Coming Home to a Slowly Breaking Heart

Award-winning author Kari Kilgore conjures fantastic lands you never want to leave.

A reluctant return to the heart of her magical community leaves Lila frustrated and confused.

But mysterious damage too serious to ignore forces all of them into action.

Now Lila must help discover the threat before time runs out for everyone.

Part of Equinox, an Uncollected Anthology

An excerpt from Healing the Heart of the City:

A Threat to Everything They Hold Dear

Lila had worked together with these women many times, with a success rate that would make actual diplomats quite envious. Welcoming tense, frightened new people to the community was only one of their collaborations.

But when Nancy let out a long sigh before she started talking, all of her worry and weariness settled around her again like a heavy cloak. Her accent dropping from exaggerated Southern Belle back to her ordinary Georgia drawl reinforced how serious the situation was.

"I'm afraid the Heart of the City is desperately ill. And we're running out of ways to try to bring Her back to health."

Lila clutched her tea, wishing the warmth could stop the painful cold taking over her body. Or that someone in the room?powerful magic users all?would do something to keep the dreadful idea from sinking deeper into her mind.

She barely managed to force her voice above a whisper.

"How do you... What's happening, exactly?"

Nancy opened her mouth, then closed it and shook her head. Lila was horrified to see tears standing in her eyes.