Read an Excerpt
I STAND AT THE EDGE of the crowded square, watching the executioners light the pyres. The two men, dressed for work in dark red cloaks and charred leather gloves, circle the nar- row wooden platforms, their lit torches held high. At the top of each pyre, four witches and three wizards stand chained to a stake, bundles of wood heaped around their feet. They stare into the crowd, determined looks on their faces.
I don’t know what they did; they weren’t my captures. But I do know there will be no apologies from them. No last- minute pleas for mercy, no scaffold-step promises to repent. Even as the executioners touch their torches to the wood and the first of the flames leaps into the leaden sky, they remain silent. They’ll stay that way, stubborn to the very end. It wasn’t always like this. But the worse the Reformist rebellions get, the more defiant the Reformists themselves become.
It doesn’t matter anyway, what they did. What magic they used. Spells, familiars, potions, herbs: It’s all illegal now. There was a time when those things were tolerated, encour- aged even. Magic was seen as helpful—once. Then the plague came. Started by magic, spread by magic—we were almost destroyed by magic. We warned them to stop, but they didn’t stop. Now here we are, standing in a dirty square under a dirty sky, forcing them to stop.
To my right, about twenty feet away, is Caleb. He stares into the fire, his blue eyes narrowed, forehead slightly creased. By his expression he could be sad, he could be bored, he could be playing against himself a game of noughts and crosses. It’s hard to tell. Even I don’t know what he’s thinking, and I’ve known him longer than anyone.
He’ll make his move soon, before the protests begin. I can already hear the murmuring, the shuffling feet, the odd cry or two from a family member. People raise sticks, hold up rocks. They stay their hands out of respect for the men and women on the pyre. But once they’re gone, the violence will begin. Against the executioners, against the guards who line the street, against anyone who supports the justice doled out in front of us. People are frightened of magic, yes. But the consequences of magic frighten them even more.
Finally, I see it: a gentle tug on a lock of dark blond hair, a hand placed slowly in his pocket.
It’s time.
I’m halfway across the square when the shouting breaks out. I feel a shove from behind, then another. I pitch forward and slam into the back of the man standing in front of me.
“Watch it, you.” He whips around, a glare on his face. It disappears as soon as he sees me. “I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t see you, and—” He stops, peering at me closely. “My word, you’re just a child. You shouldn’t be here. Go on home. There’s nothing here you need to see.”
ABOUT THE BOOK
By: Virginia Boecker
Published by: Little Brown
Released on: June 2, 2015 TODAY
Purchase it from: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks
Add it Goodreads
The magic and suspense of Graceling meet the political intrigue and unrest of Game of Thrones in this riveting fantasy debut.
Your greatest enemy isn't what you fight, but what you fear.
Elizabeth Grey is one of the king's best witch hunters, devoted to rooting out witchcraft and doling out justice. But when she's accused of being a witch herself, Elizabeth is arrested and sentenced to burn at the stake.
Salvation comes from a man she thought was her enemy. Nicholas Perevil, the most powerful and dangerous wizard in the kingdom, offers her a deal: he will save her from execution if she can break the deadly curse that's been laid upon him.
But Nicholas and his followers know nothing of Elizabeth's witch hunting past--if they find out, the stake will be the least of her worries. And as she's thrust into the magical world of witches, ghosts, pirates, and one all-too-handsome healer, Elizabeth is forced to redefine her ideas of right and wrong, of friends and enemies, and of love and hate.
Virginia Boecker weaves a riveting tale of magic, betrayal, and sacrifice in this unforgettable fantasy debut.
About The Author
Virginia Boecker recently spent four years in London obsessing over English medieval history, which formed the basis of The Witch Hunter. She now lives in the Bay Area, California with her husband and spends her days writing, reading, running, and chasing around her two children and a dog named George.
In addition to English kings, nine-day queens, and Protestant princesses, her other obsessions include The Smiths, art museums, champagne, and Chapstick. She is represented by the incomparable Kathleen Ortiz at New Leaf Literary & Media.
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