The Roads We Borrow
Claudia Phelps · A YA maritime fantasy of stolen distance, living roads, and the journey owed
$4.99
Secure Shopify checkout. Every edition is backed by our 90-day satisfaction guarantee, even after you open, read, or download it.
- eBooks are delivered to your checkout email after payment.
- Paperback shipping options and cost are shown at checkout.
About this book
Every magical shortcut makes someone else's road longer—and Jesse has just won a race by stealing a community's way home.
At an island school where wizards shorten one journey only by lengthening another, gifted apprentice Jesse Martin secretly shifts distance from a prestigious sailing trial onto a public ferry route. His victory leaves remote communities hungry and gives a calculating rival a blueprint for concentrating travel around the powerful. To repair the damage, Jesse must sail every altered passage, recover the roads' changing true names, and endure the distance his spell forced others to carry. But restoring the archipelago will cost him the future he cheated to win—and no working can return every road to innocence.
Read before you buy
Paperback: 192 pages
- Read chapter one free
- DRM-free EPUB + PDF included
- One-time purchase, no subscription
- 90-day satisfaction guarantee
- Author
- Claudia Phelps
- Length
- 58,067 words
- Estimated reading time
- 3 hours, 53 minutes
- eBook formats
- DRM-free EPUB + PDF
- Paperback
- Printed on demand by Lulu; shipping options and cost shown at checkout
- Book language
- English
More stories to consider
-
The Furrow Road
Rowan Ashfield · An epic fantasy of roads, sacrifice, and hands that pay for miracles
$4.99 – $21.99
-
The Hungry Court
Odette Bracken · A YA fantasy of a living palace and the servant who reshapes it
$4.99 – $21.99
-
Hidden from Heaven
Ianthe Kallas · A mythic retelling where the gods cannot see one house
$4.99 – $21.99
-
The Inn Beneath Her Feet
Hattie Marsh · A cozy fantasy about a guesthouse, its guests, and the gentle giant beneath them
$4.99 – $21.99
Buying from NovelSpell
Choose with confidence
Clear answers before you buy.
Can I read a sample first?
Yes. Open any book and choose “Read chapter one.” Every sample is free, and you do not need to sign up or buy the book first.
Who writes NovelSpell’s books?
NovelSpell’s catalog has two kinds of books. Our original novels are published by NovelSpell under house pen names, so their author names are not real people. Our Classics are public-domain works by their original authors, such as Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Jane Austen and Jules Verne. We publish them in new editions and, outside English, new translations, always credited to the author.
Which edition should I choose?
Choose the eBook to receive DRM-free EPUB and PDF files. Choose the paperback for a physical copy printed after you order. Choose eBook + paperback when you want both. Every edition is a one-time purchase with no subscription.
How will I receive my books?
After payment, your eBook downloads are sent to your checkout email address. Lulu prints and ships paperbacks on demand, and the available shipping options and cost are shown at checkout. The eBook + paperback edition includes both deliveries.
What does DRM-free mean?
Your eBook files are not locked to the NovelSpell store or one reading app. You can keep personal backups and read the EPUB or PDF with compatible apps and devices.
Which languages are available?
Every NovelSpell title is published in many languages. Use the language selector in the header to browse in your language.
Do I need an account?
No. You do not need to register, choose a password or start a subscription. When you order, Shopify creates a customer account from your checkout email address. You can use it later to see your order (or, if you are in the EU, to submit a withdrawal) by signing in with a one-time code sent to that address. You never have to use it: you can always write to info@novelspell.com instead.
What if a book isn’t for me?
Every purchase includes a 90-day satisfaction guarantee that starts when your order is delivered. If a book disappoints you, even after you download or read it, contact reader support for a refund or replacement.
Is checkout secure?
Yes. When you check out, you complete payment on Shopify’s secure hosted checkout. Shopify and its payment partners handle your payment details; the NovelSpell storefront does not receive them.