Deep Is the Fen

Informationen zum Autor Lili Wilkinson is the author of sixteen books, including Green Valentine , The Boundless Sublime and After the Lights Go Out . She established the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Lili has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Melbourne, and now spends most of her time reading and writing books for teenagers. She has written two fantasy novels, A Hunger of Thorns and Deep is the Fen. Klappentext Get lost in the newest, fantasy from the author of A Hunger of Thorns , on a beguiling journey behind the closed doors of a sinister secret society. Featuring a steamy enemies-to-lovers romance and a fight for the witching world that will getyour heart racing. Merry doesn't need a happily-ever-after. Her life in the charming, idyllic town of Candlecott is perfect just the way it is, with her doting father and her two best friends, Teddy and Sol to keep her company. Nothing ever happens in Candlecott, which is exactly how Merry likes it. But it's her, Teddy and Sol's last summer together, and despite Merry's best efforts, change is creeping in. When Merry discovers that Teddy has joined the Toadmen, a local mens-only society best known for their backwards thinking and odd traditions, she's determined to save her friend from himself. Even if it means partnering up with the person she hates most: her arch enemy and Teddy's fellow Toad, Caraway Boswell, a snobby know-it-all who refuses to let anyone see his true self. Turns out, Caraway needs Merry's help, toothough for what, he won't exactly say. Together, Caraway and Merry travel from Candlecott to the mysterious Deeping Fen, where one of the Toadmen's most ancient and revered rituals is being held. Yet when Merry discovers that the Toadmen have been keeping dangerous and sinister secrets, she must decide how far she is really willing to go to protect her friendsand, possibly, the worldfrom their twisted magic. Leseprobe 1. Teddy has filched a bottle of wassail from his da's cellar. He pours it out like it's liquid gold, and we each take a thimble-sized glass. To us, he says, smiling at Sol and me. The three best friends that ever were. To unshakable loyalty and unbreakable bonds. Happy Whitsuntide. Sol drums the floorboards with his heels, his cheeks glowing. I love them both so much. I want to stay in this moment forever. The three of us, together and young and happy. I look threadwise, refocusing my eyes slightly to see the mettle floating around us, silvery strands of life-force. I'm no witch, but I can see mettle, and recognize who or where it came from, in the same way I can track a rabbit or a fox in the woods. The mettle between the three of us is connected--intricately braided together over the years of our friendship. We're inseparable, and that's the way I want it to stay. They're waiting for me. I clink my glass against each of theirs, careful to make eye contact as I do so. The wassail is as strong as it always is, all cloves and hyssop, and we each wince and gag, swallowing it like medicine. Teddy holds out the bottle. More? Sol makes a face. Ugh, no. Merry? I shake my head. Even that one thimble-sized glass is enough to make me feel warm and a bit blurry around the edges. But Teddy refills his own glass and downs it in one gulp. We are ensconced in the sitting room in the house where Sol lives with his aunt, surrounded by open chip packets and cans of fizzy drink. We've been playing twlbwrdd--an enchanted Ilium set where the king piece crumbles to dust when he is captured and the maidens stain red if they get captured by a liegeman. We've been here since midafternoon, and Teddy and Sol have filled the air with the musky scent of teenage boy. I get up and open a window, breathing in the swe...

Autorentext

Lili Wilkinson is the author of sixteen books, including Green Valentine, The Boundless Sublime and After the Lights Go Out. She established the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Lili has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Melbourne, and now spends most of her time reading and writing books for teenagers. She has written two fantasy novels, A Hunger of Thorns and Deep is the Fen.

Klappentext

Get lost in the newest, fantasy from the author of A Hunger of Thorns, on a beguiling journey behind the closed doors of a sinister secret society. Featuring a steamy enemies-to-lovers romance and a fight for the witching world that will getyour heart racing.

Merry doesn't need a happily-ever-after. Her life in the charming, idyllic town of Candlecott is perfect just the way it is, with her doting father and her two best friends, Teddy and Sol to keep her company. Nothing ever happens in Candlecott, which is exactly how Merry likes it. But it's her, Teddy and Sol's last summer together, and despite Merry's best efforts, change is creeping in.

When Merry discovers that Teddy has joined the Toadmen, a local mens-only society best known for their backwards thinking and odd traditions, she's determined to save her friend from himself. Even if it means partnering up with the person she hates most: her arch enemy and Teddy's fellow Toad, Caraway Boswell, a snobby know-it-all who refuses to let anyone see his true self. Turns out, Caraway needs Merry's help, too—though for what, he won't exactly say.

Together, Caraway and Merry travel from Candlecott to the mysterious Deeping Fen, where one of the Toadmen's most ancient and revered rituals is being held. Yet when Merry discovers that the Toadmen have been keeping dangerous and sinister secrets, she must decide how far she is really willing to go to protect her friends—and, possibly, the world—from their twisted magic.

Leseprobe

1. Teddy has filched a bottle of wassail from his da’s cellar. He pours it out like it’s liquid gold, and we each take a thimble-sized glass.

   “To us,” he says, smiling at Sol and me. “The three best friends that ever were. To unshakable loyalty and unbreakable bonds. Happy Whitsuntide.”

   Sol drums the floorboards with his heels, his cheeks glowing.

   I love them both so much. I want to stay in this moment forever. The three of us, together and young and happy.

   I look threadwise, refocusing my eyes slightly to see the mettle floating around us, silvery strands of life-force. I’m no witch, but I can see mettle, and recognize who or where it came from, in the same way I can track a rabbit or a fox in the woods. The mettle between the three of us is connected--intricately braided together over the years of our friendship. We’re inseparable, and that’s the way I want it to stay.

   They’re waiting for me. I clink my glass against each of theirs, careful to make eye contact as I do so.

   The wassail is as strong as it always is, all cloves and hyssop, and we each wince and gag, swallowing it like medicine.

   Teddy holds out the bottle. “More?”

   Sol makes a face. “Ugh, no.”

   “Merry?”

   I shake my head. Even that one thimble-sized glass is enough to make me feel warm and a bit blurry around the edges. But Teddy refills his own glass and downs it in one gulp.

   We are ensconced in the sitting room in the house where Sol lives with his aunt, surrounded by open chip packets and cans of fizzy drink. We’ve been playing twlbwrdd--an enchanted Ilium set where the king piece crumbles to dust when he is captured and the maidens stain red if they get captured by a liegeman. We’ve been here since midafternoon, and Teddy and Sol have filled the air with the musky scent of teenage boy. I get up and open a window, breathing in the sweetness of the night. In the distance, I hear the faint jingling of bells, and the tramping of feet.

   Whitsun Eve is our night. Our families …