The Lebrus Stone by Miriam Khan
Blurb:
When
Eighteen-year-old orphan, Crystal Valdez, accepts an invitation to the
small town of Blacksville, West Virginia, she hopes to have a summer to
remember and a chance to learn more about her parents, to also get to
know the family she never knew existed.
But
the Lockes begin to act strange and erratic; eerie movements in the
night fuel her vivid and gruesome nightmares. To complicate her summer
further, she becomes attracted to the menacing yet handsome Cray Locke:
her none blood related cousin who seems determined to keep his distance.
The only bonus seems to be the Housekeeper and Gardener.
And
when a local informs Crystal of the secrets buried at Thorncrest Manor,
the kind consisting of a forbidden relationship and a war between
hidden worlds, and witchcraft, she must decide whom to trust. Even if it
means leaving behind those she has come to love.
Excerpt:
I lay back and tried not to over think
things to calm the storm in my head, but a knock on my door moments
later interrupted it.
"Come in!" I called out,
sitting up to retrieve my book.
Syd entered, carrying in what looked
like a sandwich and a glass of her homemade lemonade.
I could have done with a hot soup.
But I blew a sigh of relief it wasn't
one of the Lockes.
"Isobel said to make sure you had
some lunch by now," she said, placing the tray on my bedside
cabinet.
"Thanks, Syd."
"Any reason why you're hiding in
here?" she asked as she sat on my bed.
I tensed. Being told I was hiding
annoyed me, but I wasn't annoyed at Syd, just at myself. I had come
too far in life to start acting like a coward, especially over
something clearly in my head.
I fingered the dog-eared cover of my
book.
"I think I just need a quiet day
to myself. It could be some type of…delayed jet lag." It could
be partly true, I thought. It had taken two flights to get from Salt
Lake City to Blacksville; six hours in total. I smiled, pleased with
the conclusion. Exhaustion could have been why I had such a freakish
dream.
"I see," Syd said, seeming
unconvinced. "Well, do you think you'll be joining the Lockes
for dinner?"
"Do I have to?" No matter how
much I was becoming fond of Syd, she worked for the Lockes. They
could try and make her tell me what do.
"No." She chuckled. "But
I think you should try to interact. Cray's alright, by the way. A
little scratch like that won't do a boy like him any harm."
Boy like him?
So, I had hurt him. My chest tightened.
"Oh, don't look so beat up about
it, honey. The boy is as tough as old boots." She chuckled
again. "And luckily for you, he's not as vain about his looks as
you would think. He won't hold what happened against you." She
patted my hand.
I gulped. "Has he…said
something?"
"No. He left early this morning.
He didn't say where he was going, and Isobel never dares ask these
days. He's a very private person, as you've probably noticed. She
respects that. We all do." She looked lost in thought for a
moment, then smiled in her sad little way, and asked, "So, are
you ready to talk about what happened last night?"
My mouth felt too clamped to begin
"I have to say, not many girls
would have left home to meet so many strangers. I admire your
courage."
Her comment only made me sound
irresponsible. I gritted my teeth.
"I don't feel very courageous,"
I admitted. "I feel pretty stupid right now."
Thanks for the added comment to make me
feel even more naive, I wanted to add.
"I don't think five months was
long enough to think this through," I said.
She nodded. "Maybe. But everything
happens for a reason. You followed your heart. It's all you can do in
life. It's your only real compass."
I wanted us to keep talking. When Syd
wasn't nicely pointing out my flaws, she had a way of calming me
until I felt optimistic about my trip again. But she had dinner to
prepare, so she reluctantly left me after insisting I get ready to
face my evening with the Lockes.
Something about her was becoming
familiar. It could have been the warmth in her eyes and how they
reminded me of Selma. She had always been as hospitable and over
helpful.
I still missed her. Talking to Syd was
like getting back something that had been cruelly taken away, too. It
wasn't just my parents I'd lost, but my pride, self-worth, my best
friend, at times my composure. It had been an uphill struggle this
past year or so. But I was finally feeling on top of things…I
think.
I sure wasn't going to let it keep me
down.
Coming to Blacksville was my new start
as the new and improved me. I really had to keep believing that.
Book Trailer:
Book Links:
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23440495-the-lebrus-
Amazon http://amzn.to/1B9efXs
Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/1HUOI60
About the Author:
Miriam is from Cheshire, England and a family of six siblings. Her love for creativity led to acting at her local theatre before being a lead vocalist in rock bands. During those years, she often found solace penning her thoughts and feelings through lyrics or poetry. She chose not to continue singing in 2006, and two years later she woke up with the idea for The Lebrus Stone and began typing. Revising and editing it for the next six years. She is now eager to see what readers will think.
Author Links:
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9793155.Miriam_Khan
Website/blog - http://miriamkhannovels.blogspot.co.uk/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007806765011
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