This is a story of 11yr old Zoe. Soon to be 12 years old. She is being sent to spend her summer with an aunt in Scotland who she just learned she had. She is not going to be having the fun summer with her friends in Los Angeles as she had thought. Once she arrives on Opade Isle in Scotland her adventure begins. She is befriended by a local boy name Sam. She learns from Sam and his grandmother of the magic of Opade Isle and the dark history it holds. She also learns of the importance of her unique dark violet eyes. She discovers a secret chamber within the walls of Dragon Cliff Manor. Zoe is also watched by a sinister dark shadow. Ever watching her and Sam’s every move. She soon learns of the ancient scroll written in Rune symbols by her grandfather the Baron Borrack. Zoe must decipher the scroll to learn the meaning behind the foretelling of the Prophecy. Book One takes it’s reader on an adventure into the ancient world of magic, dragons lore and mystery.

THE PROPHECY

DRAGON CLIFF TRILOGY BOOK ONEBy JULIE E. YOUNG

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2009 Julie Young
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-3525-9

Contents

Prologue.....................................................................xiChapter 1 The Storm..........................................................1Chapter 2 The Beginning......................................................5Chapter 3 Aunt Alcina........................................................9Chapter 4 Opade Isle Dragons.................................................11Chapter 5 Dragon Cliff Manor.................................................17Chapter 6 Xandar Towers......................................................21Chapter 7 Questions, Questions, Questions....................................27Chapter 8 Blackwicks Peak....................................................31Chapter 9 Collision at the Beach.............................................35Chapter 10 Bad News..........................................................43Chapter 11 Meeting Gran......................................................47Chapter 12 Attack of the Raven...............................................57Chapter 13 Secret Passage....................................................63Chapter 14 The Scroll........................................................73Chapter 15 Sam Meets Horde...................................................79Chapter 16 Dragons Lair......................................................85Chapter 17 Secrets Revealed..................................................95Chapter 18 Someone Watching..................................................101Chapter 19 A Call to Val.....................................................107Chapter 20 Lost Library Card.................................................113Chapter 21 The Old Man.......................................................119Chapter 23 Gran's Age........................................................125Chapter 23 Dungeon...........................................................129Chapter 24 Mid-Night.........................................................139Chapter 25 Sam's Surprise....................................................143Chapter 26 Discovery in Alcina's Tower.......................................155Chapter 27 The Queen's Scepter...............................................165Chapter 28 Tricks, Pranks, and Answers.......................................171Chapter 29 The Prophecy Awakens..............................................179Chapter 30 Speaks from the Grave.............................................189Chapter 31 The Gatekeeper....................................................197Chapter 32 Realm of the Elves................................................205Chapter 33 Beware of Ranacuous...............................................213Chapter 34 A Journey Begins..................................................219Glossary of Characters.......................................................225Dragon Cliff Trilogy Dragon Stone - Book Two Chapter One.....................229

Chapter One

The Storm

Outside the wind howled. Tree tops were bent down touching the ground. Rain was pelting the window panes on her window seat. Zoe was watching the storm from her bed. It was awful.

Azax was on the window seat pacing back and forth. Growling at the storm as it howled even louder and slammed into the house. Suddenly ...

LIGHTNING FLASHED!

THUNDER CRACKED!

Azax jumped from the window seat and ran under the bed.

All was quiet. A hush fell over the house. The storm was passing. Zoe tiptoed to her window looking out. From the distance flashes of lightening showed the black clouds being pushed on by the wind. Rain drops trickled down her window. Azax peeked out from under the bed. She pulled out holding him close. Together they crawled under the comforter. Soon the two were sound asleep.

The night was warm. The heavy fragrance of honeysuckle hung in the air after the storm. The two shadows moved stealthily amongst the shadows. The moonless night allowed the darkness to cover them like a blanket.

On the front porch they crept to a window. With a slight wave of a hand the window slowly slid up to allow entrance into the house.

Once inside they stopped for a moment to listen. Silence. They moved towards the stairs. As if floating on air they ascended the stairs. At the top of the stairs was a grandfather clock. The soft sound of gears moving as the clock began to chime mid-night. Witching Hour. TING.TING. The two smiled at one another.

The girls' door was closed. This was good. As they passed by her door a low growl was barely audible. They went to the other door across the hall.

The door was closed but with a wave of a hand the doorknob turned ever so slowly. Pushing gently on the door they slipped in closing the door. CLICK. The hallway was empty except for the tick-tock, tick-tock of the grandfather clock.

In the bedroom two shadows crept up to Tali and Kane Shannessy. They were sound asleep. Unaware that they were about to embark on a long perilous journey. A bony finger opened the leather satchel. Producing a small red vial and glass globe.

Removing the stopper on the vial a tiny plume of fluorescent red vapor began to flow out into the room. Followed by a sweet pungent odor. The room began to take on a haunting reddish hue. The vapor slowly swirled above the two sleeping. Soon they began to shrink in size. When Tali and Kane were no bigger than an inch tall they were placed in the glass globe.

The bony hand placed the globe in the leather satchel. The two shadows exited the house just as they had come in.

"Azax." Zoe whispered. "Be quiet." She rolled over to face the window and went back to sleep.

Outside in the darkness the two slipped away in the shadows.

Tali and Kane were now prisoners of the globes.

Zoe came bounding into the house early in the evening loaded down with bags and boxes. Her shopping spree with her best friend Val had been a success. She hadn't spent all her parents' money, not quite. She dropped all her treasures on the sofa and plopped down next to them.

Azax came running over to her. Purring and rubbing on her hand as she rubbed his chin.

"I am sorry you couldn't go too." She said to him. He turned and huffed away with his hair up. Just as her dad walked into the room.

"Well how did the shopping go?" Her dad asked sitting in his chair. "From the looks of all these bags you had fun spending all my money."

"I didn't spend all of it." She smiled at him. Reaching in her jean pocket she pulled out the change. Gee is that all I have left she looked at the few bills and coins. She stretched out her hand to her dad.

"You did leave me some." Her dad said with a smile looking at her over his glasses. "I hope you had fun. Your mom and I need to talk to you about this summers dig."

"Well here's the deal." Her dad started as her mom squeezed on to the sofa. "Your mom and I can't take you with us on this dig. So we thought maybe you would like a trip to Scotland." He stopped to look at her mom.

"I have an older sister who lives there in our family home. Her name is Alcina. She really wants to meet you and get to know you." Her mom had a strange sound in her voice. "I think you would enjoy the trip."

What just happened? Had her parents just told her she was being sent away for the summer? To a stranger? Her mind was reeling. She didn't know what to say.

"Is Val going with me?" She hoped at least she would have her friend along. She had always stayed with Val's' family when her parents went on digs. She hated they were archeologists! They were always gone!

"No, she has to stay home to help take care of the twins while her parents work this summer." Her mom said matter of factly.

"You can't be serious! What about my plans, my birthday?" Her parents' brains must have shut down.

"Since when do I have an Aunt? We don't even have any pictures of your family or a house over there!" Zoe was yelling now. "And you want me to spend my WHOLE summer with a stranger!" She got up off the sofa storming out of the room. Stomping up the stairs causing the pictures on the wall to shake so they hung crooked.

Reaching her room she slammed the door throwing herself on her bed. So much for a fun twelfth birthday she thought.

Chapter Two

The Beginning

Zoe looked out the window of the plane. Tufts of clouds passed her window showing patches of land. The land below looked like a checker board. The houses were the checkerboard pieces. The captain of the plane was announcing the descent to the airport in Wick, Scotland. She thought about that dreadful day when she found out she was not spending the summer with friends.

"I don't want to spend the summer with someone I don't even know or in a creepy mansion. What kind of name is Dragon Cliff Manor anyway?" Zoe was crying. She hated her parents for doing this to her.

"I grew up there. I think you will have a great time. Meet new people, learn about our family." Her mom was saying in a sick soothing voice

"Lots of kids would jump at the chance to spend the summer in a foreign country." Her dad said.

"Oh yeah? Who?" She still couldn't believe this would be a fun summer.

The last few weeks of school had gone by in a flash. Before she knew it she was at the airport terminal putting Azax in the cargo hold. At least she did get to take him along. Some consolation she told herself.

Val had given her a box of dark purple stationary and stamps to write to her.

"Write me everyday and tell all about Scotland." Val said with a small smile. "I'll be here with the two brats locked in their rooms to keep them out of trouble." She was talking about her twin brothers who were seven. Who got into trouble all the time.

The two girls had been friends for ever. This was not going to be easy. No cell phones, no emails. She had left her laptop at home. She was returning to the Stone Age for sure. Her dad had said there was some electricity in the manor but no phones or satellite service. How did her aunt live like that?

The girls had hugged and cried. Zoe walked down the breeze way barely waving to her parents hating her summer vacation already.

The stewardess had told everyone to stow their belongings away as the plane began its' descent. She felt like she was on a rollercoaster ride. The plane touched down as the passengers bumped along she wondered how Azax was faring in the cargo hold.

Down in the cargo hold in his carrier Azax was hating the trip. Meowing loudly, his fur was standing on end his dark green eyes were completely dilated. Cats don't like to travel much.

Since she was traveling alone Zoe got to deplane first with a stewardess. They walked down the breezeway towards the waiting area. The air was humid and stuffy.

Zoe was to take the shuttle bus to the ferry. She would take the ferry to Opade Isle. Where her Aunt Alcina would meet her. Good thing she had traveled a lot with her parents. She knew how to go to the cargo area for Azax. Then to baggage claim.

She slung her backpack over her shoulder, grabbed the handle on Azax's carrier. Using her free hand she picked-up her other bag.

Stepping through the double doors to the curb outside the air smelled fresh. Well that was an improvement from Los Angeles. She thought to herself. She found the free shuttle and climbed on.

The shuttle filled up with tourists. They pulled away from the curb out onto the highway. Soon there was a sign for the ferry. Down a steep winding hill the shuttle made its' way to the pier.

Zoe walked up to the ticket window.

"Hi, I need a ticket to Opade Isle, Please." She told the young woman behind the counter.

"That will be six American dollars."

Zoe handed her the money, taking her ticket.

"Have a good day." Said the young woman behind the counter.

Once she was on board she watched the ferry pull out of its slip into the open water. She went to look out over the bow of the ferry. In the distance the outline of Opade Isle could be seen.

She went back inside bought herself a chocolate soda and went to watch her summer destination creep closer and closer.

Chapter Three

Aunt Alcina

Looking out the window of the ferry she watched the waves. She thought about her friends. This is sure not going to be the fun summer she had planned. She could see it now her twelfth birthday in a dark gothic creepy castle from the dark ages. No cell phone, no laptop, no satellite, no electricity. What were her parents thinking?

She looked down at her cat. Well at least you got to come along.

She drank her chocolate soda watching the outline of Opade Isle get closer. She could see the tiny tips of tree tops. Hovering over the island was a cloud. As the ferry moved closer she could see the cloud was hovering over a mountain peak. The peak jutted out through the cloud like a sharp pin.

As the pier came into view so did the beach front. There was a beach with tourists walking side by side. Kids were running collecting treasures from the sand as the waves washed up. There was a row of little shops. Fisherman standing on the pier with their poles in the water waiting for the days catch.

The ferry bumped the sides of the pier as it moved into the slip. Passengers were getting off as the loud speaker sounded with a friendly voice.

"Welcome to Opade Isle, have a great stay and enjoy great Scottish Hospitality."

Everyone here talked with a funny sound in their voice. Picking Azax the pair headed for the stairs down to the pier.

On the pier a woman was waving at her. She was wearing a large black floppy hat, a long black flowing skirt, a white longsleeved blouse, and dark glasses. As Zoe got closer to her she saw that the woman had on high heeled boots. Around her waist was a concho belt that glinted in the sun. On one wrist bangles jingled as she waved.

"Zoe, Zoe." The woman called to her. She walked towards Zoe.

"Hi, I am your Aunt Alcina." She smiled. She bent down to hug Zoe. "How was your trip?"

"Fine." Zoe wasn't sure what to think or say.

"Well let me help you with your things." She took the other bag from Zoe They walked to a jet black Mercedes SUV.

Her aunt popped the hatch putting the bags in. Zoe put Azax on the back seat. She climbed into the front seat. The inside smelled of leather. Her aunt climbed in and turned on the key. The dashboard glowed a dark red.

"Are you hungry? We could stop for lunch." Her aunt asked.

"Yes, I am." Still not sure what to say.

"Do you like burgers and fries? I know a good place."

"Yes, that sounds really good." Feeling a little more at ease.

In the back seat Azax had begun a low growl. His hair standing on end. No one noticed.

Miles away, deep in the recesses of a cliff; in a place long forgotten by time. Dampness and darkness all around. Only a sliver of light from a single oil lamp burned. On the stone shelves carved hundreds of years before he watched.

Next to him the two people were screaming, running franticly. He had done that at first too. Then he realized just as they will, there is no one to hear them. No one to rescue them. There is no escape.

Chapter Four

Opade Isle Dragons

They stepped into the caf to the most fantastic aroma. Cheeseburgers, fries, pies, ice cream. It was wonderful. Zoe realized just how hungry she was. They ordered and got a table by the window.

Now was a good time Zoe thought to ask some questions.

"So Aunt Alcina, how come I haven't met you until now?" She asked.

"Well, your mother and I haven't got along very well over the years. I thought that maybe I would try to fix that by inviting you here for the summer." Her Aunt replied.

"We don't have any pictures of moms' family. Why?"

"I guess your mother had too many bad memories. I'm really not sure."

"I never knew she grew up in Scotland. She didn't talk about you or my grandparents at all. I guess this whole thing just shocked me. I had plans for the summer with my friends, I always stay with my best friend Val when my parents go on digs without me." Zoe said looking out the window again.

"Have you been on many digs with them?" Her aunt asked.

"Oh yes, many. Val and I both have gone with them, Greece, Egypt, Mexico, even South America to the jungle." She said with excitement. "It was so much fun."

"Well you are quite the world traveler. I don't think you will get bored here. There will be lots to do and see. We do get a lot of tourists. The legends and all. They travel here like flocks of birds." She laughed.

"Legends? What legends? Why is your house called Dragon Cliff Manor anyway?" Zoe was intrigued.

Just when her aunt was going to answer their lunch arrived. The waitress brought two baskets with cheeseburgers and fries.

"Can I bring you anything else?" she asked.

"Zoe do you need anything?"

Zoe shook her head no as she dived into the fries. Her aunt told the waitress they were fine.

"Well, there have always been legends of dragons here on Opade Isle. Hundreds of years ago they lived on this island. Some artifacts are in the Opade Museum a few bones some old man found when on vacation here." Her aunt waved her hand in the air as if to dismiss the idea. "Our family was one of the first settlers here. As for Dragon Cliff Manor, was built back in the fourteen hundreds. Stones were brought from our Viking home land. On the back side of the cliff facing the ocean the manor hangs out over the edge of a cliff. From a distance it looks like a dragons head. Legends say that the dragons lived on the cliffs in caves." She looked across the table at her niece.

Zoe was mesmerized by the story. How cool was this. Dragons.

"But why didn't mom ever talk about this place? It seems awesome to me." She couldn't help wonder why her parents had never mentioned any of this to her.

"Well that maybe something for you to ask her after you have a great summer here with me. Maybe it will bring back memories for her." Her aunt leaned across the table looking into Zoe's eyes.

For the first time since meeting her Aunt Alcina she noticed her aunt's eye color. They were violet. Not as dark as her own; but still violet. Her mom had told her she was the only one in the family with violet eye color.

"We have similar color eyes Aunt Alcina.

"Oh yes, I know. Your mother told me when you were born. She wasn't happy at the time. I think they reminded her of me. It's a family trait. Passed down from our ancestors; kind of nice to be different from everyone else don't you think?"

"Well sometimes. Kids make fun of the color of my eyes." Secretly, she hated the color. She had even asked her parents for contacts. They told her maybe when she started high school.

Well she had two things in common with her Aunt Alcina. Waist length jet black hair and violet eyes.

They finished their lunch and started back to the SUV. Zoe stepped out on the sidewalk just as a boy went running by her bumping into her.

"Sorry! He told her." He was yelling for the bus to wait. The bus driver stopped. The doors swung open. The boy ran up the steps disappearing into the bus.

"Well I guess he was in a hurry." Zoe said looking at the bus and then at her aunt.

"Well the bus only comes through town twice a day, morning and afternoon. If you miss it you have to walk home. A good thing to remember in case you come to town by yourself." Her aunt smiled. They rounded the corner getting into the SUV. Her aunt drove her around town showing her where the library, dime store, ice cream parlor, even where the pizza palace was located. They even stopped at the phone store. Her aunt bought Zoe a calling card to phone her friend Val or her parents when she was in town.

(Continues...)

Excerpted from THE PROPHECYby JULIE E. YOUNG Copyright © 2009 by Julie Young. Excerpted by permission.
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