We have only four days left until Conquest of Greystone Valley is on store shelves! If you haven’t pre-ordered your copy yet, be sure to do so now so you can get in on the Great Greystone Valley Giveaway! In the meantime, here’s another preview of the upcoming novel.

Kay was Sarah’s first friend in Greystone Valley, so it’s only natural that he’d be back with her as her adventures continue. Although he’s learned how to control his spells a bit better than before, making mistakes is still his trademark. Here are four botched spells that await Kay’s friends and foes.

Accidental Paralysis

Suddenly, the golden glow covered Sarah instead. Her eyes bulged, and her muscles stiffened. In the space of two seconds, she found herself stuck in place, unable to speak or lift a finger.

“Oops,” Kay said, scratching the back of his neck apologetically as he got up from the couch. “That was supposed to protect me from the spell, not reflect it back at you.” He scratched his chin, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. “I think I may have reversed one of the syllables . . .”

“Stop. Right now.” Sarah’s mom stormed to her daughter’s side and stood tall, putting forth a commanding presence. “You’re going to set my daughter free, and then you’re going to explain what’s going on.”

“Urrm . . . hurngh!” Sarah uttered through clenched teeth. She may not have been able to speak, but that didn’t stop her from trying to give Kay a piece of her mind.

“On second thought,” her mom said, “explain yourself first, then set my daughter free.”

Count Your Fingers and Toes!

“It’s a little hard to explain this whole portal-between-worlds thing. The magic’s pretty new, since Greystone Valley used to be sealed off. To get through the portal, I have to get a clear picture in
my head of what we’ll look like on the other side. And, well . . .”

“I had eleven toes for eleven days,” Dax said.

What Memories?

“Yeah, well . . . sometimes, it’s about results, not intentions. Besides, I got us down from the mountains, didn’t I?”

“Oh, yes. You gave us the knowledge we needed to find our way . . . at the cost of remembering our own names.” Dax sighed as he continued trudging along. “Not that I wouldn’t mind forgetting my problems for a little while longer,” he moaned. “My old bones are aching from all this walking.”

The Wall of Water

Unfortunately for everybody involved, Kay was the first person to utter the words to a spell.

“Don’t worry!” the boy shouted. “A wall of stone should save the day . . . Veda aquea trux!”

Kay did summon up a wall . . . just not one made of stone. Instead of fire filling the cavern, the companions found themselves surrounded by steam. The water that Kay had created did manage to douse the dragon’s flame, but it didn’t stop there. It filled the entire passageway, creating a flash flood that rushed toward the group.

The good news about Kay is that he keeps trying, and his spells do sometimes achieve their desired result – including one important spell that will change Sarah’s life forever. But explaining more would give the surprise away. You’ll have to read Conquest of Greystone Valley to find out the details!

Image: Jessica Von Braun