The Enchanted Castle Archives: Short Stories and Novellas

If you want to read these stories in the chronological order of the story world, follow this list. You can buy the ebooks and audiobooks here on our storefront, or follow the Amazon affiliate links below!

ASH, BREAD AND THE BOY

On her first courier run, Ash stops to pick up bread for the master of the next station house and responds to a call for help. Between an overbearing, panicking mother and a plot to ambush another courier, even with the guidance of the spirit ring and Fang, the half-vampire bunny, she might be in over her head.

This story takes place in the opening chapters of THE BEASTLY BEAUTY.

THE SOUL OF THE HOUSE

A story between books, after THE BEASTLY BEAUTY, The Enchanted Castle Archives Book 2

Friar Ipswich has always loved books. When Ash appears in Castle Fairhold’s library and asks him to take some books to a healing cloister, he is more than happy to help out. Especially when he learns the books are sought by scheming magicians from another kingdom, who want to use the books for nefarious purposes.

On the journey, he is separated from his escorts, is nearly knocked from his horse, and wakes on the porch of an old abandoned house. When he takes shelter inside, he finds the house holds a secret, and is much larger inside than outside. His love for books could result in him being trapped inside the house forever.

THE SCENT OF ADVENTURE

Meet ‘Na. Her full name is Belladonna, but her parents only use that name when she’s in trouble. ‘Na has a pet dragon named Smedley, and they have a lot of fun adventures together. Sometimes scary adventures.

‘Na and Smedley and her parents live in the enchanted castle, in the enchanted forest, and magic is everywhere.

One day, ‘Na goes on a trip with her parents. They travel all over the world, helping people untangle problems with magic. This time, they are going to an old castle where magic is helping all sorts of forest animals, especially skunks, get inside and cause problems. 

On the journey to the castle, Smedley meets up with a skunk who gives him a crown. What does the skunk want? Smedley can’t tell ‘Na or her parents, because they don’t speak dragon, and Smedley can’t speak like people.

But they will figure it out. And ‘Na and Smedley will have the most scary and fun adventure of their lives by the time they figure out what the skunk prince wants.

IN THE GARDEN OF ALWAYS WINTER

Growing up in the enchanted castle with a pet dragon named Smedley is always an adventure. Especially when sleeping magic wakes up and tries to cause trouble.

‘Na was given a snow globe full of magic at her christening. Her parents didn’t know who sent it to her, so they knew it had to be dangerous. They locked it away until they could find answers.

Then one fall day, the snow globe wakes up and shows a door to a garden at the enchanted castle: The Garden of Always Winter, where snow covers everything.

‘Na’s parents make her promise not to go through the gate into the garden without them, because it could be dangerous.

She really did want to obey them. But … First the gate opened. Then the snow ogres came through. Then Smedley picked her up and threw her on his back, and he raced through the gate to get away from the ogres.

What is hiding under the snow? Is it dangerous?

What can a little girl and her dragon who is still learning how to use his fire do to break a curse hundreds of years old?

DAUGHTER OF THE BEASTLY BEAUTY

Life in the enchanted castle, in the center of the enchanted forest, had its benefits and its drawbacks. Emphasis on drawbacks, with ‘Na’s problematic 17th birthday approaching. Thanks to her parents’ reputation for breaking enchantments and solving magical problems, they had numerous enemies.  Chances were good some of them had set numerous curses to take effect on her birthday. The best way to avoid trouble was to stay home, alone, and keep the doors locked.

Then clumsy Prince Ruprick and his assistant Ambrose showed up. The prince didn’t know how to take no for an answer. His father had failed at winning the Beastly Beauty for his bride, so now it was up to him to win the daughter.

Plus, Fang, the half-vampire bunny, had showed up in a bad mood.

What else could go wrong?

TOWER TO TOWER

‘Na and Ambrose set out to rescue her friend Zella, who lives in a tower and grows her hair to make wigs for dragon-tamers. The magic mirror web is down, and all sorts of legal filings are threatening Zella’s peace and solitude. Along the way, they encounter Prince Ruprick and his scheming cousin Rumpton, who increases his kingdom through the new, dark magical art called real estate. Rumpton’s target is Zella, her tower, and the curse that controls her hair growth business.

PATCHES

The enchanted castle is under attack from a patchwork monster, while some spellwork cheaters and thieves try to capture Fang, convinced he possesses a fountain of youth spell they need very badly. ‘Na, Ambrose and Zella must find the elusive, ticked-off sorcerer who can stop his patchwork creation, and a nasty spell that wants to unravel other magic, before it tears apart their home.

BEAUTY IN A BOX

A princess suffering from too many makeovers comes to the enchanted castle, seeking help in finding her inner beauty. The search for the right magic to help her leads ‘Na and her new friend to a room of torture — otherwise known as a beauty parlor — where they accidentally open a box chained shut for 50 years.  What they find inside, and who is responsible for the prisoner, threatens to change preconceived notions of true beauty.

CURE FOR THE CREATURE

Royal politics interfere with childhood sweethearts finding their happily-ever-after. The heartbroken maiden decides to take matters into her own hands and find a new true love to drag back to the family’s underwater home in a black lagoon. Just like dear old Dad once did. ‘Na pities the girl — until she sets her sights on Ambrose. Especially when true love’s kiss doesn’t seem to cure the magic that threatens to curse them both to be watery creatures … permanently.

RED WOLF

When a rarely-used portal opens into the enchanted forest, the inhabitants of the enchanted castle and the local werewolf tribe go on the alert. The invaders include a wolf, a girl in a red hooded cloak, and a woodsman with a magical silver axe. ‘Na and Zella ride out on Smedley the dragon to help this damsel of distress, and land in the middle of a tangled tale of deception, greed, and warped magic. To make things really complicated, a magical wolf mask kept locked up in the castle has started to howl.

TO UNSEE THE SEEN

Usually, a visit from Friar Ipswich is a happy time, but when he emerges months early from the time pocket library where he lives doing research, ‘Na and her friends are justifiably worried. Especially when he comes to the enchanted castle accompanied by a rather unpleasant couple who claim they need help.

The housekeeping breezes don’t like this couple, which is just another warning sign. Then doors open and footsteps are heard moving through the castle, along with other signs that either a ghost has decided to move in, or someone has invaded, using an invisibility spell. What does he want? Is he a tool of the unpleasant couple, or their accomplice?  Will the wonky magic of the castle interfere with undoing his invisibility spell and allow him to accomplish his mission? And just how jealous can Ambrose get, when the invisible man tries to steal a kiss from ‘Na?

TRUE LOVE’S PIGS

If ‘Na and Ambrose could have things their way, their wedding would be small, simple, and reserved just for their closest friends.

However, the wedding of the daughter of the lord and lady of the enchanted castle threatens to be an important event of world-shaking proportions. And Circe-Beth, ‘Na’s nemesis from her school days, is determined to not just take center stage, but get some revenge on anybody who doesn’t do things her way.

She has taken up a new, strange magical practice where people called “event planners” try to take over the minds of crowds through food, decorations, music, and even controlling the clothes people wear. Then, Circe-Beth announces she is not just ‘Na’s event planner, but her maid of honor.

‘Na and Ambrose and their closest friends are forced to take drastic measures to keep control of the wedding plans. As Circe-Beth closes in, determined to take control, she comes up against King Ruprick, who wants to take over the wedding planning as well.

Circe-Beth’s only real magical power is to turn people into pigs, and she doesn’t care how large a herd of pigs she creates in her quest to finally be in control.