Omens and Artifacts Read online

  And here they are.

  I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey so far. Don’t worry, there’s lots more to come.

  Thanks for reading,

  Elizabeth

  ELIZABETH HUNTER is a contemporary fantasy, paranormal romance, and paranormal mystery writer. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College and a former English teacher. She once substitute taught a kindergarten class but decided that middle school was far less frightening. Thankfully, people now pay her to write books and eighth graders everywhere rejoice.

  She currently lives in Central California with her son, two dogs, many plants, and a sadly empty fish tank. She is the author of the Elemental Mysteries and Elemental World series, the Cambio Springs series, the Irin Chronicles, and other works of fiction.

  Thank you for taking the time to read this book! If you enjoy a book, one of the best things you can do to support an author is to leave an honest review wherever you bought your copy. Thank you for taking the time to let others know what you thought.

  Sign up for my newsletter today and receive a bonus short story “Too Many Cooks” free in your inbox! Subscribers receive monthly updates, new book alerts, exclusive contests, and original short fiction featuring favorite characters from my books.

  If you want to connect with me online, please visit my website or any of these other links:

  ElizabethHunterWrites.com

  Facebook

  Twitter

  Instagram

  Pinterest

  Acknowledgements

  This was a strange book for me, because it was the first book I’ve worked on in a long time without my friend and developmental editor, Lora Gasway. Is it strange to mention that? I can’t stop thinking about it as I think about the planning and writing of this book. We lost Lora late last year, and it was a blow to all of her family and friends.

  For those of us who worked with Lora, it also presented the challenge of bridging the huge gap the loss of her expertise and professionalism left behind.

  Knowing this, I’m sure you can appreciate the tremendous gratitude I feel for two beta readers who stepped in on very short notice to help me edit this book before it went to my copyeditor, Anne. RJ Blain and Heather Kinne both offered invaluable feedback on very short notice, and did so with grace and compassion. I cannot thank them enough.

  I also want to thank my tremendous copy editor, Anne Victory, and my proofreader, Linda. Your insights are invaluable. Your friendship is precious.

  Love and appreciation to the lovely and welcoming readers I met both in London and Edinburgh during my research trip for this book. In particular, my guides to Edinburgh, Lara and Stuart Massie, the incomparable Kenneth Hanley, and my hair guru and fellow free spirit Kirsty Williams. You all made my first visit to Edinburgh memorable, warm, and informative. I cannot thank you enough, and I can’t wait to return the favor if you ever visit California.

  Thanks, as always, to Damonza for their cover work on this book and for understanding that there may be fifty shades of grey, but there are probably one hundred fifty shades of green. And this author had to have exactly the right one.

  Many thanks to my assistants Gen and Jenn. Both keep me organized and looking my best, both online and off.

  Many, many thanks to my family and loved ones who have to put up with my whining about titles for hours on end. And to David, who is patience personified.

  And thanks to my amazing reader group on Facebook and the many writing friends who have been so supporting during this tumultuous past year.

  Horrible things happened. Amazing things happened.

  Whatever comes next, I know I have good people by my side.

  ALSO BY ELIZABETH HUNTER

  The Elemental Mysteries Series

  A Hidden Fire

  This Same Earth

  The Force of Wind

  A Fall of Water

  All the Stars Look Down (short story)

  The Elemental World Series

  Building From Ashes

  Waterlocked

  Blood and Sand

  The Bronze Blade

  The Scarlet Deep

  Beneath a Waning Moon

  A Stone-Kissed Sea

  The Elemental Legacy Series

  Shadows and Gold

  Imitation and Alchemy

  Omens and Artifacts

  The Irin Chronicles

  The Scribe

  The Singer

  The Secret

  On a Clear Winter Night (short story)

  The Staff and the Blade

  The Silent (coming 2017)

  The Cambio Springs Series

  Shifting Dreams

  Long Ride Home (short story)

  Desert Bound

  Five Mornings (short story)

  Waking Hearts

  Contemporary Romance

  The Genius and the Muse

  Omens and Artifacts

  Copyright © 2016

  Elizabeth Hunter

  ISBN: 9781941674116

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Cover by: Damonza

  Edited by: Anne Victory

  Formatted by: Elizabeth Hunter

  This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it or it was not purchased for your use only, please delete it and purchase your own copy from an authorized retailer. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  For more information about the author or her work, please visit:

  ElizabethHunterWrites.com