The Second Life of Magnolia Mae by Angela Schroeder Read Free Book Online Page A

it.”
    A blush crept up her cheeks as she glanced away from him.
    “Please do return tomorrow evening to celebrate our new alliance.”
    “I would be honored to come again. I must go now Prince Alistair. Thank you for your kindness.” She turned and hurried away from him. There was so much to tell Nonna and her father.
    The breeze seemed to welcome her when she stepped back outside. She enjoyed the walk to the camp. Nonna was sitting near a near a fire, making blankets for the upcoming winter. Children ran and played, causing laughter to echo through the woods. “Nonna.” She sat next to the old woman.
    “Did it go well?” The old eyes searched hers.
    “It did. We have a home of our own and an alliance with Marcello. We shall start our journey in a few days. I was told that there is shelter there already. We do not have to wander any longer.” Her green eyes shone in the sunlight as she relayed the day’s events to her grandmother.
    They would finally have a home of their own.

CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    T HURSDAY WAS LOST TO dreams of Daciana. Between the dreams and the journals, Magnolia was able to piece together the story…
    Daciana had gone back to the castle for a banquet to celebrate the new alliance. It was there that she had met Alistair’s mother, the Queen of Marcello. The woman had immediately disliked Daciana, believing her to be nothing more than a beggar. No better than a street urchin trying to cling to whatever she could to get by. In the eyes of the queen, she was beginning to cling to her son, Alistair. She had tried to put a stop to him helping Daciana and her people move to their new home, but King Pelonis would not listen to her. He’d insisted that his son oversee the matter. It had been his hope that the alliance could be sealed forever with a wedding. Then the land which he’d traded would come back to his kingdom, therefore never having truly lost it.
    The night before they were to leave for the other side of the mountain, the queen had sent someone after Daciana. But Alistair had chased her down in the woods to get her to safety. She’d known then they should no longer see each other, and that the queen would have her killed.
    Alistair had been able to convince her of his growing affection for her. The journey across the mountain to their new home, to Avengar, had been a long two weeks, during which time her father had joined her mother in the afterlife. At the end of that tiring and emotional journey, he had presented her with the ring…
    “M&M!” Jace’s voice boomed up the stairs, causing her to jump out of her thoughts.
    She hurried down to see what he wanted.
    He was standing there with the armband polished, shining like new. “Happy birthday.” He grinned at her, his golden eyes lighting up.
    She glanced at the clock on the wall to see that it was, indeed, after midnight, so it was Friday, and she was now eighteen.
    He pulled her into his strong arms and hugged her close. “I can’t believe my baby sister is all grown up.” He ruffled her hair before plopping into the overstuffed worn-out recliner.
    She sat cross-legged on the floor and held the armband close to her. The way it shined in the light brought a smile to her lips once again. It was hers; it had belonged to Daciana’s mother then was given to Daciana on her eighteenth birthday. And Magnolia’s brother had just given it to her.
    “We may as well go bake a cake for you since we’re up.” Jace jumped to his feet and tugged on her hair as he walked by her to get to the kitchen.
    Once her brother was out of the room, she stood and turned to look at her reflection in the window. Her long raven-black hair hung loosely down her back. She wore a white ribbed tank top and fleece Star Wars pajama bottoms. She glanced down at her multi-colored toes. She normally hated socks, but these were almost as good as being barefoot, and her wooden bedroom floor started getting cold this time of year.
    She pushed her hair back behind