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Blurb for “Magic Mountain”

Gold!  Legend tells of a fortune in gold, hidden in a cave at Misty Mountain, in a land faraway. 

Princess Olwen must find the treasure . The neighboring warlike country of Volanar has held her brother hostage for years and demands a fortune to free him.  Olwen’s country of Airenn Tir is too poor to pay the ransom.  Her father doesn’t believe the legend of hidden gold and refuses to send anyone to search for the treasure.

So she’ll find the gold herself, Olwen determines.  Disguised as a man and traveling alone, she leaves in the dead of night and travels to a distant land to find the treasure.  Painful surprises await her, for she has no idea she’ll encounter a land of magic . . . and danger.

In Volanar, the king sends his son, Prince Garth, on a mission to find the gold.  The king must have more money to wage war against Airenn Tir.  He knows something the king of Airenn Tir doesn’t know, something his soldiers discovered while occupying part of that land.  Greenstone lies beneath the earth, a precious gem believed to protect people against fatal illnesses.

By accident, Olwen and Garth meet at an inn, neither knowing they have the same goal.  Agreeing to travel together, they each make up a story to mask the true reasons for their trip.  When they both realize they seek the same treasure, trouble follows, and plenty of it.

When Garth discovers that Olwen is a woman, he fights his blossoming attraction for her.  He must not fall in love with her, for they are enemies, each seeking the treasure for their countries. 

 Too soon, Olwen discovers that Garth is a prince, from the very country that is holding her brother hostage.  She wants nothing more to do with him and travels on alone. 

The evil sorceress, Gitta, vows to seize all the gold for herself and kill anyone who stands in her way. 

Who reaches the treasure first becomes a matter of life or death5 star review

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Magic Mountain - Adventure, Intrigue and Romance!

By Nancy Bell on October 11, 2015

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Magic Mountain by Shirley Martin

A great read!

A runaway princess seeking to discover gold to ransom her kidnapped brother finds herself in all kinds of hot water. Disguised as a young man, Olwen sets out to find a stash of mythical gold. Along the way she befriends a fellow traveler, who unbeknownst to her is seeking the same treasure. Many trials and tribulations have to be endured before the story roars to its satisfying end. A wonderful adventure full of intrigue and romance. If you enjoyed Magic Mountain take a moment to look up Ms. Martin’s other books.

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 Chapter Seven

 “Now, madam, please tell me your real name.”  Dawn was breaking over the meadow, sunlight glimmering on the lake, its waters sparkling like diamonds.  Bird song trilled from the trees, a sound that had awakened her.  She stood before Garth, ready to continue her journey.

  
 Olwen’s face heated. “Wh-what do you mean?”  Just how much had he seen last night?  She’d thought he was asleep when she went swimming.  

 “I mean this.”  Garth reached over and grabbed her cap off, and spiked hair jutted out from her head.  “So I’ll ask you again, what is your real name?”

 Her heart sank, her stomach churning.  Smoothing her fingers over her tousled locks, she turned away for a moment, then faced him again. “Olwen,” she murmured.  What would he do now?   Leave her to travel the rest of the journey alone?  But that had been her original plan, so why should she care? 

 He nodded. “Now we’re getting somewhere.  So tell me the reason for your journey.  And I must say it’s surprising indeed to see such a well-bred lady as you traveling by herself.”

 “Which is why I posed as a man.”

 “And not doing a very convincing job of it.”

 Despite his apparent displeasure with her, she saw how his gaze roamed over her, his eyes alight with interest; dare she call it passion?  She looked up at his blond hair, tousled in the breeze, his straight nose and firm mouth.  He stood tall and well-built, as if no man could ever get the best of him. What would it be like to be enclosed in his arms, his lips on hers?  A rush of warmth captured her body.

 But it was not to be.  He fixed a stern look on her. “And your reason for traveling to Misty Mountain?”

 ‘None of your business.  If you recall,” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm, “I started on this sojourn alone.  It was you who asked to accompany me.”   She shook her head. “I’m not beholden to you. And I’m perfectly capable of continuing this trip by myself.” 

 He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again.  He gestured toward the horses. “We’re wasting our time.  Let’s go.”  He turned away from her, but not before she saw the look of chagrin on his face.  She should have been happy that she’d gotten the best of him in this discussion. Then why did a feeling of discomfort settle over her?

You can find your very own copy on Shirley's Books We Love Page.