Ella and the Brownie's Treasure: An Heirs of Craigwarren Novella

Ella believes Brownie magic can save her family.

No matter what rules she has to break to find its secret.

Eleven-year-old Ella MacDonald-Portman is worried. Her biggest heroes in the world, her mum and new stepdad, are having problems. Her dad, Noah, has been offered a job in his native America, and her mum, Mairi, doesn't want to go. Ella doesn't want him to go either—she's already been abandoned by one father, and this one she adores. She knows if he leaves their home in Scotland, he won't come back.

Ella has one hope. As an expert in Scottish legends and creatures, she believes in the magic of the Highlands, and in a little-known legend telling of a magic glass cup given to the brownie folk by kind human glass makers. This cup brings good luck to all who see it. The story also says a Brownies can grant a favorite human their dearest wish if they find the glass, but only if the wish is unselfish. Ella wants that wish for her parents so they'll stay together forever. She's positive Diarmid, the brownie who lives in her barn at her home, Craigwarren, knows where the magic glass is. When she starts to find clues, she has no doubt. To her surprise, after an accident at school involving Keir, a boy she's never liked, she finds he isn't horrible but believes in magic as much as she does. As their friendship grows, they search for the brownie's treasure together.

When their secret explorations get them into serious trouble, however, Ella and Keir are grounded from their far-flung searching, and before she can find her treasure, her father is ready to leave. She admits to her plan, and although the adults have simple explanations for all her discoveries, Ella still believes.

Trouble is, it might be too late for even the strongest faith to make a miracle happen.