Author's Note

🔸️ ONC 2021 Shortlist & Honorable Mention 🔸️

In 1884, an accusation of witchcraft sent Cade Pellar running to Wyoming. A decade later, he's accused again by his own mail-order bride. The problem for Cade is that the accusations are only false because of a technicality: His magic's not witchcraft. It's Cunning.

But either way, semantics are the least of Cade's concerns.

Problem #1 is Mrs. Nora Pellar and the magic in her touch. Problem #2 is the Pinkerton that's been resurrected from his past. Problem #3 is that to solve the first two, Cade needs to embrace his magic. Which leads to Problem #4:

He'd sooner die than become a Cunning Man.

|| Primary Prompt: #22 || Secondary Prompt: #63 ||