Wands Upon A Time (Spellbound Ever After Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 3)

by Annabel Chase

  “No, it was natural causes,” the sheriff said. “It appears he was birdwatching at the time and suffered organ failure.”

  Gus started. “Organ failure? That doesn’t make any sense. My dad was healthy.”

  “Well, he was quite elderly,” Astrid said. “It’s not unusual for the body to give out at his age.”

  Gus shook his head. “No, he’d just had a checkup at the healer’s clinic last month. He was doing great.”

  “Maybe that’s what he told you,” I said. “Sometimes parents don’t want to worry their children.” I knew I wouldn’t want to worry mine and the baby wasn’t even born yet. I’d probably devise all sorts of ludicrous stories to keep my child in the dark. Gareth would bubble wrap the house and I would bubble wrap the child’s emotions. Together, we probably weren’t the best parenting team. Daniel would have to balance us out, by letting the child jump off cliffs with him and—My heart began to pound. Nope. No cliffs.

  Gus stared at the pavement, thinking. “I guess that’s possible. Dad never wanted to be a bother.” He buried his face in his hands. “I try to go to the woods with him as much as possible because I know how much birdwatching means to him, but I got assigned to the shift at the last minute. Now I wish I’d said no, but I needed the money.”

  “If it’s any consolation, I’m not sure there was anything you could’ve done,” Astrid said. “According to the examiner’s report, it was quick. Everything seemed to shut down at once.”

  “Poor Dad,” Gus sniffed.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said. “He looked really peaceful when I found him. I don’t think he suffered.”

  “I have his binoculars and journal at the office for you,” Astrid said. “After you see him, you can come and collect them.”

  “Thank you,” Gus said. “That’s very kind.”

  “Just part of the job,” Astrid said.

  Gus shuffled away and I could see Astrid’s pained expression. “Are you okay?” I asked.

  She pressed her lips together. “Even when it’s a natural death, it’s hard to be the bearer of bad news.”

  I patted her shoulder. “You do a great job, Astrid. Everyone knows you care.”

  She glanced at me. “That’s just it, though. I shouldn’t care so much. I’m a Valkyrie. My ancestors served on the battlefields, deciding which warriors lived and died. That was the job.”

  “Well, this is Spellbound, not a battlefield, and the world has changed a lot since then. I think the fact that you care is what makes you such a special sheriff. Hugo didn’t give a flying fig about anything except his ego.”

  Astrid managed a smile. “You’re right, Emma. Thanks for that. You always have a way of seeing things clearly.”

  “I’m a lawyer,” I said. “It’s part of the job.”

  After leaving Astrid to her parking tickets, I drove Sigmund to the secret lair on the outskirts of town. The other witches had flown on their broomsticks, but I opted to drive, as there was no way I was risking another bout of nausea. Flying was guaranteed to send me over the edge, especially without my anti-anxiety potion.

  I placed my hand flat against the rock and said the magic words before entering the lair. My friends were gathered around the coffee table, admiring an object I couldn’t see.

  “Her mouth needs to be bigger and the lipstick pinker,” Millie said.

  “Don’t touch the hair,” Sophie said. “It’s perfect.”

  “What’s that?” I asked, craning my neck for a glimpse.

  “Emma’s here,” Begonia said, delighted. “Show her.”

  Millie held up a voodoo doll in a triumphant gesture. “We’ve been working on her most of the day.”

  “She needs an angry zit right here.” Begonia pressed the middle of the doll’s forehead.

  I studied the doll’s powder blue suit and severe haircut. It wasn’t difficult to guess its likeness. “Already made up your minds about Marjory, huh?”

  “Can you blame us?” Laurel asked. “She was awful at the welcome reception.”

  “Millie, if you hope to work alongside her as the Voice of the Coven,” I began, “you should probably not keep the doll close to hand.”

  “She won’t choose me,” Millie said. The sulk was full on. “I can tell she wants someone a little older, like Ginger or even Professor Holmes.”

  “I put in a good word for you,” I said. “Maybe she’ll decide to consider it. Either way, it might be something you can do in a few years then. If not here, then for another coven somewhere else.”

  The other witches gasped as though I’d said something horribly offensive.

  “Why would I ever leave Spellbound?” Millie asked. Her eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

  “Of course not. I wasn’t suggesting that you should,” I replied. “I only mean that if you really want to have that role as your career, then you might consider relocating to a coven with an available position. Sometimes you have to take a chance to get what you want in life.” I knew that firsthand.

  Mille dropped the doll onto the coffee table. “I think I’ll focus on graduating from the academy first. It’ll probably be ten times harder now with Limpet in charge.”

  “Well, if you want to prove your academic skills,” I began, “I have a research question I thought you all might be able to help me with. I’d like to know all there is to know about angel-sorceress hybrids.”

  Laurel contemplated the request. “There are a few excellent books on hybrids in the town library.”

  “Would you be able to check them out for me?” I asked. There was no way I could squeeze in a visit to the library today.

  “Why do you want to know?” Begonia asked.

  “I think she’s in the family planning stage,” Laurel said.

  I smiled. “Not much time to plan, unfortunately. I have about eight months left to learn as much as I can. I figured who better to help me prepare?”

  Sophie was the first to scream. She leaped to her feet and embraced me. “Great Goddess of the Moon. Emma, this is amazing news!”

  “A baby, huh?” Millie said. “That’s going to change our whole dynamic.”

  “A baby!” Begonia echoed. She hugged me and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Our own little Emma or Daniel. I can’t believe it.”

  “They’re not clones, Begonia,” Laurel said. “The baby will possess his or her own unique genetic code.”

  “Obviously, I know that,” Begonia replied. “Oh, Emma. You must be over the moon.”

  “We are thrilled,” I said. “I didn’t expect it to happen so soon, but, now that it has, I’m really excited. Can’t say the same for Magpie, though. He’s been hissing more than usual.”

  “An angel-sorceress hybrid,” Laurel said. “This is fascinating. I’ll definitely get those books for you. I’m curious to see what information is already out there.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “Me too.”

  “How was your meeting with Marjory this morning?” Sophie asked. “Is she going to be as much of a pain as she seems?”

  “I’m trying to reserve judgment,” I said. “I’ve already had my fair share of issues with the leaders in this town. I’d prefer to get along with one for a change.” Although my hopes were not particularly high.

  “You get along with Sheriff Astrid and Mayor Lucy,” Begonia said.

  “I know, but I was friends with them before they stepped into their roles of authority.” I plopped down on the sofa. “And Marjory Limpet is definitely not the type to become a genuine friend. She likes the view from her pedestal.”

  “She does seem knowledgeable, though,” Laurel said. “I’ll give her credit for that.”

  “Lady Weatherby was very knowledgeable,” I said. “That doesn’t mean much.” I pressed my fingertips to my temples. “I shouldn’t say such negative things. I’m still hoping for the best.”

  “That sounds more like the Emma we know,” Begonia said, joining me on the sofa. “How are you feeling? Are your boobs big
ger? That’s supposed to happen, right?”

  I glanced down at my chest. “If so, I haven’t noticed yet. I’ve been spending too much time in front of the toilet to pay attention to much else.”

  “Good thing you’ve always had an issue or everyone in the coven would know by now,” Sophie said.

  “Excellent aim at the welcome reception, by the way,” Laurel said. “We haven’t properly congratulated you.”

  “Believe me, it wasn’t on purpose,” I said.

  “Have you talked to Boyd about your symptoms?” Millie asked. “Is there anything you can do to stop vomiting all over everyone?” I noticed that she maintained a safe distance from me.

  “I had my first appointment this morning, in fact,” I said. “Everything is good so far.” I knocked on the coffee table for luck. “He said if the morning sickness carries on too long, then we’ll address it.”

  “Are you still able to go to the Spotted Owl tonight?” Sophie asked. “It won’t be the same without you.”

  Begonia gripped my arm. “You can’t miss karaoke!”

  “I’m planning to go, as long as I’m not too tired,” I said. I didn’t want to disappoint my friends. There’d be plenty of time for missing social events after the baby was born.

  Begonia clapped her hands. “Spell’s bells! This is so exciting. A baby in the secret lair. We’ll have to create an area in the corner for a bassinet.”

  Laurel frowned. “What if I don’t want a baby here? They’re noisy and smelly.”

  “Laurel!” Sophie said. “Emma’s baby will be welcome here.”

  “I can’t promise the baby won’t be noisy or smelly, though,” I said. “I assume we all were at some point in our lives.”

  “Some of us still are,” Laurel said, “but, thankfully, Avery isn’t allowed in the secret lair.”

  Millie snickered. “I’ve never been either one,” she said. “I was a textbook example of the perfect baby.”

  “Of course you were,” Begonia said, suppressing a smile.

  “I think you and I have very different definitions of perfect,” Laurel said.

  Millie glared at the young witch. “I hope you snap out of this phase soon,” she said. “It’s beginning to grate on my nerves.”

  Laurel picked up the Marjory doll. “You should be careful what you say, Millie. I might decide to have one of these made of you and keep it locked in my room at home.”

  Millie scowled. “Can we vote someone out of the group?”

  “We all have our difficult phases,” I said. “Part of being a real friend means hanging in there when the road gets rough.”

  Laurel focused on me. “Are you saying you agree with Millie?”

  “Not at all,” I replied. “I’m only saying that we’re not kicking anyone out of the group. You’d basically have to commit murder to be shunned by this group.”

  Begonia smiled. “And even then we might keep you, depending on your reasons.”

  My gaze flickered to the Marjory doll. “Please don’t give anyone ideas. One defendant is all I can handle right now.”

  Chapter Seven

  I traveled back through town and made a last minute decision to stop by the Mayor’s Mansion. If anyone kept her ear to the Spellbound ground, it was my friend Lucy Langtree. Maybe she’d heard something that would help Percy’s case.

  “Emma!” Mayor Lucy raced toward me, her wings moving at a rapid clip. “I’ve heard the wonderful news.”

  Not quite the information I was hoping she’d heard.

  “Please tell me I get to host the baby shower,” Lucy said. “I’ve already been doing research and they throw incredible parties in the human world with games.” The fairy’s competitive streak made games a must-have at any event she hosted.

  “I was hoping to break the news to you myself,” I said, mildly disappointed.

  Lucy hugged me. “Then you needed to get here sooner. I’m the mayor. I hear everything.”

  “Yes, that’s why I’m here, actually. Your network of spies.”

  The fairy released me and fluttered back to her desk. “Well, I’m not Mayor Knightsbridge, but I do have residents with open ears that report to me regularly.”

  “Has anyone reported information about the angel dust trade coming to Spellbound, or any kind of smuggling activity?” My conversation with both Chip and Sammy suggested there might be more than angel dust involved.

  Lucy frowned. “A smuggling ring? That’s serious. Is this because of that faun you’re representing?”

  “Yes, I’ve been gathering evidence for his defense and it seems that there might be a bigger operation than a handful of angel dust.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that at all,” Lucy said. “What’s Sheriff Astrid doing about it?”

  “Britta’s the one who saw Percy with the angel dust and arrested him,” I said. “So I doubt she’s looking further afield. As soon as I have anything concrete to share with them, though, I will.”

  “Keep me updated.” She smiled. “I have to be honest—the only news generating a lot of interest right now is yours.”

  “That’s nice that they feel invested,” I said.

  “An angel-sorceress hybrid, are you kidding?” Lucy asked. “That’s unprecedented.”

  “We’re trying to figure that out,” I said. “The witches and I are going to do some research on hybrids. See what information we can find.”

  “Great idea,” Lucy said. “I’m curious myself. I bet this baby is going to be incredible.”

  I patted my stomach. “I think so, too, even if all he or she does is cry, eat, and sleep.”

  Lucy held up a finger. “Don’t forget poop and pee. That mess is a regular part of the daily cycle.”

  “I won’t care about cleaning up bodily functions. The fact that Daniel and I created this little person together is amazing and I’ll cherish every minute of it.”

  Lucy threw her head back and laughed. “I cannot wait to see you cherishing the tantrums and the dirty diapers.”

  “I will,” I insisted. “Every moment will be a gift.”

  She fluttered over and pinched my cheek. “You are so sweet. I can’t wait to see you as a mom, especially the first time you lose your temper. That will be epic.”

  “Lose my temper?” I echoed. “Why would I do that?”

  Lucy laughed. “Because you’re going to be a mom! Why else?”

  I tried to remember my mother losing her temper. My memories were so few and far between then I couldn’t conjure any. “Did your mom lose her temper?”

  Lucy slapped her hands on the desk. “Are you kidding? All. The. Time. Granted, I was a constant challenge, but, hey, look at me now. I’m the mayor!”

  “I’m sure your mother is very proud.”

  “She tells anyone willing to listen,” she said. “And even those who aren’t. That’s what a good mother does.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s what an annoying mother does.”

  “Look who’s judgy now that she’s preggers.” Lucy held up a palm for a high-five. “Welcome to my world, Emma. It’s full of opinions and unsolicited advice.”

  “I’m not quite there yet.”

  Lucy winked. “Don’t worry. You’ve boarded the train to Momville. You’ll catch up soon enough.”

  “I suddenly regret this decision,” Sophie said, using me as a barrier between the karaoke stage and her.

  “You don’t have to sing,” I said. “Look around. There are plenty of paranormals ready to take the stage.” I noticed quite a few divas-in-training in sparkling outfits and feather boas.

  “I’m not worried about singing,” Sophie said. “I’m worried about the High Priestess watching me.”

  I looked over my shoulder to where Marjory Limpet was seated in a booth deep in conversation with Lorenzo Mancini and Lord Gilder. The devil’s triangle. “Why would you be concerned?”

  “Because this isn’t our usual watering hole,” Sophie said. “We’re always at the Horned Owl.”
She scrutinized the interior of the pub. “This place is a bit rougher around the edges. What if she thinks we’re not fit for the coven?”

  “But she’s here,” Millie said.

  I pointed at the stage. “And karaoke!” The Horned Owl was going to need to up its game if the Spotted Owl was cornering the market on karaoke.

  “This place is typically full of shifters,” Millie said, “but I think word got around that the new High Priestess was showing up tonight. Looks like most of them decided to go somewhere else.”

  “Or Lorenzo instructed them to go somewhere else,” Sophie said. “Maybe he didn’t want to be embarrassed by drunk werewolves in front of the new leader of the coven.”

  Lorenzo Mancini was the dapper head of the werewolf pack. Despite his posh exterior, he was extremely tough and did not suffer fools gladly.

  “Do you think there’s any chance Limpet will get up there and bust a move?” Millie asked. “I’d pay money to see that.”

  “I hope so,” I said. “Karaoke is a great unifier. It’ll help bring us closer together.”

  “Only because it’s crowded,” Millie grumbled, flexing her elbows to demonstrate the tight squeeze. “I don’t recall this bar being so busy.”

  “The miners are celebrating coming off an overnight shift,” Demetrius said. The sexy vampire’s entrance had escaped my notice.

  “Dem, so good to see you,” I said.

  “Yes, ideal timing,” Sophie said, wrapping her arms around herself. “He can let those creepers in the corner know that we’re protected.”

  “You have a wand,” Millie reminded her. “That’s your protection.”

  Begonia hooked her arm through her boyfriend’s. “This form of protection is much more attractive, though.”

  “How about I get the first round?” Demetrius offered.

  “None for me, sadly,” I said. “There’ll be no liquid courage to support my karaoke endeavors.”

  Demetrius affectionately bumped my arm. “True, but you have more important considerations.”

  “Since when do you need liquid courage anyway?” Begonia asked. “You always do what you need to do.”