Oxford Carol Book Novels & Stories

"More? You've already done so much." Callum smiled, reaching for yet another package—this one larger, rectangular, wrapped in gold paper. "This one's from a tradition in our family," he said, nodding to Oscar. "Our parents always gave us each a book on Christmas Eve, to read before bed." The package was heavy in my hands, and I opened it carefully to reveal a beautifully bound volume—a collection of winter tales from across our kingdom, illustrated with intricate drawings that seemed to shimmer on the page. "We thought we could read it together tonight," Oscar explained. "Start our own tradition of stories by the fire."

The book was still draped in the cloth and Carol didn't keep out the cloth thinking it could be the way to keep the book. Carol had already looked at the book once but there was nothing carved over it ... no title ... no name was there. This was also a reason for her excitement. She wondered about what contents would be there inside a book with no title and name. "Is it 12:00 O' clock now , Carol !!??" the empress asked Carol snapping her out of her thoughts and she confirmed once before letting her know ... "Yes, my lady ... it's just 2 seconds left . "

Picking a card from Clover hand. " Yes. " Clover approved, raising her chin a bit higher in a side eye "We do all." Olive commented. "This card said great things are coming for you. " Clover stated. "But they will cost you." Olive noted, snatching the card from my hand. I tried to get the card but produced water from the other setting the card having it shiver to the ground. "We heard about that code you couldn't crack." Clover remarked. "So here's a book that will help." Olive handed me a dirty green book, the spine was broken, and it felt as it was going to break in any second. On the cover said, "The Code That the Wise One Knows.”

Numb. Maybe I just want you to come back to me… ***** The tip of the fountain pen left the contact of the paper as I peered at the words on paper. I looked at the books beside me about phoenixes. I was in the royal library. Carol has started going on small hunts now. Everyone in the Xenon palace has taken a liking to it, especially Willa. Carol’s heart feather was late, so I had borrowed some books from the forbidden section of the Xenon library.

“D*mn it! Why didn't you say that earlier?” Carol shouted, “What should I have said? That Dorothy Assex was also an ordinary person with little capability back then? Who knows what happened to her body? I think she’d been possessed by some ancient ghost and had become something incongruous! What are you afraid of? Even if she has found a phoenix, so what? Didn’t you say that you’re a Supreme among demons? Those Supremes of the righteous don’t even pay attention to you. You even have to rule the universe and dethrone the supreme god in the future. It’s just Dorothy Assex now. Can’t you just slap her to death?” During their conversation, a fiery arrow suddenly shot out from the phoenix, aiming

Her face gets warm a bit with the weather and those unavoidable eyes of Damien. She simply watches him with that same confident smirk, as if daring him to say more. He moves a step closer, his eyes gleaming with admiration. **You know,** he signs, **as Oscar Wilde said—'You can never be overdressed or overeducated.' You, Carol, are both.** Carol laughs silently, her shoulders shaking with amusement. She leans back against her bike, signing with a wink: **Careful, Damien. You keep talking like that, and you’ll fall in love with me.**

“She *invited* him. Climbing higher than your station always ends with a fall.” Ophelia’s cheeks burned. She stepped away—straight into Caroline, who had finished the rite and now glowed with triumph. “Spying on private vows, Ophelia?” Caroline’s voice dripped honey. “Or plotting to sour my celebration?” Ophelia curtsied. “I serve the wine, my lady. Nothing more.”

It was to no one's surprise, of course. Oliver and his master were now sitting in the carriage, driving up the English countryside of Winchester to meet the lady Callum had bought the gift for. Oliver was in the foulest mood he'd been in a very long time. Even the good weather today wasn't enough to fix the way he felt, or at least improve it in the slightest. He was reading the same page for the fourth time. Oliver even hated the bloody book and wondered who'd written such nonsense. When he looked up, Callum was watching him.

"Perfect. Ollie, I need you to lift up your shirt for just a moment." He looked at me uncertainly, but complied with the order, taking a deep breath. Carol placed her finger against his left shoulder blade and began tracing a small yet unique pattern. As she worked, she whispered words in a language I didn't recognize, making it seem more surreal as I felt the air tensing around us. Ollie shivered slightly, whether from the cold or the magic. I wasn't certain. "It feels warm." "That's normal," Carol assured him with a smile. "Just a few more seconds."

Amelia’s presence becomes unmistakable, like a shadow lurking just out of sight. As they moved through the dense underbrush, Olivia’s unease grew. The forest felt wrong, as though the very air changed into poisoned by way of Amelia’s magic. Ralph led the manner, his moves assured and positive, but Olivia couldn’t shake the feeling that they had been taking walks into a lure. Suddenly, Caroline stopped, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the timber in advance. "Do you pay attention to that?" The group fell silent, straining to listen. At first, Olivia heard nothing but the wind rustling through the branches. But then, faintly, she heard it—a low, rhythmic chant, like a spell being woven into t