In 1692, a young Alexander MacBeth lived on a farm in Salem with his Mother and Father. He took to hiding in the loft with a small doll his Mother made for him long ago. He hid the doll from his Father. At thirteen, he had memory of his Mother and the lessons she taught him. One important lesson was to just “survive” and never let anyone know of his powers. Alexander took interest in his Mothers crystal orb. She told him he had powers in his blood from his grandparents. The powers were to be used for good.Alexander watched as the sheriff, ministers and Puritans killed his parents. His mother was betrayed by her brother Bartholomew, as a witch. He was removed from the farm and made to live with his Uncle Bartholomew at the run down mill. He was abused and treated as a slave and his families old farm deteriorated with time.Lord Crispin Nottingham, under orders from the Governor came to look out for the ward of the state, Alexander. His Uncle refused legal custody, being afraid of witch craft. Lord Crispin came with a deal that the mill would be invested in and he would come to check on Alexander. As Crispin came to check on Alex often, feelings became apparent.Whenever Alexander could get away into the forest he would practice his powers. He would practice to perfection and control to be a full fledge witch. There were times when Alexander would take the horse and a bit of money and go to Boston to see Crispin. He loved the freedom from the abuse and the mill. But he needed to be careful and not get caught as it was considered stealing, even though the horse was from his farm. As Alexander heard stories of pirates that controlled the Caribbean, stole from merchant ships and were unafraid of the His Majesty’s Navy, he grew curious.Then one day Lord Crispin came and told Alex the truth about, his visits, the investment, the failing mill and his witchcraft. What hurt the most was Crispin’s denial of their relationship. When Alexander went to Boston again to see Crispin, he came face to face with the evil Portia Nottingham, Crispin’s mother.Even though the Royal Governor had set the rule that there were to be no more witch trials or accusations, Alexander found himself being plotted against. His Uncle and the same Puritans that killed his parents and Portia Nottingham were determined to see him dead.As an incident took place Crispin never believed Alexander. Alexander had to face the changes that were now taking place in Crispin’s life and he had to no longer think about Crispin and the love that he had for him.Now in his early twenties, Alexander found a way to escape those who conspired against him with a sure death. He was accepted by Captain Henri and the pirate crew of All Hallows Eve. He sailed the seas from Massachusetts to Florida, the Caribbean, Windward Passage, Bahamas and Tortuga Isles. His home was now the sea and his family became the pirates, but not all were friendly. He was able to use his powers and the crystal and it was kept secret by Capt. Henri and first mate Spittal. Alexander became good friends with Spittal and King James, he was loyal and kept their secret. But one day of trading in a port, brought a story of someone seeking out a particular ship and certain persons. It will force Alexander to make a decision of love and heartbreak.Damian Serbu takes readers on an adventure of the high seas with “Witch in the Wind.” It’s filled with action, witch craft, black magic, danger, hatred, times of celebration and two points of view on romance. The tale follows Alexander from Salem 1692 to 1700 in the Caribbean. It not only reflects the sad life of Alexander and how he did his best to save himself, but his choice to survive in a new life on the sea and the ways of the pirates. Alexander also had to face homophobia and the religious fanatics, that also would not obey the laws of the government. He also experienced love for two men, who were very different. Even though Crispin turned his back on Alexander, he also neglected to see the ways of his mother, Portia, until it was too late. Capt. Henri and Spittal too, will have to make decisions and keep secrets with their life as pirates.I highly recommend “Witch in the Wind” this high seas adventure that I was immersed in from the very beginning. I never read the original story “The Pirate Witch” published in 2014, but “Witch in the Wind” is a more extensive version of it. I’ve read Serbu’s series “The Realm of the Vampire Council” which I liked, and thought “Witch in the Wind” was a very good change. Not disappointed at all and glad that Damian Serbu decided to revise this novel. I hope he has more exciting novels to come.
