Witch Myth Super Boxset: A Yew Hollow Cozy Mystery

by Alexandria Clarke

  Nora drew back, grinning proudly. “Gwenlyn did it.”

  Surprised, I looked up at Gwenlyn. She stood with her arms crossed, shoulders hunched against the slight wind, with a grumpy look on her face, as if it wasn’t her idea to traipse through the snowy woods in the middle of the night. “You did?”

  “Yeah, yeah. Don’t let it go to your head.”

  “Why would you help me?”

  “Because your sister is annoying.”

  Nora playfully shoved Gwenlyn aside. As she stumbled away, I noticed that she was favoring her right leg. Something had happened to her between the time of my exile and now. She was hiding it too. If she was injured, she should’ve gone to Morgan or even Nora to take care of the problem. I let it go. It was none of my business, and I didn’t want to piss off the one person who’d made it possible for me to see Nora.

  Nora coaxed me out of the backseat. “How are your ribs? Do you need me to fix them?”

  I tucked her against my side, resting my chin on top of her head. “I did it myself. I don’t understand though. Does Morgan know about this?”

  “Are you kidding?” Gwenlyn scoffed. “She would kill me if she knew, so you better keep your mouth shut.”

  I gestured to the vacant woods around me. “Who am I going to tell? How did you do it anyway? I looked for weak spots in the ward all afternoon.”

  Gwenlyn stamped her feet to stay warm. “Hilarious. Even if you found one, you wouldn’t be able to break through. Or did you miss the part where we told you that the ward was specifically built to keep you out?”

  “I didn’t—”

  “I’ve done it before,” Gwenlyn went on. “I had to get through the ward in order to find Nora. It’s a tiny passage, barely wider than an air vent. No one will find it.”

  “So you’re letting me back in?”

  “Hardly.” Gwenlyn stepped into my path, unsteady on her injured leg. “Just because your fruit fly of a sister convinced me to help you doesn’t mean you can come back to Yew Hollow. My assistance only goes so far.”

  I looked down at Nora, who smiled mischievously. “What is this all about? The two of you are in cahoots now? The end of the world must be nigh.”

  “Gwenlyn agreed to a plan of mine,” Nora explained.

  “Reluctantly,” Gwenlyn added.

  “I don’t get it,” I said to Gwenlyn. “Aren’t you Morgan’s favorite pet? Why would you risk helping me?”

  Gwenlyn turned the collar of her coat up against the gentle snowfall. “Here’s the deal, Kennedy. I don’t like you very much—” Nora elbowed Gwenlyn, who made a noise of protest before continuing. “—but it doesn’t mean I hate you. You got caught up in something that wasn’t your fault. Wrong place, wrong time. Morgan doesn’t have a choice. She has to placate her family. When you’re in charge of that many witches, you have to make some sacrifices, so I don’t blame her for the decision she’s made, even if I don’t agree with it.”

  “You don’t agree with her?”

  “No,” Gwenlyn replied. “I have my reasons. There’s more to this curse than meets the eye. You aren’t nobody to us, Kennedy. If you were, you wouldn’t be the catalyst. There’s a string between you and the Summers coven. We just have to figure out what it is—”

  “And how to sever it,” Nora finished. “If we can discover why you were made the catalyst instead of someone else, we might be able to find another way to break the curse.”

  I warily eyed Gwenlyn, who continued to glower at me. “I thought you got bad vibes off of me.”

  “I do,” she confirmed. “But I’m willing to bet that ninety percent of them stem from this damn curse.”

  “And the other ten percent?”

  “Let’s face it. Your personality is less than admirable.”

  “Oh, really? Like you’re a ray of sunshine—”

  Nora piped in cheerfully. “Actually, I think the two of you are more alike than you think.”

  “We are nothing alike!” Gwenlyn and I chorused.

  Nora smirked knowingly. “You’re both as stubborn as two rams butting heads.”

  I released Nora from my hug. “What do you know? You’re only sixteen.” I looked at Gwenlyn again. “How do we do this then? How do we find out more about this curse?”

  “It won’t be easy,” Gwenlyn answered. “I have a feeling we’re going to be spending a lot of time together, and it starts with getting well-acquainted with your past.”

  “Great,” I grumbled. “And you’re sure Morgan won’t notice?”

  “I’ve been tasked with following Nora around to make sure the rest of the coven doesn’t try anything stupid,” she explained. “Morgan won’t question my absence as long as I’m with Nora.”

  “Is Nora in danger?” I demanded.

  “No,” Nora replied before Gwenlyn could answer. “She’s exaggerating.”

  I tugged Nora closer by the sleeve of her jacket. “Tell me the truth, kid.”

  “There are a few witches stirring up trouble,” Gwenlyn said. “It’s probably nothing to worry about. It’s mostly you they want. I’ll keep watch over Nora. Don’t worry.”

  I scoffed. “Don’t worry. Sure.”

  “Whatever.” Gwenlyn hiked her shoulders up again, turning back toward the ward. “We’ll be back tomorrow to get started. Get some sleep. You’re no use to me if you’re grumpy and exhausted.”

  “One more thing,” Nora added. She lifted a backpack that I hadn’t realized she was carrying and dug around inside. Then she drew out a small tea tin and handed it to me.

  “What’s this?” I asked, confused.

  “It’s a space heater,” she said. “Gwenlyn and I made it. Open the top.”

  I flipped back the lid. Inside, a miniature flame danced merrily, flashing back and forth between Gwenlyn’s green aura and Nora’s pink one. The immediate space around me warmed to a cozy degree. It would make my bed in Nora’s car much more tolerable.

  “Thanks, kid.”

  “No problem.” She gave me the backpack as Gwenlyn waited patiently for us to say our goodbyes. “This is full of snacks and water. See you tomorrow?”

  I planted a kiss on her forehead. “Count on it.”

  Nora bounded over to Gwenlyn, who draped a protective arm over my little sister’s shoulders. I watched as they retreated to the ward and disappeared into the trees. Then I clambered back into the car, set the open tea tin on the center console, and drifted off to sleep as the duo’s auras cast ethereal patterns across the leather seats.

  4

  Gwenlyn

  My fingers trailed over the petals of wildflowers. Yellows, pinks, and purples tickled my shins as I walked through the knee-high meadow. This was not Yew Hollow. It was Windsor Falls, Nora and Kennedy’s hometown, and it was springtime instead of reality’s winter. The sun warmed my cheeks and shoulders as a bumblebee buzzed by and landed on a tulip. What was I doing here?

  Up ahead, a graceful figure danced through the high grass. Her blonde hair was unbound, flowing behind her like a curtain of spun white gold. In one hand, she held a bouquet of strange, cup-shaped, white and pink flowers. Mountain laurels. They left an enticing sweet smell in her wake, and I followed after her to bask in the scent.

  “Nora?” I called. “Is that you?”

  A light laugh floated on the wind to reach me. The girl skipped onward, and I broke into a jog to catch up.

  “Nora, wait!”

  I tripped over something hidden in the grass and sprawled to the ground. A thorny vine, out of place in the beautiful bed of wildflowers, caught at my foot. I tugged to free myself, but the vine sprang to life, crawling up my left leg and wrapping itself around my calf.

  “Help!” I yelled as the thorns dug into my skin. “Someone help me!”

  A shadow came over me, and I recognized the sickly-sweet scent of the mountain laurels, but it was not Nora’s comforting pink aura that arrived with it. It was an immense cloud of pure black witchcraft that stole into my lungs and wrenched
my breath away. Clutching at my throat, I looked up into black irises.

  I woke with a yelp, the mark on my leg burning as though someone had laid a hot poker to it. The sheets were twisted around me like I had been thrashing in my sleep. I yanked my legs free and rolled up my flannel pajama pants. The witch’s mark glittered like a night sky. Worse yet, it was slowly making its way to the front of my leg. Power pumped through my veins, but I wasn’t sure if I liked it. This witchcraft wasn’t mine to use, and the longer I housed it in my body, the more likely it was to dismantle me. The nightmare was not to be ignored. It was a warning, a message delivered to me from the mark, but it also felt like footsteps to follow, hints that led to the greater mystery of who had cursed the Summers coven. If I contained the mark, I would lose that advantage. In the current Yew Hollow climate, I needed every advantage possible. With witchcraft, dreams were never just dreams. Morgan would know how to interpret mine. Quickly, I threw off the sweat-soaked covers to get dressed.

  The Summers house was quiet. There was no one downstairs eating breakfast or making coffee. Morgan and her sisters had most likely already left to deal with the day’s coven business. There was work to be done. Morgan would be traveling from witch to witch in an attempt to put out the fires of rebellion that Camryn had lit. I was supposed to help Nora do her healing rounds. Then we were going to meet Kennedy outside the ward for our first dose of camaraderie, but I needed to find Morgan first.

  I left the house through the back, letting the screen door slam against the frame as I jumped down from the porch. The snow from last night had already melted, leaving the ground mushy and wet. My boots squelched through the mud as I headed toward the neighboring cul-de-sac, where the rest of the coven lived in a happy set of smaller houses. For once, the air in Yew Hollow was crisp and new, a welcome effect of the snowfall. Though it bit at my nose and lips, I inhaled it gratefully. It had been too long since the town wasn’t so stale and bitter.

  I missed the way Yew Hollow used to be. If everything had been normal, the witches would’ve been out and about, celebrating the first snowfall of the season and excitedly preparing for the winter carnival. Instead, the streets were vacant and quiet as the witches waited indoors for Morgan’s daily visit. When I heard whispered mutters behind one of the quaint houses, I stopped short and peered around the corner for the speakers. Camryn’s curls were unmistakable. I dropped into a crouch, hiding as best as I could behind a dead shrub.

  She was speaking to two sisters, Sage and Lana, who had decided to side against Morgan. They were both distant cousins too far removed from the bloodline to warrant any adornments other than the famous last name. Sage and Lana never had any qualms against Morgan before now. They were quiet witches with quiet powers, happy to live under the protection of the Summerses’ birthright. The Summers family in general was content with Morgan’s leadership. It was only at Camryn’s suggestion that they considered Morgan’s inadequacy, which was exactly what made me so wary of Camryn herself.

  “Will you challenge her?” Sage asked of Camryn. She spoke in a low voice, her eyes darting along the landscape to check for listening ears.

  “Not yet,” Camryn replied. “Last time, Morgan humiliated me. I won’t let that happen again.”

  “How do you plan on defeating her?” Lana asked. “She’s Cassandra’s daughter, after all, and she has ten years of experience under her belt. Not to mention all that ancient magic she’s hoarding.”

  Camryn silenced Lana with a menacing glare. “Yet another reason not to trust her. Whatever magic she picked up in the otherworld is dirty. Our rules regarding reincarnation are strict for a reason, and yet Morgan defies those too.”

  “I’m just saying that she’s strong,” Lana pointed out. “If it comes down to a duel, I’d bet on Morgan.”

  In a flash, Camryn pinned Lana to the side of the house, her fingers around the other witch’s throat. I tensed like a spring, ready to interfere if Camryn hurt Lana. In contrast, Sage looked unconcerned about her sister’s situation, an additional hint that not everything was as it should have been. Like most sisters in the coven, Sage and Lana were fiercely protective of each other. If one was in danger, it was not like the other to stand idly by and watch.

  “Listen here,” Camryn growled. “It won’t ever come to a duel. Our coven may not be a democracy, but majority rules. If enough witches support the change of power, Morgan will have no choice but to step down. That’s what I need you for.” Camryn stepped closer to Lana, locking eyes with the younger witch. “My abilities are unquestionable. My strength is unwavering. Morgan is no longer the rightful leader of the Summers coven.”

  Lana’s eyes glazed over with a blue-gray fog the same color as Camryn’s aura. “Your abilities are unquestionable. Your strength is unwavering. Morgan is no longer the rightful leader of the Summers coven.”

  Camryn released her prey and turned to Sage. “Do you need reminding as well? I am the rightful coven leader. Say it.”

  “You are the rightful coven leader,” Lana replied, staring into Camryn’s eyes.

  “Don’t forget it,” Camryn ordered.

  I scoffed then immediately shrank down behind my cover as the sound ricocheted between the two houses and reached Camryn’s ears. She peered like a hawk in either direction, searching for the source, but I pressed myself flat against the ground, holding my breath as she surveyed the area, and her gaze passed right over me.

  No wonder Camryn had gathered followers so quickly. She was using her craft to compel the other witches into believing she was better than Morgan. An active spell of such nature would fall under the category of dark magic—anything that interfered with an individual’s sense of free will was considered a misdeed—but Camryn had somehow avoided alerting Morgan or anyone else to her methods. There was only one way to do so: through your trained ability. She was shaping her intuition into something more sinister and avoiding the effects of dark magic in the process.

  “Placate Morgan,” Camryn ordered the sisters, who both appeared out of sorts. “We need to pacify her for now. Let her think that we’re working together to find a cure.”

  “And the girl?” Sage asked.

  Camryn sneered. “No doubt Morgan has assigned her faithful guard dog to snip at the heels of anyone who goes within fifty feet of Nora McGrath.”

  I felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Camryn considered me a threat. The thought was comforting. It meant that she wouldn’t make a move on Nora without a plan, but it also meant that I needed to be as vigilant as possible in my protection of the younger girl.

  “But she’s our best chance at leverage,” Sage pointed out. “Trade Nora’s life for Kennedy’s. At least one McGrath sister gets to live.”

  “Leave the girl alone unless I instruct otherwise,” Camryn ordered. “She is our last resort. I draw the line at harming teenagers. For now, your orders remain simple. Lull Morgan into a false sense of harmony. Let her believe we’re going along with this little research plot of hers. When I decide what our next move will be, we’ll meet again. Understood?”

  Sage and Lana murmured words of consent. I shot out of the bushes as the conversation came to a close, ducked around the far side of the house to avoid being seen, and sprinted across the street. Camryn, Sage, and Lana dispersed, each heading in a different direction. Part of me wanted to follow Camryn—she was surely on her way to convince more of Morgan’s cousins to support her instead—but a twinge of pain in my leg reminded me that finding Morgan was my first priority.

  As I strolled into the cul-de-sac, I spotted Morgan exiting Alana’s house, waving a temporary goodbye to Yvette and Yvonne. Before I could catch up to her, Nora popped up near my elbow like a jack-in-the-box.

  “Morning, Gwen!”

  I jumped, wincing as her shrill voice reminded me of my lack of sleep. I wrapped my arm around her neck and mussed her hair. “Stop doing that, or I’ll hex you. How are you?”

  She wriggled free easily, which made me think that I wasn’
t the first person to put her in a playful headlock. “Better now that I know we’re going to help Kennedy.”

  I groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

  Nora rearranged her expression in a mock look of shock. “You mean you aren’t excited to dig into my sister’s tragic backstory?” She clapped a hand over her heart. “Say it isn’t so.”

  “You’re awfully chipper this morning.”

  “I can’t say the same for you,” Nora replied. She tipped her head to the side, analyzing me from head to toe. “You look tired. Did you get any sleep last night?”

  “Counted sheep with the best of them.”

  “The baggage you’re carrying under your eyes says otherwise.”

  I furiously rubbed the tender skin beneath my eyes. My complexion had never been the brightest, but if Nora could tell that I was sleep-deprived, Camryn’s clan might mistake it for weakness.

  “I’m fine,” I retorted. “But guess what? I’m moving in with you tonight.”

  I thought Nora might be put off by the idea, since the only person she’d ever shared a room with before was her older sister, but her face brightened immediately.

  “You are?”

  “Don’t get too excited,” I warned. “We won’t be braiding hair or having pillow fights or giving each other manicures. This is for your safety. I don’t like you being all alone in that barn out there in the woods. It’s too easy for Camryn or one of her followers to take advantage of you.”

  “Live a little, Gwenlyn,” Nora replied. “You could use a good pillow fight.”

  “If I see so much as a hint of feathers heading in my direction, I’ll hex you from here to the moon,” I told her.

  Nora smirked at the empty threat. “Fine, but I’m totally doing your nails.”

  “No.”

  “Just you wait,” she promised, taking my hand. “Come on then. We have a lot of work to do before we go meet Kennedy.”