Hi readers! Happy Monday! Quite unintentionally I have an Austenesque magic theme going on this month! It started with Monica Fairview’s visit last Friday and continues today with a visit from the lovely Victoria Kincaid! I am thrilled Victoria is here to share about her newest release. I have read over a dozen of Victoria’s stories and have loved them all!

Today Victoria is sharing an excerpt from her new Pride and Prejudice fantasy variation Mages and Mysteries! We hope you enjoy! 🔮

Hi Meredith,

Thank you for inviting me back to your blog! It’s lovely to be visiting again. I am pleased to introduce Mages and Mysteries, my first ever fantasy P&P variation. This book has been in the works a long time. I read a lot of fantasy and have been dreaming of writing one forever. But I discovered that it’s harder than it looks! (The pandemic and starting a full-time job also got in the way). This book began life as a ghost story and then became one about demons before settling into its current form. I have many, many pages of deleted scenes. But the end result was definitely worth all that effort.

Below is a scene from an early chapter. Darcy has discovered that Elizabeth uses major magic spells – in a world where women’s magic is mostly confined to minor spells like beautifying charms or mending tears in dresses. They are walking together in Longbourn’s garden.

~ Book Description ~

In Regency England, women are expected to confine their magical acts to mending dresses or enhancing their beauty, but Elizabeth Bennet insists on crafting her own spells to fight goblins and protect the people of Meryton. She even caused a scandal by applying for admission to the magical Academy. When Hertfordshire is beset with a series of unexplained goblin attacks, Elizabeth is quite ready to protect her family and friends. If only she didn’t have to deal with the attitude of the arrogant mage, Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Mr. Darcy doesn’t need to be associated with a scandalous woman like Elizabeth Bennet—no matter how attractive she is. But as the goblin attacks accelerate and grow more dangerous, Darcy realizes that he could use her help in identifying the cause—and is forced to recognize her magical ability. Unfortunately, continued proximity to Elizabeth only heightens his attraction to her—which is particularly inconvenient in light of his engagement to Caroline Bingley.

Can Elizabeth and Darcy unravel the mystery of the goblin attacks before more people are hurt? And how can they manage their growing mutual attraction? It’s sure to be interesting…because when Darcy and Elizabeth come together, magic happens.

~ Excerpt from Mages and Mysteries ~

They walked in silence for a few minutes, passing the pond and trellises draped with vines. Elizabeth was curious to learn what he would say about the most interesting part of the garden. Finally, Mr. Darcy cleared his throat. “Miss Bennet, what you are doing is dangerous.”

Elizabeth glanced down at her feet. “Do you fear I will step in a hole?”

His lips twitched. “Throwing yourself into a battle with a goblin is fraught with peril.”

“You did so,” she pointed out.

He scowled. “I have been trained to fight goblins. You have not. Not to mention that performing major spells without proper training can be hazardous to you and the people around you.”

“I have been trained by my father, who is an accomplished mage. Many mages are trained at home.”

Mr. Darcy took a deep breath before replying. “It is exceedingly rare for truly accomplished mages to be entirely educated at home.”

Elizabeth gave him a pert smile. “Are you saying I am accomplished? I thank you, sir.”

He sighed explosively at her teasing. “For your own safety, you should not be performing major spells, particularly not spells of your own devising. They could be unstable and unreliable.”

Elizabeth attempted not to grind her teeth. “I assure you, sir, that I test all of my spells very carefully. I have never harmed another person.”

“I understand, but—” Mr. Darcy gasped. “Is that a…palm tree?”

Pleased with the distraction, Elizabeth drew him closer to the tree. “Most people do not even recognize it.”

“I saw one in a greenhouse once,” the paladin said faintly as he examined it. No doubt he could distinguish the subtle sheen of ether enshrouding the tree like a dome. “I know you can grow them in Cornwall, but I never expected to see one in Hertfordshire…This spell keeps the tree in a temperate climate year-round?”

“Yes.”

“Ingenious!” Elizabeth flushed with pleasure as she started to gesture toward other plants she protected in this way.

“Does your father protect many plants?” Elizabeth’s pleasure vanished.

“The plants are my father’s,” she said. “But I developed and cast the conservation spell.”

Mr. Darcy blinked at her as if she had spoken in Swedish. “You…invented this spell?”

“I actually combined elements of two spells that my mother knew which were designed to encourage growing healthy flowers…”

He regarded her as one might a dancing dog. “How long have you been doing this?”

“Hmmm….about three years.” The man’s eyebrows shot upward. “I assure you that during that time, none of the plants have exploded or eaten unwary visitors.”

He made no reaction to her joke. “You have been fortunate; many things can go wrong with a new spell.”

She rolled her eyes. “Do you say the same things to male spell crafters?”

He opened his mouth and then closed it. “Will you show me the other plants? This is truly a remarkable collection.”

She guided him around that section of the garden, which contained a wide assortment of exotic tropical plants, each protected by its own etheric dome. Darcy said little but admired each plant in great detail.

As they paused to appreciate a rare orchid, he observed, “Miss Elizabeth, your command of magic is…unusual.” He made “unusual” sound like a noxious disease. When she did not reply, he continued. “I find I am curious how it came about.”

She shrugged. “The usual way, I suppose.”

“The usual way is for a talented mage to be tested and sent to Eton—and then to Oxford for the Academy of Magic program.”

As you know, Oxford was not available to me.”

“What would you have the university do?” he asked sharply. “It would be indecent and dangerous for a woman to live and study among men.”

“How unfortunate that Oxford does not possess any land on which to build a women’s dormitory or the funds to hire respectable chaperones,” she said dryly.

“That would be an extraordinary effort solely for one student.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps if such accommodations were available, the Academy would acquire above one female student.”

He made an exasperated noise. “I am endeavoring to understand the extent of your magical education.”

“I did not sneak into Eton or Oxford, if that is what you are asking,” she said. “Not that they would teach the kind of illusion spell I used yesterday.”

“No,” Mr. Darcy admitted. “I have never observed such a thing. The academies teach more… practical magic.”

“I believe my spell was of great practical use yesterday.”

“In some limited circumstances,” he conceded. “But at the Academy you would have learned offensive and defensive skills.”

“I would have liked that,” she said, not bothering to conceal the wistfulness in her voice.

He was silent for a minute as they continued wandering through the garden. Finally he cleared his throat. “Perhaps you have been sheltered here in Hertfordshire. But many people may think it is…forward for a woman to practice major spells.”

She regarded him steadily. “I assure you, sir, that we possess social stigmas in the countryside as well.”

“I do not judge you for it,” he said hastily. “But others might.”

“Yes, I am overwhelmed by your approval of my life choices,” Elizabeth said dryly.

He grimaced. “Practicing magic will materially hurt your chances of making an advantageous match.”

Now Elizabeth did laugh. “Do you truly believe I am blind to that possibility? I know that Sir William told his son not to court me.”

Mr. Darcy started. He had thought she did not know. Surely he could guess that if Sir William would relate such information to a new acquaintance, he would have shared it with nearly everyone. Charlotte, Jane, and Mr. Bennet had all been informed of Sir William’s great regret at forbidding his son’s suit. For her part, Elizabeth was more relieved than slighted.

“But marriage—”

Elizabeth interrupted him. “If I cannot find a husband who will accept a wife with magical talents, then I shall not marry.” He gaped at her as if she had expressed a longing to visit the moon. She shrugged. “It is no hardship. Marriage need not be every woman’s highest ambition.”

“But—if you did not use magic, surely you would—”

“If I did not use magic, I might or might not find a husband. But I certainly would be quite unhappy. Would you give up magic?”

“No, but it is different for a man.”

“I do not believe it is so very different.” He was not convinced. “Giving up magic would be akin to chopping off my arm. Would you surrender a limb for the prospect of marriage?” she asked with a sharp sidelong glance.

“I suppose not.”

Mmmm. I love this scene so much! I love the frank and isolated conversation between Darcy and Elizabeth 🗣, I love that she used her magic to protect non-native tropical plants growing around Longbourn 🌴, and I love Elizabeth’s firm and vocal stances on equality and women’s rights in this passage 💪🏼. This is fantastic! I cannot wait to read more!! I’m so glad you continued to work on this project!

Thank you so much for sharing, Victoria! I wish you all the best with your new book – Mages and Mysteries!!

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Today, Victoria brings with her ONE Ebook copy of Mages and Mysteries for me to give away to ONE lucky winner!

To enter this giveaway, leave a comment, a question, or some love for Victoria!!

• This giveaway is open worldwide.  Thank you, Victoria!
• This giveaway ends January 17th!