by Harmony Hart
“Mew.”
“You don’t have to do the cute-meow-for-food thing anymore. You can just tell me you’re hungry,” I told her.
“But my cuteness is so effective. Why reinvent the wheel?” She stared up at me and blinked her eyes. “Mew.”
“Oh, for…” I bent down and stroked her back. “The mealtime meow is pretty freaking cute. You can keep it. But that doesn’t solve our breakfast dilemma.”
I opened the fridge, taking out the bottle of milk. “This is pretty much your only option.” I poured some milk into a saucer and started to set it on the ground, then changed my mind when I saw the cobwebs collecting along the base of the cabinets. If there was ever a time to let my cat hang out on a kitchen counter, this was it. “You can eat on the counter. But only until this place has been properly cleaned,” I warned.
“This will do for now.” She jumped up and began lapping the milk as I perused the herb-filled glass canisters in search of coffee. A few minutes later, she pawed at my arm.
“What?” I continued to lift each jar lid in succession, sniffing the contents, as I used my free hand to pat her head absently.
“What about second breakfast?”
“Already?”
“I’m a growing cat!”
“You are not.” I sighed. “But I am dying for some coffee. It seems like people take their pets everywhere around here. Maybe we can find a place where we can both eat.”
“I liked the place from last night,” she chirped.
“Me too. But a diner all the way across town that’s frequented by werewolves is hardly the best place for a small cat to hang out. Besides, it just occurred to me that I don’t have any money.”
“Yes, you do.” She purred and pranced over to a small blue velvet bag sitting on the edge of the counter. After nudging the bag with her nose, she set about shredding the piece of paper folded next to it.
“Hey! What are you tearing up?”
“Nothing important,” she said.
“Give me that!” I swiped it out of her grasp and unfolded it. My heart skipped as I saw the signature at the bottom. “It’s from Beau.”
“Like I said. Nothing important.”
Gemma,
Deepest apologies for leaving without saying goodbye this morning. I had an early class and didn’t want to wake you. The Coven is arranging for your signing bonus and salary to be deposited in the Bank of Salem, but until then, you’ll need some money to navigate around town. This should be enough to take care of breakfast, pick up some essentials and buy some new clothes. It’s chilly outside. I left my coat on the hook near the shop entrance. I’ll return at noon to take you to lunch.
Yours,
Beau
Yours. I let out a wistful sigh. It hadn’t even been a full day, and Beau was already proving to more chivalrous than any man I’d ever dated. Not that we were actually dating. Yet.
I picked up the bag, which was unusually heavy for its size, and loosened the silver drawstring to peek inside.
An entire bag full of gold coins? Well, that was different.
“It’s your lucky day, cat.”
“Yaaasss!” She leaped off the counter and darted for the door. “Second breakfast, here we come!”
“Technically, it’s my first breakfast.”
“Semantics.”
I draped my scarf around my neck, opened the apartment door and made my way downstairs, pausing to slip into Beau’s coat as Titus waited impatiently at my feet.
“Okay, Lovie. Ready for our first daytime excursion into Salem?”
“I’m ready for breakfast. And remember, you promised to share if I was nice to Smallish. And I was. I didn’t even hiss or anything!”
“It’s not like you won’t get your own breakfast, but whatever. You’re right. I’ll share.”
With a deep breath, I unlatched the door, pushed it open, and ventured into the bright autumn morning with my feline familiar at my side.
7
Salem’s retail district was pretty at night, but it was breathtaking during the day. A scattering of trees adorned in rich fall colors of ruby red, burnt orange, burnished gold and emerald green lent a charming New England feel bolstered by the already-bright canvas of the main street. As we made our way toward the Town Center, I spotted a pretty blonde woman with a sea grass basket swinging on one arm, her silky silver wings beating rapidly as she glided along with her feet just inches above the ground.
“Excuse me,” I called. “Do you know where I might be able to find some breakfast around here?”
She spun around, her eyes widening with shock as she planted her feet on the ground. “Oh, my!” She flashed me a gorgeous smile and flitted over to us before taking my hands in hers. “It’s you! Gemma, right?”
“Gemma Bradbury.” I quirked a brow and glanced down at her hands, which were still clasped over mine, but she didn’t release me. Might as well go with it.
“I’m Destiny. Destiny Summer. Of Destiny’s Designs?”
“Oh, right!” I said, “I noticed your shop just a few doors down from… mine. Pleasure to meet you, Destiny.”
“I was just telling my brother David how eager I was to meet you. And here you are!”
“This place is like a high school gossip mill,” I said. “Is there anyone in Salem who doesn’t know about me?” I asked.
She tossed her head back, the air around her sparkling with her melodic laughter. I mean, literal sparkles. I stared in amazement at the flecks of iridescent glitter swirling about her flawless face. “Sorry! Fairy dust.” She giggled as she swatted at the sparkles. “We can usually control it, but sometimes when we get too excited, it just does its thing.
“Oh! Well aren’t you a beauty?” She knelt down to give Titus a quick chin scratch, eliciting a purr of satisfaction.
“I like her.”
“I’m surprised she let you pet her,” I said. “She’s usually a huge scaredy-cat.”
“Aw, is that true?” she asked, more of Titus than me. “You’ll find your confidence soon enough.” She swiped a handful of glitter from the air and sprinkled it on my cat’s forehead. “Take a bit of fairy mojo with you for an extra boost.” She winked, then stood and turned her attention back to me. “Now then! Breakfast? I bet you’re starving!”
“Yes, please! Where should we go?”
“I know just the place!” She looped her arm through mine and began walking. “Breakfast is on me. And then we’ll stop by my brother’s store and see about getting you a coat that fits!”
“That would be great,” I said. “This one actually belongs to Professor Bacchus. I’m sure he’d like it back.”
She gasped. “Beau lent you his coat?” She brought my arm up and pressed her nose to the fabric of my sleeve. “Mmm. Smells like a heaven full of dreamy men, doesn’t he?”
“I guess,” I said. I tried to appear lackadaisical, but the heat spreading across my cheeks betrayed me.
“Oh, girl. Stop. You don’t have to play coy with me. Every single woman in Salem wants to ride that man’s broomstick.” She nudged me with her elbow and gave me a knowing look. “Don’t pretend you’re any different.”
“Okay,” I admitted. “I may have thought about his broomstick once or twice.” My blush spread into a full-fledged crimson glow, and Destiny giggled.
“That’s more like it!”
“Wait, was that a euphemism, or did you mean an actual broom? Because of the whole witch thing?”
She giggled again. “Oh, I can’t tell you how excited I am to have you here!” she sang. “We’re going to be fast friends, just watch!” Had we been back in the human realm, I might have been annoyed by Destiny’s sunshine and rainbows persona. But after a night of murder and a restless night in that musty apartment, I welcomed her joyful attitude.
She pointed out important landmarks as we walked—the Farmers’ Market, the Bank of Salem, the Healing District—and chatted, mostly about Salem’s most eligible bachelors. By the time we a
rrived at the little cafe, my stomach was growling.
“Here we are! Alphita’s Bakery and Cafe,” she said.
“Do they have coffee?”
“Sure! Just your basics, but we can always grab a latte at Aurora’s on our way back. Alphita’s makes the most divine breads and desserts,” she said. “But I come here for biscuits. Talk about a mouthgasm!”
I followed her into the bakery, inhaling the warm, yeast-scented air with a sigh of contentment. “I can already tell I’m going to love this place,” I told her.
“Stick with me, Gemma. I’ll show you everything you need to know about Salem, and more. Grab a table. I’ll get our food. You’re going to love it!” Destiny flitted up to the counter and placed an order, pausing to call out and ask me what I wanted in my coffee. I posted up at a table near the front window, a perfect spot to read a book and watch the residents of Salem as they roamed about town.
Destiny appeared a few minutes later with a silver tray topped with two cups of coffee, three soft-boiled eggs in porcelain eggs cups, a stack of small, golden, pepper-flecked biscuits, and an assortment of butter, and jams. I helped her by moving everything from the tray to the table, then broke a biscuit open, allowing the steam to waft up as I slathered whipped butter across the top. I placed one half on a small plate, along with one of the soft-boiled eggs, and set it on the ground beneath my chair for Titus.
“Alphita’s Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits are the stuff foodie dreams are made of,” Destiny proclaimed.
One bite, and I was sold. I moaned with satisfaction as the flaky, buttery goodness soothed my hungry stomach. “Oh my goddess,” I mumbled. “This is freaking incredible!”
Destiny pushed a small jar toward me. “Pear and Sage Honey Jam. You need it in your life.”
I unscrewed the top and dipped my knife into the jam, then spread it across a second biscuit before taking another bite. “Wow,” I murmured. I sat back in my chair, staring at the table in disbelief. “Do they use magic in these?”
She laughed. “No, but it sure tastes like they do!”
“I seriously might never leave this place.” I tipped my coffee cup against my lips and sipped.
“Alphita’s has gotten me through many a heartbreak,” Destiny said.
“I can see why. With baked goods like this, who needs men?”
“Not me! These are amazing! Can we take some home?” Titus asked.
“How about we clean the kitchen before stocking it with delicious food?”
“Unless we’re talking about Beau Bacchus, am I right?” She winked, and I couldn’t help but laugh with her. Destiny’s natural glee was contagious.
“So right.” I relaxed against the chair as I sipped my coffee. “Speaking of gorgeous men,” I began. “What’s up with the High Council?”
“Girl,” she put her spoon down, growing serious. “You don’t know the half of it. Salem Men are stupid gorgeous. I guess the women are, too. Which is probably why the dating scene is so competitive. But my goddess.” She slapped a hand on the table and leaned forward. “So who did you like best? Dish.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “I spent the most time with Beau, so—”
“Nope. No way. You’re not getting off that easy. The first time I saw the High Council all lined up in one place, I nearly died from a testosterone overdose. We already established that Beau is a hot commodity. I wanna hear how you fared in that room all by your lonesome.”
I pressed my lips together in an attempt to hide the smile threatening to break out. It had been forever since I engaged in inane girl talk like this, the kind that just makes you forget all of your problems while you bask in the glory of the world’s finer things. Destiny blinked her pale blue eyes at me and rested her chin on both hands, making it clear she wasn’t going anywhere until I spilled.
“Okay, fine,” I said. “They were all smoking hot. But if I had to choose three? Bennett Covington, Gabriel Black, and… Cade Asterion.”
“Fine choices,” she agreed. She pointed her coffee cup at me. “You’ve got a thing for older men.”
“Do I?”
“Oh, yes. How old are you?”
“Thirty-three.”
“Me too! See? Meant to be BFFs!”
I wasn’t sure how being the same age translated into premium friendship points, but I didn’t argue. “Beau doesn’t seem that much older than me.”
“He just ages well. They all do. Beau is in his mid-40s. Gabriel, too. And Bennett? He stopped keeping track after a few centuries, but he’s up there. Anyway, I hear the added years translate to a more satisfying experience… if you know what I mean.”
I knew exactly what she meant, but I wasn’t ready to go there with her yet. Maybe on our third friend date. Better to steer the conversation to a safer topic. “Are you seeing anyone?” I asked.
Please don’t say Beau. Please don’t say Beau. Please don’t say Beau.
“Well,” she teased, “there is this one guy… we’ve gone on a few dates. And I’m beyond smitten. But my brother would kill us both if he knew. So it has to be a secret.
“My lips are sealed.”
“Patrick McAllister.”
“The leprechaun Taoiseach?”
“Eeeee!” She covered her face with her hands. “I know! I know! David would be livid! But he’s so hot, Gemma. And he has a real naughty streak that I can’t wait to see more of.”
“Wait. David the Fairy Prince? He’s your brother? Does that make you a… an actual Fairy Princess?”
She waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t let the title fool you. Fairy Princesses are a dime a dozen around here. Literally. I’m one of twelve girls. As the only boy in the family, David is Daddy’s pride and joy. That’s why he got the Council seat.”
“Why wouldn’t David approve of you dating Patrick?”
“Fairy politics,” she said. “I won’t bore you with the details, but the Fairy seat on the High Council is supposed to govern all fae in Salem—fairies, pixies, elves, banshees, leprechauns—there are too many to count, really, but the point is, someone has to keep the peace, and our family has been Fae Royalty since Salem’s creation, so the task fell to us.” She emptied her coffee cup and continued. “Anyway, at some point the leprechauns tried to overthrow our family and take charge of the fae population. They claimed that because they controlled the money in town, they should be granted more power. My family disagreed, but the Coven granted the leprechauns a seat on the High Council to keep the peace. That was two hundred years ago, and the two factions have been feuding ever since. Patrick says he wants to keep it casual. If either of our families found out about it, it would be an epic battle. But I really, really like him, Gemma.”
“It sounds like a tough situation,” I said. “Maybe see how things play out with Patrick before you commit to risking a magical war?”
“You’re probably right,” she said. “Hey, listen. Thanks for the talk.”
“Of course.” I shrugged. I didn’t do much talking, but it was clear Destiny needed a confidante. “What are friends for?”
We bussed our table and headed back out to the street.
8
So is it creepy, sleeping in a dead man’s apartment?”
I let my head drop back and blew out a breath. “So creepy. And it smells weird. Like death. If I’m honest, I’m not exactly thrilled about living or working there.”
“Oh, but you have to, Gemma! The town understands that you need a few days to get settled in, and it’s only right to close the shop until after Morty’s funeral. But if you don’t reopen soon, people will start to panic.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t the Coven tell you? Mortimer Montcrief has a monopoly on magical goods in town. He gets the plants, crystals, and essential oils from the farmers and miners, and wholesales them to other businesses. If Montcrief’s shuts down, a lot of businesses in Salem will have to cease operations. The apothecary, the salon, the day spa, the candle shop, all of the healers.”
She counted off on her fingers as she listed them. “Oh, and the wandmaker! What a disaster that would be!”
“Can’t they just buy directly from the source?” I asked. “Now that Morty’s dead, it seems like it should be easy enough to break up his monopoly.”
“Oh, no!” She shook her head. “The contracts are iron-clad. Everyone knows that. I suppose someone could challenge them, but they’d have to put in a request with the Hall of Records first, and then—”
“Nevermind,” I said. “I understand.”
“It really is a mess,” she said. “Everyone’s frustrated by the bureaucracy, but what can you do? Just the other day, I was talking to Kayleigh from Pixie Potions, and she said Clarence—that’s the Jinn who owns Golden Lamp Plantation—was trying to negotiate a better deal on Morty’s herb supply contract, and things got pretty heated. She said the old man was yelling so loud she could hear him all the way over at her shop, and when she rushed out to see what was happening, she saw Clarence storming out.”
“Morty really must have struck a nerve with him,” I said.
“Morty was a cranky old man, for sure. But Clarence is one of the most patient souls I’ve ever met.” A conspiratorial expression crossed her face. “Whatever they were arguing about, it must have been really important to him. Otherwise, I can’t imagine him getting so angry.”
“Interesting,” I said. “I should probably introduce myself to Clarence, see if we can revisit those negotiations before I reopen the shop. Where did you say the plantation is?”
“On the southern edge of town,” she said. “But you’ll want to freshen up and change clothes before you go.”
“What’s wrong with how I look?” I glanced down at my outfit consisting of yesterday’s clothes and Beau’s coat.
“Girl, trust me.” She grabbed my arm and dragged me through the door of Fae Fashion & Fabrics, where she planted me in front of a mirror. She stepped back, examining me, then called out, “David!”
A pair of silver silk curtains parted in the back, and the Fairy Prince appeared, looking bored as ever. But when he saw me, he brightened.
