The first installment of the Cedarvale Series
Surviving the Dark
Cedarvale, Book 1
_edited.jpg)
The ceremony naming Cassidy as her family’s heir glimmers on the horizon. Her twin was clear; he planned to prevent her ascension and decimate any chance of the family surviving. As the violent possibilities danced across her mind’s eye, her stomach turned. He promised to leave her for last, which left her terrified to think of what her loved ones would endure if she failed to keep them safe......
"My toes gripped the soles of my emotional shoes, trying to keep me from falling off the Earth. The way he made me feel distracted me and distractions get you killed."
-Amelia M. Hosch, Surviving the Dark
Take a Look Inside:
The Benjamin Monroe memorial wing stood behind Ensfield’s original library. It doubled the size, at least, but remained unseen from the street. A pleasing array of glass windows and metal rectangles dangled around the exterior walls. Clean, crisp edges and a spiraling glass entryway sloped down in decoration. Above the slope, golden letters spelled out my family’s name. It had power and prominence displayed in true Monroe fashion.
Sunlight glittered off the fresh, powdery snow as the mayor gave the opening speech. A couple dozen guests listened, huddled like a colony of penguins. The winter sun refused to melt the snow, much less warm the frigid breeze. Sharp blasts of wind cut straight to my bones, distracting me from danger.
On either side of us, evergreen trees stood tall. They sprung from the depths, leaving behind a thin blanket of snow on their branches. It created a perfect cover for our enemies. My ears strained for any warning of an attack. My eyes scanned for signs of trouble: the breath from an invisible guest, the flutter of a spooked bird, or otherwise disturbed snow, lightly falling from the branches above.
Mom’s project towered over me like a bully. As usual, she expected me to attend opening events with shared enthusiasm and pleasantries. The council, mom included, groomed me to take her place one day amongst the glam and riches of Ensfield high society, against my wishes. Despite nausea swelling in my throat, I fulfilled their expectations.
Flashes came from every direction as the journalists from The Harold, The Courier, and The Morning Gazette fanned out into the snow, immortalizing our fraudulent smiles. Mom stepped forward with a pair of oversized scissors and snapped me back to reality. The crowd collectively held their breath like they didn’t know what to expect. A smile spread across my face as they glared in bated anticipation. The oversized blades sliced through the ribbon anticlimactically, and applause erupted.
“We can do what we like as long as we give them a reason to look the other way.” As a child, I misunderstood the meaning. Her words crawled back as she charmed the pants off everyone in attendance. The new wing acted as mom’s gift to the community and doubled as a new hiding place for my family’s secrets..............