Splintered Haven: A Paranormal Women's Midlife Fiction, Urban Fantasy Novel (Splintered Magic Book 4)

Splintered Magic Series Splinter Cat: Book .5 Splintered Magic: Book 1 Splintered Veil: Book 2 Splintered Fate: Book 3 Splintered Haven: Book 4 Splintered Secret: Book 5* *Forthcoming Splintered Haven SPLINTERED MAGIC SERIES BOOK FOUR JILLEEN DOLBEARE Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Please Review Splintered Haven Splintered Secret About the Author Also by Jilleen Dolbeare Splintered Haven Jilleen Dolbeare Copyright © 2023 Editor: Cissell Ink Cover Designer: Crimson Phoenix Creations All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any form including digital, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, uploading, or by any information storage and retrieval system without prior written consent of the author except for brief quotes for use in reviews. Chapter One “Megan, can’t you get them to move faster?” I yelled. The rain had soaked through my hair, my jeans, and ran down my back. “Maybe if you bought me a horse, I’d be a proper cowgirl,” she replied, waving her hands and running back to stop a cow from veering away from the gate. “Have you ever ridden a horse?” I asked, huffing and puffing. I knew full well she hadn’t. “No, but you could teach me.” I stood on the opposite side of our chosen five steers, trying to drive them into the enclosure. “I ride dressage. I don’t know many dressage people who herd cattle on their off days.” “You loved going to those cutting shows,” she replied. “That doesn’t mean I know how to herd cows! Now, push them this way.” I waved my arms like a dumbass, yelling weird sounds at the small herd. I looked back at Megan just in time to see her feet fly up as she landed flat on her back in the mud and shit. I’m a terrible friend, because instead of running over to help her up, I burst out laughing. The double-up kind. Once she got her breath back, she let out a string of curses that even a sailor would blush at. I pushed the last cow through the gate, closed it, and went to help her up. “I’m just gonna die here. If I move, I’ll be too grossed out to walk back to the house. Just leave me to my cold, disgusting death,” she muttered. “No, you’ll just have to gut it up. I still need help holding them while I shave them,” I answered. “Just shoot me.” She gave a very dramatic moan. “I’m ready to go.” I laughed and offered her a hand. “No, you aren’t. I’ll hose you off when we get back. You'll live, cowgirl.” She reached out. “Why are we doing this again? Don’t we have people that can do this?” “Uh, no. Jim is off tonight. We’re doing this because our client doesn’t like fur in his fangs.” I pulled. We both slipped this time. I let go to catch my balance, and this time, she fell forward into the muck. “I’m getting a new best friend,” she said after she picked herself up. She tried to wipe some of the muck off herself, but it made little difference. She blinked at me, the sclera of her eyes very white in her mud covered face. I couldn’t stop laughing. She threw a handful of mud at me. “Hey! I can’t fight back; I have to keep this hand clean to use the clippers.” I held out my right hand. It was only sort of muddy. I wiped it down my pants and held it out again. She huffed out a breath. “Fine. Let’s get this over with. I need time to pack up and move to Australia. I’d be better off with the deadly snakes.” “Hilarious.” I opened the gate and closed it behind us. “Which one do you want to shave first?” I asked Megan. I figured her sacrifice earned her first choice. “That one.” She pointed to a brown steer, standing docilely. “How do I hold it still?” I hadn’t thought that through. I wondered if I should have invested in cow halters, but it was too late now. “Um, just stand there so it won’t veer away.” “Fine.” She stood on the cow’s left shoulder, and I pulled out the clippers and shaved a foot wide spot on its neck near the large vein. “That was easy,” I said. “Yeah, this won’t be too bad,” she agreed. We moved to the next one. It was also placid and let us shave it without any issue. I relaxed. The third cow wanted nothing to do with us. It bellowed and charged Megan. She jumped out of the way, and it ran to the corner of the enclosure. “How many do we need to shave?” she asked. “I’m thinking two is great.” “I told him we’d have five cows ready,” I said. “What about the sheep? Sheep seem easier and smaller. Lots smaller.” I sighed. “He said wool was the worst thing to get caught in your fangs. It takes forever to get out, and he wouldn’t even hear of it even if I shaved them.” “Argh!” She threw up her hands. “Fine, let’s go to the next one.” After chasing one cow around for a long time, I wondered if I’d spooked them with my nervousness about the opening, or if it was a sign that the inn would be a big failure. I’d been in a near panic all week, and I’d be dwelling on it now, but chasing cows took my focus. It took us three hours. Three. I thought of charging extra, but it was my fault for not asking up front for species or magical types. Now, I had