by Zoe Arden
Eleanor slowly descended the stairs, Trixie walking just ahead of her. I joined them at the bottom step, and together we made our way down the aisle. It was lined with red carpet and white and red roses. I saw my father standing with Sadie, Lucy, and Lottie. Melbourne and Russell were in the row in front of them, along with William Carney. I didn't see Megan. She was probably out sulking. She had hoped that Mayor Thomas would be reinstated so she could continue working for him. Mayor Thomas wasn't here either.
Lucy had spoken to William and convinced him that Coffee Cove would be better with two managers instead of one. From what she'd told me, he'd needed a little convincing but not much. Coffee Cove was busy, and he'd been running himself ragged trying to get everything done. So, as of last week, William and Melbourne were in business together, and Melbourne had never looked happier.
Wilma Trueheart sat the back row with Karla Louis. Karla waved to me as we walked past. Wilma smiled softly. She still wasn't welcome by most people in Sweetland Cove after it had come out she'd had her bakery goods imported. She'd never even made one cupcake on her own. But now that Sheriff Knoxx and my family knew it hadn't been her who had robbed her own store, we felt that maybe she deserved a second chance. We'd apologized for not believing her before, and she'd apologized for wanting to put my family out of business.
I still wasn't sure that I trusted Wilma, but at least I knew she wasn't a killer. She was just someone who was having a hard time dealing with her sister's death and her niece's incarceration. I couldn't blame her for that. Not really.
Eleanor stopped beside Sheriff Knoxx, who took her hand, kissed it, and turned with her to face the minister. He took them through their vows, and when it came to the ring exchange, Sheriff Knoxx turned toward Colt. Colt handed Sheriff Knoxx the ring for Eleanor, and I handed Eleanor her ring for Sheriff Knoxx. Colt looked amazing in his suit. His tie was a dark pink to match the bridesmaid's dresses.
As Eleanor and Sheriff Knoxx slipped the rings on each other’s fingers, I couldn't help but wonder if Colt and I would ever be up here, doing something similar. There was no rush. Time would tell. All I knew was that I didn't object to the idea. In fact, I rather liked the thought of being Mrs. Hudson.
The minister finally looked at Eleanor and Sheriff Knoxx, a big smile on his face, and said, "I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
They kissed and everyone cheered. Together, they made their way down the aisle and to the backyard where the reception had been set up. The cake had been made in secret by me, Trixie, and my dad so that Eleanor would be surprised. It towered ten feet above the ground, pure white just like Eleanor's dress. Thick layers of chocolate luck frosting lay between equally thick layers of vanilla bean cake. There were sugar roses of all different colors trailing up the side of the of the cake, a rainbow on snow.
Elanor and Sheriff Knoxx cut the cake and took turns smashing the pieces into each other's faces. Everyone laughed. Music started to play, and Colt spun me out onto the dance floor.
"They look happy," he said.
"They do."
"Think you might like to do that one day? Get married, I mean?"
I blushed and looked away.
"One day." I was just glad to know that he was thinking about it.
There was a sudden burst of laughter from the left side of the yard. Colt and I turned to see Tadpole on Otis’ shoulder, up on his hind legs, dancing for the crowd, who stood delightedly cheering for him.
Eleanor and Sheriff Knoxx—Uncle Zane—called for a toast as the music died down. Colt handed me a glass of champagne.
"We just wanted to thank everyone for coming out tonight," Sheriff Knoxx said.
"It's meant so much to us," chimed in Eleanor.
"We just want to say," said the sheriff, looking at his beautiful bride, "that we couldn't have gotten here without all of you, who supported us every step of the way." He lifted his glass. "To friends and family."
Everyone in the crowd lifted theirs, too, and repeated the toast. "To friends and family."
* * *
Epilogue
.
I stopped at the sheriff's station, hoping to catch Eleanor. She and Sheriff Knoxx were returning from their honeymoon in Barbados. They'd been gone for two weeks and while they were away, Trixie, my dad, and I had gotten all of Eleanor's belongings moved from our house to her new one with Sheriff Knoxx.
It was strange knowing she wouldn't be living with us anymore. I knew that Trixie might take months to get used to the idea, but she was doing her best to adjust. It wasn't as though we'd never see her. Eleanor would still be at the bakery with us all day, but still, it wasn't the same.
"Hi, Otis," I said. "Is Eleanor back yet?"
"Hi, Ava," Otis said. Tadpole waved to me. I waved back. "Uh, no, they're not back just yet. I expect them any minute now, though."
I noted that Otis wasn't wearing his normal deputy's uniform, but a blue pinstriped suit, and wondered how Sheriff Knoxx felt about his leaving. The idea of Mayor Otis Winken was almost as strange as the idea that Eleanor wouldn't be living with us anymore.
The elections were officially over, and people were generally happy with the results. Tazzie Singer was the new mayor of Mistmoor Point, officially. Otis Winken had won in Sweetland Cove. It had been quite a landslide on both counts. Apparently, Tadpole had played a major role in getting Otis elected. From what Otis told us, Tadpole had a steady supply of potato chips these days as a big thank you.
"Well, it's no big deal," I told Otis. "I just wanted to hear about their trip is all. I'll catch up to her later."
"I'll let them know you were here when I see them," Otis replied.
"When do you officially take over as mayor?" I asked Otis.
"Oh, I already have," he said. "I got sworn in and everything. I'm just heading things up here until the sheriff gets back, then Tadpole and I are going to move into the mayor's official office. It'll be nice having all that room."
"What's the first thing you want to do as mayor?" I asked, curious. Otis had had a lot of good ideas.
"Oh, that's easy, I want to stop this new work program that COMHA has coming out."
"Work program?" I asked.
He nodded seriously. "Oh, yeah, I think it's dangerous. Criminals like Polly Peacock should never be let out of prison. I don't care how many guards will be watching them."
My heart skipped a beat. "Otis, what are you talking about?"
"Didn't Colt tell you?" Otis asked.
"No, he's been in Florida the last few days, doing something for Dean. Tell me what?"
"COMHA has this new work program, see. It lets out people in prison so that they can rehabilitee back into society. They're planning to let out Polly Peacock and someone in Mistmoor named Calista Woodruff. Calista's just been at Witch Hill, which is more of a reform school, so I'm not too worried about her. But Polly is dangerous."
"I can't believe they'd let her out," I said.
"Me either. That's why I'm going to work to stop it. If they let her out, then who's next? Slater Winston?" Otis shuddered at the thought.
"Thanks for telling me, Otis," I said.
"Oh. sure, Ava. Anytime. As mayor, my door will always be open to people who want to talk to me. That's one of my rules. Tadpole has some rules, too, like he wants to visit the children in the hospital again. He liked that because it made them happy. I think I'm going to set up a weekly visit with him. Even if I can't make it, he can still go."
"I think that's a nice idea, Otis," I said, but I was hardly listening now.
I had to talk to Colt. If Polly was really getting out of prison, I was almost positive she'd come after me. I took a deep breath and forced myself to relax. Maybe Otis had his information wrong. Maybe it wasn't Polly who would be getting out. No point in worrying about anything until I talked to Colt. He would know. Then I would worry if I had to, but maybe it wouldn't come to that.
Maybe everything would be all right.
*
* *
THANK YOU
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Batter and Spells is Book 5 in Sweetland Witch Series.
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PROLOGUE
Polly Peacock took a deep breath and addressed the men and women surrounding her.
"I regret everything. Every crime I committed, every time I used dark magic. All of it."
She watched the faces of those judging her. They ranged from livid to concerned to confused. No one looked happy. The only one who looked bored was President Todd Ashby, the man whose final say would mean the difference between returning to her cell at Swords and Bones, a maximum-security prison, or returning to freedom and the home she'd thought she'd lost forever.
This was the last in a series of hearings, and Dean Lampton had assured the Council on Magic and Human Affairs that he could handle things alone. As the head of the Council, affectionately dubbed COMHA by the greater witching world, they had trusted him to keep things in order.
President Ashby stared blankly ahead. A man of sixty, his thick, gray hair and dark, handsome eyes had helped secure his victory not long ago in the Witch and Warlock World Elections. He'd easily won North and South America, as the Witching Times had predicted he would. Lin Kay had won Asia, and Polly couldn't remember who'd gotten Europe or the others. Living in a wizard's prison made it difficult to keep up with the things happening around you.
Unlike the human world, wizard presidents ruled over entire continents, not just countries. North and South America were ruled together since they were both Americas, though some argued they should maintain separate presidents since they were still separate continents. But the wizard population in both countries together was still far less than the wizard population in Europe alone.
In general, continents were considered the best way to rule. There weren't nearly as many witches and warlocks as there were humans, so it made sense to divide things up by larger territories. Of course, each city and town could elect its own mayor, and sometimes there were paranormals who had no use for a wizard president at all. Goblins always elected their own kings, and vampires... well, vampires did what vampires wanted to do.
If human organizations like MAPP—Mothers Against Paranormal Predators—got their way, all of that would change. There would be no more wizard presidents, no more wizards. In fact. MAPP would like to take all the paranormals and drop them off the face of the Earth. It was just lucky for the wizarding community that most humans thought MAPP consisted of looney-toon women who had too much time on their hands and drank too much champagne with their brunch.
When President Ashby said nothing, Polly cleared her throat to try again.
"I wasn't thinking clearly when I committed those crimes. Slater Winston was... charming. I thought I was in love with him. It was all a trick. He was only using me. I see that now."
Warden Myron Banks stood up and pounded his fist on the table. "Slater Winston is human," he yelled, his eyebrows drawing together in an ugly frown. "She makes it sound as if he... he'd hexed her or something." She wished he'd have remained as silent as he'd been for the last five minutes. He'd been almost violently opposed to her release since COMHA had first proposed it.
"No," Polly said quickly, twirling one strand of blond hair around her finger. Her eyes darted from the warden to the guards back to President Ashby.
"And what about your escape just last year?" Warden Banks continued. "Was that all Margaret Binford's fault? If Slater didn't hex you, did she?" His eyes were blazing. He turned to President Ashby, his dark hair spinning into his eyes. "Polly Peacock is responsible for the death of her own mother."
"No!" Polly shouted, her voice rising. Her hands shook as she addressed President Ashby directly. "I take full responsibility for my actions. No one hexed me. But my mother..." She gulped at the memory. Even though she hadn't killed Anastasia Peacock herself, the person she'd been working with at the time—Margaret Binford—had.
"My mother's death is something I can never take back. I will always regret working with Margaret Binford. If I'd known what she was capable of, I would never have agreed to anything she suggested."
Warden Banks scoffed. "She suggested? You're telling me that it wasn't your idea to try and sacrifice Damon Tellinger and Ava Fortune? That you didn't want your powers restored through the blood ritual?"
Polly hesitated. "It wasn't my idea to kidnap Ava or Damon," she said, biting her lip. "It was Margaret's and Slater's." She wished she had never heard the name Slater Winston. Her old boyfriend had been nothing but trouble since she'd first met him. Margaret had been even worse.
Dean Lampton cleared his throat. "Mr. President," he began, bowing dramatically, "as discussed in our previous meetings, COMHA's new plan for a prison work release program would never allow anyone truly dangerous to be on the streets."
"Ha!" shouted one of the guards, Elizabeth Rambler. Her cheeks reddened as everyone looked at her. Her dark hair framed her pale face in such a way that even when it was pulled into a tight bun as it was now, you could still tell how thick and luxurious it was. Her skin glowed. She was frequently compared to Snow White, despite having the temper of the evil queen.
"I'm sorry," Elizabeth shouted, now that she had everyone's attention, "but Warden Banks is right. Releasing Polly Peacock, or anyone else for that matter, is about as stupid as watering your flowers when it's raining outside."
"Now look here," Dean Lampton yelled, raising one finger in Elizabeth's direction.
"No, you look here," she shouted back at him. "I've worked at Swords and Bones and that country club of a prison, Wormwood Work Camp, where Polly was first sent before her escape, so we've known each other for quite some time. She's no good. She'll never change."
"That's not true!" Polly shouted. "I've already changed. Being at Swords and Bones has taught me the value of... of..."
"Of what?" President Ashby asked, speaking for the first time.
"Of freedom. Of what it means not to have any." She gulped as her voice cracked. "Of the little things in life, like... kindness. Like thanking someone when they help you."
Sean Usher took a step forward. If Elizabeth Rambler was the meanest female guard at Swords and Bones, Sean was the meanest male guard. Everyone knew he had a mad crush on Elizabeth and would have done anything to get into her good graces.
"Can I just remind everyone of one important aspect to all this which I think is being overlooked?" Sean asked. They stared at him with raised eyebrows. "Dean Lampton says that no murderers are to be included in this work release program of COMHA's but Polly Peacock is a murderer. She killed Margaret Binford."
"That's right," Warden Banks shouted. "What do you say to that, Lampton?" He was grinning at Dean with an expression so smug it made Polly's blood boil. She hated being talked about like she wasn't there, and that's all they'd done all morning.
"I wasn't convicted on that!" Polly shouted.
Dean held up one hand, waving her off. This program was important to him. She knew it was only because of some sort of tax incentive COMHA would get if it went into effect but she didn't care. He was trying to help her.
"As Miss Peacock has just stated," Dean said, "she was never convicted of Margaret Binford's murder. That was ruled self-defense."
"Ha!" Elizabeth shouted again, rolling her eyes. "That's ridiculous! How can you be such a warthog? Are you always so dumb or—" Warden Banks placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and shook his head, warning her off from saying anything further.
"Self-defense or not," Warden Banks said, "she is responsible for a host of crimes that affected both Sweetland Cove and Mistmoor Point. Crimes for which she has not sufficiently paid."
"All of Polly's magical powers have been removed," Dean said quickly. "Both her powers as a witch and those of her pixie heritage. I promise you she is no threat to anyone."
"What do you think?" President Ashby asked, addressing Polly. "Do you think you've paid sufficiently for your crimes?" He glanced at his watch. Polly wasn't sure whether that was a good sign or a bad one. Her throat felt dry as she tried to speak.
"I'm not sure that I can ever truly finish paying for my crimes," she said, trying to think of the best way to express what she was feeling. "I mean... how can you ever make up for hurting people?"
"Oh, for witch's sake!" Warden Banks cried, his face going red. "Anastasia Peacock died because of her actions. She is responsible for the death of her own mother!"
Polly burst into a fresh round of tears. "If I could give my life to bring her back. I would." She looked tearfully up into the eyes of President Ashby, who was watching her intently now. "It's for my mother that I want to do this. I want to prove to myself, and everyone else, that I've changed. I... I want to make her proud of me."
President Ashby looked around at their little group before checking his watch again. "We'll try the program for a month," he finally said. "Start small. Miss Peacock and that girl from Witch Hill—what was her name?—Calista Woodruff. Let them both out. If nothing goes wrong, we'll see about letting out others."
Polly was so happy her tears flowed even faster, pooling at her feet. Warden Banks glared at her. He moved swiftly toward her, catching her off guard.
"If you make one wrong move," he growled, his hot, garlic breath blowing on her face, "I'll make sure you never see the light of day again. Ever."