Chrysalis - Book 5, not yet titled.

Another sampling

The old woman ambled along the trail that led to her home deep within the Forbidden Forest. She hadn't any fear of the ominous presence that lived there. She hadn't any worries the roots would bind her feet, or the tree limbs would reach out and capture her, or that the dragons would take her for their nightly meal. The forest was her home. The forest was her kingdom. She was the creator of the evil that resided within that darkness. So she walked the trail with confidence all the while looking for any other herbs, roots, or berries she might have missed on her journey that she could use to help boost the magic of the black rose.

Odessa stood in front of the sycamore tree in the Hidden Forest, a little wary as to why she was called here. Normally, she would come to the Hall of the Elders, on her own, to report on her charge, Aubrey Maria Campbell, the Chosen One—normally. However, the Elders were acutely aware of what had transpired in the past few weeks, so she had nothing to report. But this time it wasn’t the Elders that had summoned her. It was the Guardian Chair, Pennington Albright, a no-nonsense, completely by the book woman, who has held the position since the sudden death of Eleanor Brentwood two hundred years ago, who had summoned her.

Book 5 is still a work in progress, but will post little snippets occasionally.