Bloodstone


 
 
 Table of Contents
 
 Books by Rebecca Henry
 Title Page
 Legal Page
 Book Description
 Dedication
 Trademark Acknowledgements
 Chapter One
 Chapter Two
 Chapter Three
 Chapter Four
 Chapter Five
 Chapter Six
 Chapter Seven
 Chapter Eight
 Chapter Nine
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 About the Author
 
 Finch Books by Rebecca Henry
 
 Ambrosia Hill
 Amethyst
 Obsidian
 
 Single Books
 Conjure Lake
 
 
 
 Ambrosia Hill
 BLOODSTONE
 REBECCA HENRY
 
 
 Bloodstone
 ISBN # 978-1-83943-711-3
 ©Copyright Rebecca Henry 2023
 Cover Art by Kelly Martin ©Copyright January 2023
 Interior text design by Claire Siemaszkiewicz
 Finch Books
 
 This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
 
 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Finch Books.
 
 Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Finch Books. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
 
 The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork. 
 
 Published in 2023 by Finch Books, United Kingdom.
 
 No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors’ rights. Purchase only authorised copies.
 
 Finch Books is an imprint of Totally Entwined Group Limited.
 
 If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book”.
 Book three in the 
 Ambrosia Hill series
 There’s something wicked in the wind on Ambrosia Hill.
 
 Zinnia knows nothing is as it seems in the witching world. Her aunts calling her back to Fern House was not without consequences—for Zinnia and for her mom. Zinnia must embrace her witch abilities and undergo her biggest test yet. Can she learn to rely on her personal magic, embrace the strength of others and trust that what she sees isn’t always reality?
 
 There’s something wicked in the wind this Halloween on Ambrosia Hill and Zinnia must fight for those she loves most.
 
 
 
 Dedication
 To Poppy for being my Bloodstone.
 
 I’d like to thank the team at Finch Books for all their hard work and dedication to Bloodstone and the Ambrosia Hill series, especially Anna Olson and Lori Heaford.
 
 And as always, a gigantic and heartfelt thank you to the lovely and talented Angie for her rounds of first edits on the book.
 
 
 Trademark Acknowledgements
 The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
 
 Google: Google, LLC
 Price Choppers: Golub Corporation
 Buzz Lightyear: The Disney Company
 Tweet: Twitter, Inc.
 The Little Mermaid: The Disney Company
 Fila: Fila Holdings Corp.
 Chevy: General Motors
 Love Potion No. 9: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
 Botox: Allergan plc
 
 
 
 Chapter One
 Being a witch has one certainty—I’ll never have all the answers to life’s mysteries. But one mystery I needed to figure out, and now, was who was Ursula Geist. A strong breeze rustled through the maple trees that towered above me, showering my tree-lined path in a golden hue. I inhaled the aroma of dried leaves, their desiccated scent mixing with dying plants, rotted earth and plump mushrooms, reminding me I was home. My pupils dilated, a sensation green witches experience when our awareness comes alive in nature. Breathing deep, I could taste the crisp cabbage and sweet corn growing free in my aunts’ garden. Closing my eyes, I could sense the very fabric of life coursing through my arms and legs like an electrical current. In Ambrosia Hill, autumn was authentic, unlike the artificial scents of the city.
 The world felt mirthful and alive, so incongruent with the fear I had a strong gush of for my mother. It seemed unfair the rest of the world would continue on when mine was so dangerous and unsure. The day was perfect. I could almost forget I was on my way to the local library to search for a clue about a cryptic name, spelled out by my obsidian pendulum. Almost, but not quite.
 When I’d googled the name, nothing had come up, telling me that whoever this Ursula Geist was, I’d have to find the answers within Ambrosia Hill. The autumn breeze picked up my hair, so I pulled my beanie down tight over my head and stuffed my hands in my coat pockets, bracing against the wind as I charged down the path leading me to town.
 I hadn’t been to the Ambrosia Hill Library in quite some time. I preferred to read the books at my aunts’ house, full of whimsy and witchcraft. The library was conveniently located across the village green from the local hardware store. I checked the time on my phone and flaunted my first real smile of the day. Billie would still be at the hardware store with her dad. I quickened my steps to make a detour inside to see her. She worked behind the counter on Saturdays so her dad could be on the floor to help with customers, and we had made plans to meet up after her shift.
 I swallowed a lump in my throat as I debated whether or not to tell Billie what had happened in the garden after she left. She had told me she wanted to be