Ever since Zylla Berry first saw the dilapidated mansion in Boston’s Back Bay, she’d become enchanted. When she walks by one day to find that someone is renovating the old beauty, she walks through its open door and meets Jabe Thayer.
Determined to restore The Charlesgate to its former splendor, Jabe is thrilled to meet Zylla, who shares his passion for the building and knows its history. As they get to know each other, they find that their love for The Charlesgate is not a coincidence and as supernatural forces intensify, they begin to uncover a sinister secret that will threaten their future.
Zylla trotted up the steps into the cool darkness of the alcove and lovingly gazed at the gold-green ceramic tiled walls. Along the ceiling, the glossy tiles sported figures of knights, cherubs, flowers and heraldic crests. She ignored the chunks where tile was missing, just as she overlooked the broken lantern that hung from the ceiling on a rusted chain.
Instead, she turned to the iron-barred glass double doors, barely glancing at the yellow and black “No Trespassing” sign taped across them, or the thick chain and padlock wrapped around the door handles.
As always, Zylla wrapped her fingers around one grubby brass handle, closed her eyes, and pulled. And as always the padlock didn’t magically fall off to allow her entry into the Charlesgate’s realm.
Instead, she turned to the iron-barred glass double doors, barely glancing at the yellow and black “No Trespassing” sign taped across them, or the thick chain and padlock wrapped around the door handles.
As always, Zylla wrapped her fingers around one grubby brass handle, closed her eyes, and pulled. And as always the padlock didn’t magically fall off to allow her entry into the Charlesgate’s realm.
Dina Keratsis is an award-winning author of romance fiction in which all roads lead to illumination and magic is found in the mundane. A New England girl, she has a penchant for punk rock, Scottish tea rooms and a mad crush on Sirius Black. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two children.
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ReplyDeleteSounds like an exciting story.
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to write! Also hard. There may have been some cursing ;)
DeleteEnjoyed the excerpt. Thanks for the giveaway.
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