“The pulsing crimson orb exploded, throwing out energy shrapnel that sparked and flared like fireworks, each bright point fizzling out to nothingness.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.275

“Taking her place again at the alter, she raised her face to the night sky and drank in the sight of a thousand stars strewn across the black endless void. Holding a fluorite wand in each hand, she lifted her arms in supplication and called out into the night.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.271

“A meadowlark trilled its flutelike song from somewhere in the distance as she picked her way cautiously across the springy, moss-covered ground and around fallen tree branches while trying to avoid stepping on pinecones the size of small pineapples.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.255

“She rubbed her fingertips against her lips to erase the tingling sensation. She wished she could rub away the memory of the look on his face when he pulled away from her. She wanted to erase the words he’d said.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.249

“These gifts would leave her with just one of the blood-red stones that had been her safety net and, in some ways, her albatross. One ruby was more than enough to cover her needs for the foreseeable future.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.246

“She’d always been on the outside of ordinary life, and the one she’d so carefully constructed with her shop had been an illusion too. She’d been marked by birth by her strangeness and her abilities. If the Dark Presence wanted her, perhaps it was because they share something in common–a malevolence cut from the same flawed cloth.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.243

“. . . she tried to clear her thoughts and figure out what she could do to fix what she’d broken, but nothing came to her. Her sorrow was sharp and brittle like ground glass underneath her skin. There was nothing she could do to change anything.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.238

“She couldn’t go back to that place in her life, not after what she’d done. The one thing she’d cared about only a few short days ago seemed frivolous and shallow. As she crammed her freezing hands in the pockets of her cardigan to warm them, her fingertips touched something glossy in one of the pockets. Bewildered, she pulled out the brochures she’d pocketed earlier in the day. The one she’d found stuffed between the pages of a paperback.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.236

“In the early hours of the day, the library was the one room in the shelter that would be empty of people. Because it was situated at the back of the building, the room benefited from a row of clerestory windows. The lemon-coloured light streaming through them hinted that winter was finally giving way to spring. It was bright enough for Lizzie to negotiate through the short stacks of books, so she kept the lights off. The soft lighting and grey shadows suited her mood.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.227

“She wouldn’t allow herself the release of tears. To feel nothing was far better than allowing her heart to feel her dark despair. Her hand crept to her throat, seeking comfort in the cross around her neck. It felt heavy and cold against her skin.”

The Enchanted One by Lora Deeprose pg.223