Fairy World M.D. Boxed Set One (The Olive Kennedy Fantasy Romance Series Book 1) Read online

  Fairy World M.D.

  Boxed Set One

  Tamara Grantham

  Contents

  Mirror Box

  Dreamthief

  Spellweaver

  Bloodthorn

  Also by Tamara Grantham

  About the Author

  Afterword

  Also by Tamara Grantham

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product 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.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  Fairy World M.D. Boxed Set 1

  Copyright ©2018 Tamara Grantham

  All rights reserved.

  Summary: From award-winning author Tamara Grantham comes a boxed set of the first three full-length Fairy World M.D. books. This set includes exclusive bonus content, and offers the reader a discount over purchasing each novel individually.

  ISBN: 978-1-63422-346-1 (e-book)

  Cover Design by: Marya Heidel

  Typography by: Courtney Knight

  Editing by: Cynthia Shepp

  Mirror Box

  “You’re not a real doctor, are you?” A man asked, looming over my desk.

  I didn’t have time for another moron. Not today. I was busy. I’d gutted the perfect old-style clunky laptop and glued in the velvet lining. I was halfway done with my mirror box. What was so important he had to interrupt me?

  “Who are you?” I asked.

  “Benjamin Boltright. Your assistant.”

  “Ah.”

  “Will you answer my question. Are you really a doctor?”

  “Technically yes, I graduated from medical school.”

  “But what about the residency training afterward? You can’t get a job unless you’ve completed it, and you’re studying fairies and… this stuff.” He waved his arms around to encompass the computer lab turned workshop. Various statuettes—dragons, elves, pixies, Wults, and goblins—cluttered my table. They were in countless stages of completion. Some I’d had to trash altogether.

  “Mr. Boltright,” I said, standing, hoping he saw I was serious despite my Count Chocula T-shirt, punky red locks cut in a pixie haircut, and bare feet. “If you don’t want to be here, then leave.”

  “No.” He crossed his arms. “It’s my job to make sure this lab runs smoothly. I was told a doctor was studying here. To make sure you had what you needed. I didn’t realize that doctor was you.”

  Picking up an empty cardboard box, he started putting my statuettes inside.

  “That’s not necessary,” I said. He paused, pursing his lips, his eyes beady and hawk-like behind his horn-rimmed glasses.

  “Fine,” he muttered, removing the statuette—a Wult—from his box. Turning away from me, he headed to the other end of the lab. He popped in his earbuds, then sat behind one of the only functioning computers. Good. I hoped he stayed out of my business.

  I picked up the Wult statuette he’d been holding. This was the one I couldn’t get right. I’d used a dragon scale for the dragon, elven hair for the elf, a wisp of a feather for the pixie, and a bone sliver for the goblin. When it came to the Wult, nothing I’d used had reacted with my spell.

  Placing the statuette on the desk, I sat and studied it.

  I’d never been fond of Wults. They weren’t even a true Faythander species, which may’ve been the reason I was having so much trouble. They didn’t use magic, so my spells were negated every time I attempted a new enchantment. Maybe it would help if I knew more about them, but the few times I’d visited their home, Danegeld, I’d always gotten the impression they were overly fond of mead, loved killing things, and were talented at lewdness.

  Picking up the pewter piece, I ran my fingers over the bearded man, his animal pelt coat, and his large horned helmet.

  The little statue wasn’t true to real Wults in any way. I’d gotten this piece from a craft fair—one of those Viking chess pieces that was deeply discounted. Wults didn’t even wear horns to begin with. No wonder I was having so much trouble.

  With a sigh, I placed the piece aside and grabbed my makeshift mirror box instead. Maybe if I changed gears, I’d think up something for the Viking chess piece turned hopeful Wult magical talisman.

  I’d found the perfect sized mirror to place in the laptop’s screen, and with the use of my handy-dandy hot glue gun, made quick work of replacing the screen with a mirror. As I clicked the bottom of the screen into what had once been a keyboard, I couldn’t help but smile at my handiwork.

  The mirrorbox wasn’t much to look at, but that wasn’t the point. This was a tool for helping to diagnose my patients. Once I got it properly spellcasted and the small matter of the non-functioning Wult piece sorted out, it would only take me a matter of minutes to allow my patients to relive their memories. They’d channel their thoughts through one of these statuettes, then when they placed their hand on the screen, they’d be able to recreate the events that took place in Faythander. Genius, really.

  Just wished it worked.

  I picked up the Viking again, my free hand thrumming my fingers on the desk top, deep in thought.

  That was when it came to me. What if I used earth magic? The Wults’ ancestors were Vikings, and though they didn’t use earth magic, it was as close as it got.

  I wasn’t proficient at earth magic in the least. But this should be a simple spell. Why not?

  Because it could backfire and blow up in your face. Is that a good reason why not? Albert Einstein said.

  Always the voice of reason, Albert Einstein had been a voice in my head for who knew how long. He represented my rational side. At the other end of the spectrum, the voice of Bill Clinton spoke up, representing my emotions.

  So I’d given the two warring aspects of my consciousness names. So what? There were weirder people out there. I was pretty sure…

  Taking a deep breath, I held the Viking statue on my palm. Conjuring earth magic was a pain. It never came when I called it. I let my mind relax, my thoughts focus, but only my Faythander magic came to the surface, making my fingers glow blue.

  Earth magic. I need Earth magic.

  I stretched my senses, digging deep. Since I was half human, I knew I had it in there somewhere.

  Earth magic.

  An amber glow mingled with the blue in my cupped hands. It wasn’t much, but it was all I could muster.

  Stupid non-cooperative Earth magic.

  I whispered a spell into the pewter piece, hoping it latched on. The magic didn’t budge.

  Figures.

  Trying harder, I made the decision to channel my own life’s energy into the spell. Not always a bright idea, but sometimes necessary, especially when I was dealing with stubborn Wult artifacts.

  Letting go of my life’s energy, I allowed it to seep into the spell. A burst of brilliant light shot from my fingertips, reflecting off the mirror in my laptop box.

  Curses. This couldn’t be good.

  Warmth enveloped me. A howling wind pierced my ears. The world went white.

  Am I in a portal?

  Not good. Not good at all.

  Portals were dangerous. There was a reason I hadn’t been back to Faythander in ten years. I never knew where I’d
end up—or even if I’d make it to the world I wanted to be in. Or if I’d make it there in one piece.

  The rushing wind grew louder. I wanted to cup my hands over my ears, but with my body spiraling through the portal, I had no control over my movements. I cursed my rotten luck.

  That stupid Wult statue…

  I landed on my butt in the mud. My ears rang, and I clutched the figurine in a death grip. When the world stopped spinning, I took in my new surroundings.

  This definitely wasn’t the computer lab.

  I sat in a fog-covered forest. The sound of running water came from somewhere, and the air held the scent of rain. Squawking birds, and the hooting of unfamiliar animals came from the trees.

  Rubbing my head, I tried to make sense of my new situation. Was I on Faythander? Overhead, a red glow tinted the sky, and the trees grew with long, fan-like leaves, like large umbrellas overshadowing me. Furry caterpillars in brilliant neon colors covered the trunks. Some were the size of cars. This doesn’t look like Faythander.

  A round object on the ground caught my attention. Brunette hair stuck out from the gray skin.

  Bill Clinton’s voice intruded. Is that… a head?

  Surely not. I stood slowly, trying to breathe through the dizziness. When I approached, my insides wanted to heave. Definitely a head. The person’s face was locked in a soundless scream. He was male, older than me, with streaks of gray along his temples.

  Behind me, shouts echoed. I glanced back at a group of fur-clad warriors carrying swords and battle axes. They ran straight toward me. Panicked, I jumped out of their way. The sudden movement made dizziness disorient me, and I crumbled to the ground.

  The cold tip of a sword pressed the back of my neck. I froze.

  “Who are you?” a male voice said.

  “Don’t dismember her, brother. She may know where the beast went.” A female voice.

  “Look at those ears,” another male said. “She’s got elven blood for sure.”

  “What’s this?” a third male voice asked. “Another head?”

  “Yes, so it is.”

  “Oi, elf,” a third male voice said. “Did you do this?”

  “You mean, behead him? That wasn’t me.”

  “Who are you?” the woman asked. “Are you from Faythander?”

  “My name is Olive Kennedy. I’m from Earth, but I was born on Faythander.”

  “What’re you doing here?”

  “Good question.”

  “Will you harm us?”

  I could if they gave me reason, but with the cold steel of a blade pressed to my neck, I decided to play it safe. “No.”

  “Turn around slowly,” one of the men said. “Don’t give us cause to dispatch you.”

  I did as he said, turning until I faced them. They were Wults. Had to be. With those clunky-style blades, battle axes, and animal hides thrown over their clothes, there was no mistaking their identity.

  The man in front held my attention. His blond hair and blue eyes gave credence to his Nordic ancestry. His sword held my attention, too, as he held it pointed at my chest.

  “You’ve no need for that,” I said.

  “Haven’t I? There’s a discarded head nearby. You’re elven. You possess magic, don’t you?”

  “Yes. But as I said, I didn’t do that, and I have no intention of harming you. Now, how about you tell me where I am?”

  “You don’t know?” the female asked. Tall and well-muscled, she wore silver greaves around her arms and wrists. Her braided dark hair was draped over her shoulder.

  “I just landed here, actually. Through a portal.”

  “A portal?”

  “Yes. From Earth.”

  “Ah yes, Earth. We came from there not two days ago, chasing a beast we meant to slay. We followed it here, wherever we are.”

  “You don’t know?” I asked.

  “No idea,” the tall man said. “You’re the first living soul we’ve seen apart from the caterpillars and the beast we’re chasing. But it’s been leaving a string of heads behind it. I suspect it must’ve been here only moments ago.” He sheathed his sword, and I let out my pent-up breath.

  I supposed I should’ve counted myself lucky. I’d needed to find Wults to fix my mirror. But perhaps that was the very reason I’d found them—I had been holding the Wult statue when the portal brought me here. Maybe the little statue was finally working. Except it had brought me to the wrong world, blast it all.

  I got a better look at the two men standing behind the others. One was younger, with light hair and eyes, just a teenager, really. The other man was more rotund with a long, rust-colored beard. Both eyed me suspiciously.

  “You really have no idea where we are?” I asked the group.

  “No,” the woman said. “A week ago, our people started getting attacked by a strange beast with golden eyes. It left nothing but headless corpses behind. When we tracked it down, it created a portal to Earth Kingdom. We followed it, tracked it there for three days until we cornered it once again, then the bloody beast created another portal to this world. We had no choice but to follow it here. Wherever we are. Of course, once we cross back to Faythander, we’ll have forgotten everything as none of us brought a memory charm. We’ve been tracking the beast ever since.”

  “It came this way,” the boy said, poking the disembodied head with the tip of his blade. “Did you see it?”

  “I’ve only just arrived. You’re the first people I’ve seen.”

  “How’d you come to be here?” the blond man asked.

  I held out my statuette. “This brought me here.”

  “Is that… a Wult? Why is it wearing horns?”

  I shrugged. “Earth misconceptions.”

  In the distance, an eerie wailing was carried on the wind. We stood still as we listened, the sound making my skin prickle with fear.

  “Is that the beast?” I whispered.

  The woman nodded.

  The blond man motioned for the others to follow. We crept through the forest on quiet feet, the mud muffling our footsteps. The strange, umbrella-like leaves filtered the sunlight. When we stepped out of the shelter of the trees and onto a cliff overlooking a broad valley, I had to catch my breath.

  On the horizon, twin suns hovered above the mountaintops. The sky was tinged red, as if the atmosphere here were made up of different particles.

  The howling came again, though far in the distance on the other side of the canyon. The sound faded as the suns set.

  “How did it get so far away from us?” the boy asked. “We were right on top of it a moment ago.”

  “Magic?” I said. “If it was creating portals, it most likely has powers of some sort.”

  “I hate magic,” the blond man said, working his jaw back and forth. I had to admit he had a nice face, if one liked manly, rugged features. Thankfully, I didn’t.

  “We’ll have to make camp,” the woman said. “We can’t scale down the cliffs and traverse the valley in the dark.”

  “But we’ll lose the beast,” the boy said.

  “No. It won’t escape us, that I promise,” the blond man said, hefting his sword. “Not while I’m chasing it.”

  Confident, much?

  The older man scratched his wiry beard. “What do we do with the waif?”

  Waif?

  They all turned their gazes on me.

  “What are you wearing, girl?” the bearded man asked.

  I glanced down at my attire. “This is Earthlander clothing.”

  “It’s hardly suited for traversing. You’re not even wearing shoes,” the woman said.

  “Well, I wasn’t planning on traveling anywhere. I was sitting comfortably in my computer lab when I got unexpectedly sucked into a portal.”

  The woman clucked her tongue. “She’ll die if we leave her here dressed that way. Doesn’t look like she’s brought any food with her, either.”

  The blond man scrutinized me. I didn’t like his penetrating gaze, as if he could read my
thoughts. “We haven’t got time for tagalongs.”

  “I’m no tagalong,” I said. “I’ve got magic. I could probably help you track down that beast if you asked nicely.”

  “Good luck getting him to do that,” the woman said. “He never stoops so low as to ask anyone for help.”

  The blond man shrugged. “If she wants to help us track the beast, I wouldn’t dissuade her.”

  “Only because she has a pretty face,” the girl said, smirking.

  He raised an eyebrow. “I said nothing about her looks.”

  “You didn’t have to.”

  The red-bearded man shifted the battle axe he carried. “What sort of magic do you possess?” he asked.

  “Faythander magic—specifically, elven magic. I also have Earth magic when it’s cooperating. And it’s not. I don’t think I could use either of my powers to create a portal right now, which makes me wonder how I’m getting home. First, I need to know where I am.”

  “We’re wondering the same thing,” the girl said. “Although if we catch this beast, we’re hopeful it will create another portal back to Faythander.”

  “Then let’s hope it does,” I said.

  The light had slowly faded as we’d stood on the cliff. I could barely make out the jagged peaks across the canyon. A few stars dotted the sky, and three moons appeared above us. One was a faint pink color. Odd.

  “Can you at least use your magic to start fires?” the boy asked.

  “Yes.” I smiled. “That I can do.”

  “Very well, then,” the red-bearded man said. “She stays.”

  #

  We sat around a campfire sputtering glowing embers that got carried on the wind, the air thick with the scent of woodsmoke. I didn’t know where I was or who these people were, yet strangely, I felt at home with them. It was a feeling that didn’t happen often. Or ever.

  I was the offspring of a human and an elf. My parents had abandoned me to be raised by dragons in Faythander. Ten years ago, I’d gone to Earth, hoping to forge some sort of relationship with my mother. It hadn’t happened, so I’d moved out. I’d ended up going to medical school, then I’d landed in Boston, trying to scrounge up some sort of practice to cure people who’d gone to Faythander and returned to Earth with amnesia and depression.