Dark Witch by Nora Roberts (English) Paperback Book

Description: Dark Witch by Nora Roberts From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts comes a trilogy about the land were drawn to, the family we learn to cherish, and the people we long to love…Book One of The Cousins ODwyer TrilogyDark Witch With indifferent parents, Iona Sheehan grew up craving devotion and acceptance. From her maternal grandmother, she learned where to find both: a land of lush forests, dazzling lakes, and centuries-old legends. Ireland. County Mayo, to be exact. Where her ancestors blood and magic have flowed through generations—and where her destiny awaits. Iona arrives in Ireland with nothing but her Nans directions, an unfailingly optimistic attitude, and an innate talent with horses. Not far from the luxurious castle where she is spending a week, she finds her cousins, Branna and Connor ODwyer. And since family is family, they invite her into their home and their lives. When Iona lands a job at the local stables, she meets the owner, Boyle McGrath. Cowboy, pirate, wild tribal horsemen, hes three of her biggest fantasy weaknesses all in one big, bold package. Iona realizes that here she can make a home for herself—and live her life as she wants, even if that means falling head over heels for Boyle. But nothing is as it seems. An ancient evil has wound its way around Ionas family tree and must be defeated. Family and friends will fight with each other and for each other to keep the promise of hope—and love—alive… Dont miss the other books in the Cousins ODwyer TrilogyShadow SpellBlood Magick FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Author Biography Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print. Review Praise for Dark Witch"Roberts works her own brand of literary magic as she begins a new trilogy featuring the cousins ODwyer."—Booklist "Magical, romantic, compelling and appealing—Roberts at her best."—Kirkus Reviews "Roberts spins a mesmerizing tale of good vs. evil."—Library Journal Review Quote Praise for Dark Witch "Roberts works her own brand of literary magic as she begins a new trilogy featuring the cousins ODwyer."-- Booklist "Magical, romantic, compelling and appealing--Roberts at her best."-- Kirkus Reviews "Roberts spins a mesmerizing tale of good vs. evil."-- Library Journal Excerpt from Book Chapter Three County Mayo, 2013 The cold carved bone deep, fueled by the lash of the wind, iced by the drowning rain gushing from a bruised, bloated sky. Such was Iona Sheehans welcome to Ireland. She loved it. How could she not? she asked herself as she hugged her arms to her chest and drank in the wild, soggy view from her window. She was standing in a castle. Shed sleep in a castle that night. An honest-to-God Irish castle in the heart of the west. Some of her ancestors had worked there, probably slept there. Everything she knew verified that her people, on her mothers side in any case, had sprung from this gorgeous part of the world, this magical part of this magical country. Shed gambled, well, pretty much everything to come here, to find her roots, to--she hoped--connect with them. And most of all, to finally understand them. Burnt bridges, left them smoldering behind her in the hopes of building new ones, stronger ones. Ones that led somewhere she wanted to go. Shed left her mother mildly annoyed. But then her mother never rose to serious anger, or sorrow, or joy or passion. How difficult had it been to find herself saddled with a daughter who rode emotions like a wild stallion? Her father had just patted her head in his absent way, and wished her luck as casually as he might some passing acquaintance. She suspected shed never been any more than that to him. Her paternal grandparents considered the trip a grand adventure, and had given her the very welcome gift of a check. She was grateful, even knowing they belonged to the out-of-sight-out-of-mind school and probably wouldnt give her another thought. But her maternal grandmother, her treasured Nan, had given her a gift with so many questions. She was here in this lovely corner of Mayo, ringed by water, shadowed by ancient trees, to find the answers. She should wait until tomorrow, settle in, take a nap as shed barely slept on the flight from Baltimore. At least she should unpack. She had a week in Ashford Castle, a foolish expense on the practical scale. But she wanted, so wanted that connection, that once-in-a-lifetime treat. She opened her bags, began to take out clothes. She was a woman whod once wished shed grow taller than her scant five three, and curvier than the slim, teenage boy body the fates had granted her. Then shed stopped wishing and compensated by using bright colors in her wardrobe, and wearing high, high heels whenever she could manage it. Illusion, Nan would say, was as good as reality. Shed once wished she could be beautiful, like her mother, but worked with what she had--cute. The only time shed seen her mother close to genuinely horrified had been just the week before when Iona had chopped off her long blond hair to a pixie cap. Far from used to it herself, she raked her fingers through it. It suited her, didnt it? Didnt it bring out her cheekbones a little? It didnt matter if she regretted the impulse; shed regretted others. Trying new things, taking new risks--those were her current goals. No more wait-and-see, the mantra of her parents as long as she could remember. Now was now. And with that in mind she thought, the hell with unpacking, the hell with waiting until tomorrow. What if she died in her sleep? She dug out boots, a scarf, the new raincoat--candy pink--shed bought for Ireland. She dragged a pink-and-white-striped cap over her hair, slung her oversized purse on cross-body. Dont think, just do, she told herself, and left her warm, pretty room. She made a wrong turn almost immediately, but it only gave her time to wander the corridors. Shed asked for a room in the oldest section when shed booked, and liked to imagine servants scurrying with fresh rushes, or ladies sitting at their spindles. Or warriors in bloody mail returning from battle. She had days to explore the castle, the grounds, the nearby village of Cong, and she meant to make use of all of it. But her primary goal remained to seek out and make contact with the Dark Witch. When she stepped outside into the whistling wind and drenching rain she told herself it was a perfect day for witches. The little map Nan had drawn was in her bag, but shed etched it on her memory. She turned away from the great stone walls, took the path toward the deep woods. Passed winter-quiet gardens, spreads of soaked green. Belatedly she remembered the umbrella in her bag, dragged it out, pushing her way forward into the evocative gloom of the rain-struck woods. She hadnt imagined the trees so big, with their wide, wide trunks, crazily gnarled branches. A storybook wood, she thought, thrilled with it even as the rain splashed over her boots. Through its drumming she heard the wind sigh and moan, then the rumble of what must be the river. Paths speared, forked, but she kept the map in her head. She thought she heard something cry overhead, and for a moment imagined she saw the sweep of wings. Then despite the drumming, the rumbling, the sighs and the moans, everything suddenly seemed still. As the path narrowed, roughened, her heartbeat pounded in her ears, too quick, too loud. To the right an upended tree exposed a base taller than a man, wider than her arm span. Vines thick as her wrist tangled together like a wall. She found herself drawn toward them, struck by the urge to pull at them, to fight her way through them to see what lay beyond. The concept of getting lost flitted through her mind, then out again. She just wanted to see. She took a step forward, then another. She smelled smoke and horses, and both pulled her closer to that tangled wall. Even as she reached out, something burst through. The massive black blur had her stumbling back. She thought, instinctively: Bear! Since the umbrella had flown out of her hand, she looked around frantically for a weapon--a stick, a rock--then saw as it eyed her, the biggest dog ever to stand on four massive paws. Not a bear, she thought, but as potentially deadly if he wasnt somebodys cheerful pet. "Hello . . . doggie." He continued to watch her out of eyes more gold than brown. He stepped forward to sniff her, which she hoped wasnt the prelude to taking a good, hard bite. Then let out two cannon-shot barks before loping away. "Okay." She bent over from the waist until she caught her breath. "All right." Exploring would definitely wait for a bright, sunny day. Or at least a brighter, dryer one. She picked up her soaked and muddy umbrella and pressed on. She shouldve waited on the whole thing, she told herself. Now she was wet and flustered and, she realized, more travel weary than shed expected. She should be napping in her warm hotel bed, snuggled in listening to the rain instead of trudging through it. And now--perfect--fog rolled in, surfing over the ground like waves on the shore. Mists thickened like those vines, and the rain sounded like voices muttering. Or there were voices muttering, she thought. In a language she shouldnt understand, but almost did. She quickened her pace, as anxious to get out of the woods as shed been to get into them. The cold turned brutal until she saw her breath hazing out. Now the voices sounded in her head: Turn back. Turn back. It was stubbornness as much as anxiety that had her pushing ahead until she nearly ran along the slippery path. And like the dog, burst into the clear. The rain was just the rain, the wind just the wind. The path opened into a road, with a few houses, smoke puffing out of chimneys. And beyond the beauty of the mist-shrouded hills. "Too much imagination, not enough sleep," she told herself. She saw dooryard gardens resting their bright blooms for spring, cars parked on the roadside or in short drives. Not far now, according to Nans map, so she walked along the road, counting houses. It sat farther off the road than the others, farther apart as if it needed breathing room. The pretty thatched-roofed cottage with its deep blue walls and bright red door transmitted that same storybook vibe--yet a shiny silver Mini sat in the little driveway. The cottage itself jogged into an L, fronted by curved glass. Even in the winter, pots of bright pansies sat on the stoops, their exotic faces turned upward to drink in the rain. A sign of aged wood hung above the curve of glass. Its deeply carved letters said: The Dark Witch "I found her." For a moment Iona just stood in the rain, closed her eyes. Every decision shed made in the last six weeks--perhaps every one shed made in her life--had led to this. She wasnt sure whether to go to the L--the workshop, Nan had told her--or the cottage entrance. But as she walked closer she saw the gleam of light on the glass. And closer still, the shelves holding bottles full of color--bright or soft--hanks of hanging herbs. Mortars and pestles, bowls and . . . cauldrons? Steam puffed from one on a stove top, and a woman stood at a work counter, grinding something. Ionas first thought was how unfair it seemed that some women could look like that even without fussing. The dark hair bundled up, sexily messy, the rosy flush from the work and the steam. The fine bones that said beauty from birth to death, and the deeply sculpted mouth just slightly curved in a contented smile. Was it genes or magick? she wondered. But then, for some, one was the same as the other. She gathered her courage and, setting her umbrella aside, reached for the door handle. She barely touched it when the woman looked up, over. The smile deepened, polite welcome, so Iona opened the door, stepp Details ISBN0593545672 Author Nora Roberts Pages 368 Language English Year 2022 ISBN-10 0593545672 ISBN-13 9780593545676 Format Paperback Publication Date 2022-07-05 Series Number 1 Country of Publication United States AU Release Date 2022-07-05 NZ Release Date 2022-07-05 US Release Date 2022-07-05 UK Release Date 2022-07-05 Publisher Penguin Putnam Inc Series The Cousins ODwyer Trilogy Imprint Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S. DEWEY FIC Audience General We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. 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