The Leaf Thief Read Aloud Novels & Stories

Word of the thief's capture had reached Alpha Leori's ears, and he had summoned the accused to face judgment. Alpha Leori, his imposing figure adorned in regal attire, sat upon a grand throne, his piercing gaze fixed upon Peter as he was brought before him. The room fell into an eerie silence, the weight of impending judgment palpable in the air. The werewolf guards, standing at attention on either side of the thief, bore witness to the unfolding scene. Leori's voice carried authority as he addressed Peter, his tone firm yet tinged with a hint of compassion. "Peter, you stand accused of numerous thefts that have plagued our kingdom. Your actions have caused unrest and distrust among our peop

Libro Vitae whispered its voice harmonious. "Libro Vitae, please show me where Alastair is hiding," I asked. The book hummed in response. Libro Vitae became warm in my hands. The cover opened, pages flipped continuously until they suddenly stopped. The words on the page jumped off the paper, floating into the air, wrapping themselves around me. In a blink of an eye, I was pulled into the book. Light flooded my vision. Every sound echoed around me. Voices raced past me, speaking in riddles. Some shouting, screaming, others a dull whisper. Libro Vitae's voice became louder as I watched the trees form around me.

I whispered. The book said the leaves were rare and only grew near the east garden—somewhere near the training grounds. I didn’t think twice. I got up, grabbed the book, and hurried out of the library before Princess Thania could return and stop me with another one of her “nap therapy” ideas.

“Just this once, I suppose.” The tale she wove was captivating—a story of a brave little girl named Lila who lived in the heart of the woods. As Aunt Gertrude read, her voice transformed, bringing to life every character, from the cunning fox to the wise old owl. “‘But Lila wasn’t afraid,’” she read, putting on a brave voice for the young protagonist. “‘She knew that the woods held secrets, but she also knew she belonged there.’”

"You smell like sunshine. It's nice," Oliver muttered in a muffled voice. My body went rigid, and my mind was a complete blank. He was at it again. I cleared my throat and tried to sound authoritative. "Let me tell you something… This is a second kidnapping, and that's an extra charge. You'd better put me down right now, or when my cross-stitch kit arrives, I'll hang it right over your bed so you wake up to the majestic mountains every morning."

They found a small table in a sunny spot, and George placed the book in the center. "Now, let's try something a little more complicated," he said, flipping to a page that showed a drawing of a tree with leaves shaking violently. "This is the spell of commanding leaves. Watch closely." He gestured for Aloha to stand beside him, and together they raised their arms toward the tree. George began to chant a series of words, and Aloha followed his lead, repeating the strange syllables as best she could.

I watched in fear as his jaw opened to swallow me whole. My entire body felt an electric shock, which brought me back to reality. I opened my eyes, but I didn't see anything, but I could feel that I was trapped inside my leaf. She whispered to me that I was safe and that she would protect me. I leaned my head back on her and turned slightly, kissing my leaf several times, thanking her. For a while, we stayed like this, until I heard a rumble of thunder. I saw through my leaf a series of flashes around me, I clung to it tighter. In utter horror, I yelled, “NO!” as I saw the leaf start to open. “No, don't.” I held on to the leaf as tightly as I could, digging my nails into its delicate surface

They didn't lower their voices because they didn't think they had anything to hide from her. "I stood here earlier today," Leela confessed, her voice thick with emotion, her knuckles white around the jar of Iron Root. "Right after I saw the books. Right after I saw the cages. I watched them. They are so young, Thorpe. They trip over their own paws. They get distracted by butterflies. They are clumsy and loud and messy." She turned to him, her eyes fierce and wet.

Images crash into me like a wave. I see Alejandro, kneeling in snow. A leaf shaped like a blade. A whisper on the wind: “Veinleaf.” My eyes fly open. “He’s reached Alaska,” I murmur. Koa does not question it. He lowers his staff and offers me a bottle of water. “Then we keep going. Train. Channel. Prepare. Because when he returns…”

His thumb pressed once, and the touch said everything we still did not have time to speak. The thing in front of us twitched violently, then opened its mouth and poured out a collage of pack-life in stolen tones. Children laughing. Luna Lea singing under her breath in the kitchen. The scrape of Ty’s boots outside my door before dawn. My own voice saying his name too softly for anyone else to have heard. The violation of it made my skin crawl. It had not only watched us. It had listened for tenderness and learned where to place its teeth. “You don’t get that either,” I said.