Over the Broom

by Sara Bourgeois

  Over the Broom

  by

  Sara Bourgeois

  Chapter One

  “This can’t be happening,” I said and jumped up to pace the room for the fiftieth time that morning. “It’s just not real.”

  “It’s totally real, it’s totally right, and if you don’t sit down so I can finish your hair, I’m going to kill you,” Annika said with a laugh.

  “You’re using magic. Don’t try and tell me you can’t finish this updo from there,” I said and continued my pacing.

  Meri sashayed into the room preening in his little blue bow tie. He looked quite handsome, and he knew it.

  "Why are you so nervous?" Annika asked. "You do want to marry Remy, right? You haven't changed your mind?"

  "No", I said. "I mean, yes. Yes, I want to marry Remy. No, I haven't changed my mind."

  "Then why are you up running around like a chicken with its head cut off?" Annika asked.

  "Oh, I'm just nervous," I said. "Did I pick the right dress? Do I look okay?"

  I turned to look at myself in the full-length mirror in my bedroom. The dress was a traditional wedding gown in cream satin with little flowers embroidered on the skirt. I'd opted to go without a train since the ceremony was outside. That was the tradition. We were to be joined outside in nature.

  Instead of a tiara or veil, one of the Skeenbauer Aunties had made a matching satin witch's hat. They told me that it would help me draw down the power of the heavens and protect me on my wedding day. I didn't argue. It was definitely different, but I also thought it was really cool too.

  "You look beautiful," Annika said. "You're going to make Remy weak in the knees." She smiled.

  "You look gorgeous too."

  "Thank you for not choosing a horrible maid of honor dress," Annika chuckled.

  Her dress was red satin with the same flowers embroidered on the skirt. To keep with the red and white theme, I would carry a huge bouquet of red poinsettias and Annika had a small bouquet of white.

  "I wouldn't do that to you," I said.

  "Well, I'm totally going to do it to you," she teased. "You're going to be wearing a huge orange tulle number when you're my matron of honor."

  "You guys are really dumb," Meri said, but he wandered over to inspect my dress. "At least you look nice while doing it, though."

  "Was that a compliment?" I asked.

  "Whatever," Meri said and started to walk out of the room. "I'll be downstairs looking for any hors doovers the caterer left unattended."

  Before I could say anything else, he was gone. "I hope he doesn't eat it all,"

  "Don't worry," Annika said. "Aunt Coraline can whip up as much as we need. She's a master kitchen witch."

  "I just hope Meri doesn't refer to her as the caterer to her face," I said. "At least she can't kill him and turn him into an appetizer."

  “She wouldn’t take that well,” Annika said with a chuckle. “Let’s put your hat on. You are going to have to sit down for that, please.”

  “All right,” I said and took a deep breath.

  I walked over to the chair in front of my dresser and sat down. My hair was perfect despite my pacing. Not one strand was out of place. Annika put the hat on my head and secured it with a couple of hat pins.

  “This was a gift from Amelda,” she said and showed me the last pin. “She said not to make a big deal out of it as she doesn’t care much for those other traditions, but she wanted you to have it.”

  The pin had a sapphire on the end surrounded in a halo of small diamonds. “Something borrowed and something blue,” I said.

  “Yes, but don’t mention it. It was her grandmother’s, and she’ll get all teary-eyed.”

  “I won’t say a thing.”

  “Okay, you’re ready,” Annika announced.

  “Am I?”

  “Yes. You will never be more ready than you are right now, so let’s do this thing,”

  Annika and I locked arms and we made our way down the stairs and through the house to the kitchen. She opened the back door, and I stepped outside to the gasps of everyone in attendance. I felt like a princess.

  But my bottom lip began to quiver when I noticed who wasn’t there. My mother and grandmother hadn’t shown up after they’d promised to come. I knew things weren’t good between us, but I couldn’t believe they hadn’t come to my wedding.

  Annika took my hand and squeezed it hard. She could sense that I was about to cry. “Look at all of them,” she said and waved to all of the people who were in the crowd. “The whole Skeenbauer coven is here for your big day. We’re your family, Brighton. We always will be.”

  Amelda hurried over and took my other hand. “You look beautiful, my dear. Welcome to the family,”

  They gave me strength, and I stopped the tears before they flowed over and ruined my makeup. As I was walking to the altar, I looked up at the tree line and saw a face I recognized right away.

  She was transparent and her spirit wavered, but she was there. Maude’s spirit offered me a smile and a wave. She started to fade away, and it made my heart ache.

  “I wish she could stay for the whole thing,” I practically whispered.

  Amelda’s eyes followed mine and she saw Maude’s ghost before it completely disappeared. “Everyone!” she called out. “We have a very special and honored guest today. Please use your energy to lift of the spirit of our sister Maude Tuttlesmith so that she can stay on our side of the veil and watch Brighton and Remy become one.”

  Maude’s spirit stopped flickering. I could feel the energy buzzing through the air. She floated over closer to the altar, and Meri sat down at her side.

  “It’s time,” Amelda said.

  She and Annika led me to the altar. At first, I didn’t see Remy, and I panicked a little. Had he had second thoughts?

  A moment later he emerged from the woods with Gunner and another male coven elder. The three of them walked to the altar where the three of us met them.

  The male coven leader picked up a set of deer antlers and placed them on his head. “We gather today to bear witness to the joining of two souls into one. These witnesses as well as the divines are here to lift you up and support your union. All we ask is that you speak your intention aloud so that we as a coven and the higher deities can confirm your intent. Do you seek to enter this ceremony?”

  “Yes, we seek to enter,” both Remy and I said in unison.

  “Please face each other and join right hands,” the leader said.

  Remy and I did, and once we were holding hands, Amelda stepped forward and tied a red rope around each of our wrists that bound us together.

  When she stepped back, the ceremony leader began to speak again. “Bless this union with the gifts of the East. May you have loving communication of the body, mind, and heart. Let each new sun refresh your marriage and may your knowledge of each other grow in the sharing of silence.”

  “Divines bless this union,” the coven said together.

  “Bless this union with the gifts of the South. May you always have the warmth of hearth and home. Let the heat of the heart’s passion create light in the darkest of times.”

  “Divines bless this union,” the coven said together.

  “Bless this union with the gifts of the North. May you have a firm foundation to build a family and enrich your lives. Let your home be a haven of stability to which you can always return.”

  “Divines bless this union,” the coven said together.

  “Bless this union with the gifts of the West. May your commitment be as deep as any ocean. Let the refreshment of the falling rains cleanse any sorrows and your days be filled with the all-encompassing passion of the sea.”

  “Divines bless this union,” the coven said together.


  The ceremony leader placed his hand over the rope binding us. “This rope is physical today, but it is a symbol of the spiritual bond you both are committing to on this day. It binds your hands to hold you tight through the difficult times. Your hands are meant to love and comfort one another. The knots of this binding are not formed by the rope but instead by your vow. Do you vow to love, lift, and comfort each other with your hands from this day forward?”

  “We do,” Remy and I answered in unison.

  “That which the divines have brought together, let no soul tear apart. You may remove the rope and place it on the altar as it is your vow that binds you from this moment until eternity. You now hold in your hands everything you need protect and nurture your union,” the ceremony leader said. “Oh, and what the heck. You may now kiss the bride.”

  After our vows, Amelda brought out two wooden chairs carved from the forest near our house. We sat in those while the coven danced and sang in a circle around us.

  They blessed us again, and then it was time to get ready for the reception. The whole thing went by in a complete whirlwind for me. I was upstairs changing into my reception gown when it finally hit me that I was married. Mostly because Annika asked.

  “So, how does it feel to be married?”

  I chuckled. “You know, until you asked, I hadn’t even thought about it that way yet. I’ve been married before, but this is so different.”

  “Probably because your new husband is a witch. Oh, and you’re a witch too who just married into a whole coven of witches,” Annika said.

  “He’s my husband,,” I said.

  “Yep. That’s what that was all about.”

  “Do you think he feels different?” I asked.

  “You could always ask him,” Annika suggested. “You could probably ask him pretty much anything at this point. Not that you couldn’t before.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m being weird. This is just all a lot more to take in than I expected.”

  “It’s okay, Brighton. Today is a big day. But the good news is that we now have a massive party to attend. I’m sure the Aunties have everything set up by now and all of the humans who are coming to the reception are probably arriving. You should probably get down there and be with your new husband and family.”

  “How do I look?” I asked.

  The reception gown was a simple white sheath dress with a leaf pattern embroidered on the bust. I removed the witch hat since the ceremony was over and regular humans were coming to the reception. Annika teased a couple of curls out of my updo to frame my face.

  “You look beautiful. And while we’ve been talking, your hair has turned a glorious shade of bright red that will go splendidly with the decorations,” she said with a smile.

  “Thank you so much for everything,” I said.

  “You’re most welcome. All I ask is that you take good care of my favorite cousin.”

  “I can do that,” I said.

  “The caterer won’t let me have any more scallops,” Meri groused as he walked into the room.

  “She’s not the caterer, Meri. Aunt Coraline is not staff. She’s family,” I said.

  “She’s your family. I’m still a cat.”

  “Are you saying I’m not your family?” I teased.

  “I’m saying I want more scallops, and if I have to put up with you and the king of the dorks, I should get them.”

  “Poor kitty,” Annika said. “Come on, big guy. I’ll talk to Aunt Coraline. Let’s let Brighton get back to her party.”

  Chapter Two

  Despite it being December, the weather was perfect for the outdoor reception. I wasn’t sure if that was just a lucky break, it could be warm sometimes in December, or if the witches had something to do with it.

  Remy was talking with Amelda when I walked outside, but he excused himself as soon as he saw me. I was about to say something to him after he approached, but he pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

  “What took you so long?” he asked when our lips parted.

  “I was only gone for a few minutes,” I said.

  “Too long.”

  He kissed me again, and before long the guests broke out into applause. Amelda made a comment I could barely hear, but it was something to the effect of us making her a great-grandmother sooner than even she’d expected.

  A band had set up on a small wood stage near the garage, and they began to play.

  “Shall we dance?” Remy asked me.

  “I don’t know that you’re going to find my dance skills very impressive, husband.”

  “Oh, I like it when you call me that,” he said and squeezed me tight. “You could always use magic to help you dance. If it can help you cook, then it can help you dance.”

  “Then yes, we should dance.”

  The next few hours went by in even more of a blur than the ceremony had, but it was a blissful whirlwind. We danced, ate delicious food, and received tons of beautiful gifts from family.

  The reception was due to be over at eleven, and just before that, Meri came running out of the house like it was on fire. I checked, and it wasn’t, but something inside had upset him.

  Most of the food had been cleaned up an hour before, and I figured he was inside looking for something else to eat. There were a few appetizers left out for guests to munch on, but he must have been in the kitchen bugging Coraline for more scallops or perhaps some bacon.

  He ran straight up to me and tugged at the hem of my dress with his claws. I knew he wanted to speak, but he couldn’t because of the human guests around. I nodded my head, and Remy and I followed him.

  I was about to ask him what was going on, but as soon as he led us into the kitchen, I knew. Coraline was face down on the kitchen floor.

  Before I could even think of what to do, I heard a commotion going on outside. I went to the back door to look, and members of my new family were dropping left and right. I looked up at Remy, and his face was turning a greenish shade of gray.

  I felt a wave of what I could only describe as dark sickness hit me hard, but from what I could see, all of the human guests were fine.

  Given that Coraline was already dead but everyone else was just starting to get sick, the only thing I could think of was that someone had poisoned the food with a magical poison that only affected witches.

  “We have to heal each other,” I said to Remy, “We’ve got to do it fast, and then we’ve got to help everyone else.”

  “Okay,” Remy said through gritted teeth. “I’m fading fast, though.”

  “We can do this,” I said and took his hand.

  Meri joined me, and I felt myself grow a little stronger. While Remy was whispering a healing incantation over me, I envisioned a white light flowing from me into him.

  His color started to look better, and I could feel the darkness starting to ebb away from me. “It’s working,” I said.

  A few more moments passed, and we’d saved each other. “We have to get outside and save as many of them as we can,” Remy said.

  “Meri, you weave your way around the human guests and get them to wander off. If the magic shield protecting Coventry works, they’ll wake up tomorrow thinking they had a good time and went home when they got sleepy,” I said.

  “Good idea,” Meri said.

  Remy and I went outside, and we started healing. As soon as one witch was better, we’d tell her what we thought was going on, and she’d move on to help heal someone else.

  We acted quickly enough that we didn’t lose anyone else. Amelda had resisted most of the poison’s effects, and she was able to heal herself before turning her magic on more than one family member at a time.

  “What is going on?” Amelda asked me as the coven gathered around.

  “Coraline is dead in the kitchen, and I think it’s because someone poisoned the food with a toxin that only affected witches,” I said.

  Amelda grimaced and walked past me. She made her way into the kitchen without another word, but Remy, Anni
ka, and I followed.

  I walked through the back door and Amelda was kneeling over Coraline. She had her hands over her body, and I could see a swirling mist between her fingertips and Coraline.

  “She’s trying to figure out what the poison was,” Remy whispered to me.

  We watched silently as Amelda worked. The only one who moved was Meri. He sat at Amelda’s side. I assumed he was assisting her magic. Since I was both a Tuttlesmith and Skeenbauer witch, he could act as familiar to both families.

  A while later, Amelda stood up and turned to us. At first, I thought she was going to walk out without saying anything, but she finally did speak.

  “We’re lucky you acted as quickly as you did,” she said to me. “If you hadn’t, I’d probably be left as a coven of one.”

  “What was it?” Annika asked. “What was the poison?”

  “It was a potion made of rose water distilled from black roses. Completely harmless to humans, but it allowed the witch who made it to amplify their intentions enough to kill all but the strongest of witches. It’s why I was able to fight it off and why Brighton and Meri were able to save the rest.”

  “So it was another witch that did this to us?” Remy asked.

  “Probably,” Amelda answered.

  “What do you mean?” Annika asked. “How could it be anything else?”

  “Are you saying that it could have been a human who bought the potion from a witch?” I asked.

  “That’s possible too,” Amelda answered. “Either way, our coven was betrayed by a fellow witch.”

  “What do we do?” I said.

  “What are your thoughts?” Amelda asked me.

  To be honest, I was a little shocked that she’d asked me. She was the person who was supposed to make decisions for the coven. It was my first day as a member, and she was asking me what to do. I began to think it was possible that all of that stuff Meri had said about me and my future might have actually been true.

  “As you know, Gunner knows about us. I do think we need to call him here. Let him and his deputies do what they need to do, and we’ll do what we need to do.”