As promised, here’s a sneak peek of book 2 of Cloverleaf Chronicles Series. I’ve had ALOT of readers ask me when is book two coming out? I’m working hard on getting book two on the shelves, and will keep you updated as I progress. Also, I’m supposed to be getting a look at the new set up of my website. From what I can gather, there is just a few more “tweaking” things to take care of, and we should be transitioning over (hopefully) fairly soon! Can’t wait! So now, without any further delay, here’s a peek at Chapter One of Cloverleaf Chronicles Series, Book Two. (keep in mind this has not been professionally edited or revised-still some work to do) Enjoy!
Alastrine and Jack stood outside Kellen’s door for several minutes, waiting for him to answer.
“It’s not like him Jack. He left in the middle of dinner last night and promised to come back to my room to let me know what O’Maoilriain wanted.”
“Maybe he got back too late and didn’t want to bother ya.” Replied Jack, hoping to put Alastrine’s mind at ease.
Alastrine shook her head and squinted her eyes to the ground as if she was searching for an answer on the cold, hard slab. “No Jack. First, when Kellen says he is going to do something, he does it. So, when he said he’d be back to talk to me and never showed, something had to stop him from coming. Second, even if he didn’t want to bother me last night, he missed breakfast. That just doesn’t happen. For as long as I’ve known Kellen, he never, and I mean never has missed breakfast. Something is wrong, I can feel it.”
Jack watched Alastrine as she turned away from the door, appearing to glide towards a wall, and leaned up against it with her head down. He could tell she was distraught over Kellen and something inside him, maybe Cuchulain, felt something wasn’t right either. Jack turned back to Kellen’s door and knocked. After a few seconds, with no response, he banged his fist on the door.
“Kellen, come on, wake up! ya missed breakfast and we need to talk. Kellen!”
With no response, Jack walked over to Alastrine.
“I can’t lose him too Jack. He’s the best friend I’ve ever had. If anything has happened to him-” Just then, the door opened and Kellen stood there with both a bewildered and tired look in his eyes.
“What’s all the banging for Jack? I’m up, now what do ya want?” Asked Kellen, unaware that it was almost noon.
Alastrine ran to Kellen and threw her arms around him, pushing him back into his room. Jack followed and closed the door behind him.
“Kellen, why didn’t ya come back last night? Where were ya? What did O’Maoilriain want?” Alastrine asked without taking a breath.
A look of confusion covered Kellen’s face as his eyebrows drew together and his eyes darted from side to side in search of an answer.
Jack figured these were too many questions to ask anyone in the half stupor state Kellen was in. “Alastrine, let him wake up before ya get started in.”
“Come back? When?” Kellen chimed in with the gravel in his voice subsiding.
“Last night Kellen. After ya were summoned to meet with O’Maoilriain. They came with a summons during dinner. Don’t ya remember?”
Kellen turned away from Alastrine with his hands drawn up to his throbbing temples. “Well, I can’t remember much after leaving the dinner hall. But, based on the state my head is in, we must have had a good talk over a very good bottle of Irish whisky.”
Alastrine glanced Kellen over and shook her head. “Are ya sure? ya don’t remember anything? Why would he summons ya? And ya never came back last night to tell me what he wanted.”
Kellen’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Both Alastrine and Jack jumped, which made Kellen throw them both an impatient look.
“What is the matter with the both of ya? Ya’re acting like we’re blackguards.” Kellen parted them as he walked over to answer the door. An apprentice Druid stood on the other side of the threshold.
“Good afternoon. Sir, O’Maoilriain requests yar presence as well as the presence of yar companions in the Great Hall. If ya would, please.” The apprentice made a slight bow and stepped aside with his right arm extended, requesting their company.
Kellen looked back at both Alastrine and Jack who stood their ground. He took a deep breath and walked over to the table to retrieve his shillelagh. He picked it up and exited the room, passing Jack and Alastrine without a word between them.
Kellen turned around, “Well, are ya coming?” he asked, eyebrows raised and an annoyed tone to his voice.
Jack and Alastrine followed with the apprentice trailing behind. It was a quiet walk to the meet O’Maoilriain, but Jack felt the tension in the air as they entered the Great Hall. It was lined with Druids along either side of the entrance with O’Maoilriain standing at the far end, arms drawn together under the sleeves of his robe.
“Good Afternoon Kellen. Restful nights sleep?” O’Maoilriain’s voice echoed off of the hollow room as he greeted them.
Kellen responded with an annoyed undertone. “Actually, yes. Although my head begs to differ. That must have been some strong Irish drink.” Replied Kellen as he rubbed his head, stopping just short of where O’Maoilriain stood.
With a slight nod of his head, O’Maoilriain gave a chuckle in agreement, “My brothers tend to over do it when preparing our drink. But, it is the finest ya will ever have. Now, I’d like to get down to business. Have ya discussed with Jack what we need?”
Kellen’s eyes searched O’Maoiliriain’s for information from their meeting the night before. Kellen’s long pause caused an awkward silence that weighed heavy in the air.
O’Maoilriain broke the silence to review their conversation from the night before. “Kellen, as we discussed, we are in need of an article. ya had agreed that ya could retrieve it. But, like I said, it could be dangerous so I understand if ya’ve had a change of heart.”
“Why would I not want to go? Of course I will.” Replied Kellen.
O’Maoilriain nodded and placed his hand on Kellen’s shoulder. In an instant, Kellen’s brain erupted with a flash of memories of what happened the night before. Everything in regards to Jack needing to fulfill the clovers quest was there, except for one piece. O’Maoilriain made sure to keep out the part of him sacrificing Jack and Cuchulain if the separation process had completed before the clovers quests were fulfilled. Kellen took a step back with a glazed-over look in his eyes.
“Kellen, are ya ok?” Alastrine studied Kellen then looked at O’Maoilriain with questioning eyes.
Kellen blinked back to the present and steadied himself with his shillelagh. “Fine, fine Alastrine.”
Kellen’s stare fell heavy on O’Maoilriain. Feeling the power of the Druids magic was like being hit by a giant’s club. It came fast, hard and left ya temporarily dazed.
“When should I leave?” Asked Kellen, as he straightened himself up and secured his stance.
“Well, like I said, being that ya have to travel so far, and it will be a dangerous road ya travel my friend, I would say . . . immediately.” Replied O’Maoilriain.
Til next week….hope you find magic in your every day lives, it’s all around!
E.V. Jones