shadow’s Edge, White Haven Hunter’s #2, are both audiobooks, and this book will follow soon. Links are on my website – https://tjgreen.nz/
If you’d like a chance to get involved in my books and join my fabulous Facebook group, just answer the question and I’ll let you in -
https://www.facebook.com/groups/696140834516292
Thanks to my fabulous cover designer, Fiona Jayde Media, and to Missed Period Editing.
I owe a big thanks to Jason, my partner, who has been incredibly supportive throughout my career, and is a beta reader. Thanks also to Terri and my mother, my other two beta readers. You’re all awesome.
Finally, thank you to my launch team, who give valuable feedback on typos and are happy to review on release. It’s lovely to hear from them—you know who you are! You’re amazing! I also love hearing from all of my readers, so I welcome you to get in touch.
If you’d like to read a bit more background on my stories, please head to my website—www.tjgreen.nz—where I blog about the research I’ve done, among other things. I have another series set in Cornwall about witches, called White Haven Witches, so if you enjoy myths and magic, you’ll love that, too. It’s an adult series, not YA.
If you’d like to read more of my writing, please join my mailing list. You can get a free short story called Jack’s Encounter, describing how Jack met Fahey—a longer version of the prologue in the Call of the King, my YA Arthurian series—by subscribing to my newsletter. You’ll also get a FREE copy of Excalibur Rises, a short story prequel to Rise of the King.
Additionally, you will receive free character sheets on all of my main characters in White Haven Witches—exclusive to my email list!
By staying on my mailing list, you’ll receive free excerpts of my new books, as well as short stories and news of giveaways. I’ll also be sharing information about other books in this genre you might enjoy. Finally, I welcome you to join my readers’ group for even more great content, called TJ’s Inner Circle, on Facebook. Please answer the questions to join! https://business.facebook.com/groups/69614083451629
Give me my FREE short stories!
About the Author
I write books about magic, mystery, myths, and legends, and they’re action-packed!
My primary series is adult urban fantasy, called White Haven Witches. There’s lots of magic, action, and a little bit of romance.
My YA series, Rise of the King, is about a teen named Tom and his discovery that he is a descendant of King Arthur. It’s a fun-filled, clean read with a new twist on the Arthurian tales.
I’ve got loads of ideas for future books in all of my series, including spin-offs, novellas, and short stories, so if you’d like to be kept up to date, subscribe to my newsletter. You’ll get free short stories, character sheets, and other fun stuff. Interested? Subscribe here.
I was born in England, in the Black Country, but moved to New Zealand 14 years ago. England is great, but I’m over the traffic! I now live near Wellington with my partner, Jase, and my cats, Sacha and Leia. When I’m not busy writing I read lots, indulge in gardening and shopping, and I love yoga.
Confession time! I’m a Star Trek geek—old and new—and love urban fantasy and detective shows. My secret passion is Columbo! My favourite Star Trek film is The Wrath of Khan, the original! Other top films for me are Predator, the original, and Aliens.
In a previous life, I was a singer in a band, and used to do some acting with a theatre company. On occasion, a few friends and I like to make short films, which begs the question, where are the book trailers? I’m thinking on it…
For more on me, check out a couple of my blog posts. I’m an old grunge queen, so you can read about my love of that here. For more random news, read this.
Why magic and mystery?
I’ve always loved the weird, the wonderful, and the inexplicable. My favourite stories are those of magic and mystery, set on the edges of the known, particularly tales of folklore, faerie, and legend—all the narratives that try to explain our reality.
The King Arthur stories are fascinating because they sit between reality and myth. They encompass real life concerns, but also cross boundaries with the world of faerie—or the Otherworld, as I call it. There are green knights, witches, wizards, and dragons, and that’s what I find particularly fascinating. They are stories that have intrigued people for generations, and like many others, I’m adding my own interpretation.
I also love witches and magic, hence my additional series set in beautiful Cornwall. There are witches, missing grimoires, supernatural threats, and ghosts, and as the series progresses, even weirder stuff happens.
Have a poke around in my blog posts, and you’ll find all sorts of articles about my series and my characters, and quite a few book reviews.
If you’d like to follow me on social media, you’ll find me here:
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, BookBub.
Other titles by TJ Green
Rise of the King Series
A Young Adult series about a teen called Tom who’s summoned to wake King Arthur. It’s a fun adventure about King Arthur in the Otherworld!
Call of the King #1
King Arthur is destined to return, and Tom is destined to wake him.
When sixteen-year old Tom’s grandfather mysteriously disappears, Tom stops at nothing to find him, even when that means crossing to a mysterious and unknown world.
When he gets there, Tom discovers that everything he thought he knew about himself and his life was wrong. Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, has been watching over him and manipulating his life since his birth. And now she needs his help.
The Silver Tower #2
Merlin disappeared over a thousand years ago. Now they will risk everything to find him.Vivian needs King Arthur’s help. Nimue, a powerful witch and priestess who lives on Avalon, has disappeared.
King Arthur, Tom, and his friends set off across the Otherworld to find her, following Nimue’s trail. Nimue seems to have a quest of her own, one she's deliberately hiding. Arthur is convinced it’s about Merlin, and he’s determined to find him.The Cursed Sword #3
An ancient sword. A dark secret. A new enemy.
Tom loves his new life in the Otherworld. He lives with Arthur in New Camelot, and Arthur is hosting a tournament. Eager to test his sword-fighting skills, Tom is competing.
But while the games are being played, his friends are attacked and everything he loves is threatened. Tom has to find the intruder before anyone else gets hurt.
Tom’s sword seems to be the focus of these attacks. Their investigations uncover its dark history, and a terrible betrayal that a family has kept secret for generations.
White Haven Witches Series
Witches, secrets, myth, and folklore, set on the Cornish coast!
Buried Magic #1
Love witchy fiction? Welcome to White Haven—where secrets are deadly.
Avery, a witch who lives on the Cornish coast, finds that her past holds more secrets than she ever imagined in this spellbinding mystery.
For years witches have lived in quirky White Haven, all with an age-old connection to the town’s magical roots, but Avery has been reluctant to join a coven, preferring to work alone.
However, when she inherits a rune-covered box and an intriguing letter, Avery learns that their history is darker than she realised. And when the handsome Alex Bonneville tells her he’s been having ominous premonitions, they know that trouble is coming.
Magic Unbound #2
Avery and the other witches are now being hunted, and they know someone is betraying them.
The question is, who?
One thing is certain.
They have to find their missing grimoires before their attackers do, and they have to strike back.
