Rufus lost his brothers to the Great War and his parents to the Naples Scourge. He's on the verge of losing his New Forest cottage, his ponies, and any chance of a future. Everyone knows his magic is powerful, but no one trusts him, not anymore. When he saves Ferry's charge from a cranky pony on market day, she offers the first kind words he's heard in months.
Ferry became a governess in rural England to escape an arranged marriage. Six months later, she's (mostly) figured out how to manage her charges and explore the nearby village and the forest around it. Rufus is everything her family would hate, but he loves and understands the New Forest in a way that enchants her. She'll gladly learn anything he's willing to teach.
When a smuggler needs his raw power to handle a rare shipment, Rufus can't resist the chance to make enough money to change his life forever. He has hope for the first time in years until the curiosity of the local lord and a completely inadequate magical education threaten the only home he's ever known and any possible future with Ferry.
Come to England's New Forest in 1922 and enjoy Outcrossing's ponies, smugglers, and charm!
