Hunting for Magical Meaning: Paranormal Women's Fiction (Midlife Witchery Book 12)

HUNTING FOR MAGICAL MEANING MIDLIFE WITCHERY BOOK 12 BRENDA TRIM 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 EXCERPT FROM MEDDLING IN MAGICAL PURSUITS BOOK #14 AUTHOR’S NOTE Also by Brenda Trim Copyright © May 2022 by Brenda Trim Editor: Chris Cain & Kelly Smyczynski Cover Art by Fiona Jayde * * * This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writers’ imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental. WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction of this work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the authors. Created with Vellum “Difficulties in your life don’t come to destroy you, but to help you realize your hidden potential.” ~ Fiona Shakleton CHAPTER 1 Fiona “It feels like we haven’t been in here for months,” I said as I sorted through the new bookmarks to hang on the spinning rack. Violet snorted as she ran a cloth over the glass countertop in front of her. “That’s because we haven’t been here for months. Time passes much faster in Eidothea.” Aislinn put Kalliopi over her shoulder when the baby finished eating, and she fixed her bra. “That’s right. We were there for the last three months this little one was in my belly. And then we’ve been kept busy since returning home. I’ve barely even been in my own home. Although I admit, I love the soft bed at Pymm’s Pondside. I always sleep like a rock when we’re there.” I watched as Aislinn burped the baby and then put her down. “That’s got nothing to do with the bed. It’s all the running for our lives. It really is exhausting.” Violet and Aislinn laughed. Violet paused in her cleaning and looked up at us. “At least this time, we got paid for our troubles. That makes it all worth it.” A smile spread over my face. I was doing alright with the money I’d saved up from selling the house. However, it was nice to get paid for all the work we were doing. “When Artemis sent us away, I didn’t expect to find a pile of gold coins on my bed when we got home. It was worth way more than the thousand dollars I told her we would charge for that case.” Aislinn tucked the blanket around Kalliopi, where she lay in the portable crib. “You told her three thousand each, Fi. Not one. Although, what she left was worth more than that.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I swear I thought I told her one thousand each. I almost forgot and tossed it out there right before we left, so I can’t be sure. I was so worried about setting the right precedent with her that I didn’t pay as much attention as I should have.” Violet snorted. “The look on Artemis’s face was priceless. I swear you have a death wish sometimes.” I scowled at her. How could she say that? “That’s not it at all. I just have no desire to be anyone’s doormat. Not even for a powerful goddess. She will use us until there’s nothing left of who we were at the start. I worked too hard to become the woman I am today, and I refuse to lose one ounce of it.” Aislinn leaned one hip against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. “I understand and respect that. It doesn’t make it easy all the time. I like my parts as they are. Okay, well, I’d change the flabby stomach if I could, but I don’t want Artemis rearranging things in a fit of anger.” “I hate to say this, but your belly isn’t likely to return to what it was before. Your little nugget left lasting marks on your body between the strained muscles, extra fat, and stretch marks,” I replied. “That’s what causes a woman to start feeling down to begin with. The hormone fluctuations take it from there.” Violet nodded as she started organizing things behind her counter. “The changes my body underwent were the hardest to accept after the twins were born. Now I see them as badges of honor. They tell the story of what I endured to bring them into this world. Do you think Artemis could level the playing field between men and women? Maybe give them the cramping every month.” Aislinn chuckled. “And the bleeding. They can have that too. But not the pregnancy. Despite almost dying, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Carrying her and having that connection was a tremendous experience. Although, you both lied when you said I’d forget the pain soon after she was born. I still remember it clearly.” The bell over the door tinkled, and in walked the town gossip. I lifted my hand in greeting. It had been a long time since I’d seen Mae, and I could honestly say it was good to have her walk through the door. “Hello, Mae.” The older siren smiled and power walked like she was at a Black Friday sale, down the main aisle to the counter where we were congregated. “It is good to see you three. It’s been entirely too long. I almost didn’t believe Camille when she told me you were back. I figured you’d forgotten about the rest of us while doing all that fancy detective work the council