Magic & Misdeeds

by Annabel Chase

  Magic & Misdeeds

  Starry Hollow Witches, Book 11

  Annabel Chase

  Red Palm Press LLC

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Also by Annabel Chase

  Chapter One

  Are we out of breadsticks again? Raoul complained. My raccoon familiar raided the pantry while I made a pitcher of homemade dandelion iced tea. I contemplated adding a splash or five of vodka to liven up my little get-together but, surprisingly, common sense prevailed.

  “What do you mean again?” I asked. “I don’t remember opening the last box.”

  He vacated the pantry and climbed onto the island. I think I saw Marley with suspicious crumbs on her face last night.

  I gave him a long look. “Are you sure it wasn’t your own reflection in the mirror?”

  Raoul licked his paws and smoothed back his fur. It’s hard to mistake this model of perfection for anyone else.

  He sprawled across the island like he was preparing for a photo shoot and I shooed him away. “Get down before you get fur in the iced tea.”

  For someone who regularly extends the five-second rule to sixty, you’re being awfully particular.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “I don’t think my cousins will appreciate a dash of raccoon in their drinks.”

  Because they’re snobs. Everybody knows raccoon hair is a delicacy.

  “They’re not snobs,” I said hotly. “Maybe Aunt Hyacinth is, but Florian and Aster are very down-to-earth.” As far as privileged wizards and witches went, I’d lucked out with the younger generation of Rose-Muldoons.

  Before the doorbell even rang, my aging Yorkshire terrier—Prescott Peabody III—began to bark from his place on the sofa like a murderer was climbing through the window.

  “Calm down,” I scolded him as I passed by. “It’s just Florian and Aster.” I opened the door to greet my cousins.

  “Hello there.” Aster kissed my cheek as she entered.

  PP3 gave one more half-hearted growl before settling back down on the sofa. “Come on in,” I said. “Don’t let the guard dog put you off.”

  “Mr. Peabody and I are old pals, aren’t we?” Florian walked to the sofa to scratch the dog’s head.

  “I had a nosy peek at your herb garden outside,” Aster said. “It’s coming along nicely.”

  “You can credit Marley for that,” I said. “I’ve found it best to keep well away so I can’t be blamed for anything that goes wrong.”

  “A reasonable plan,” Florian said. He removed his sunglasses and I noticed his bloodshot eyes.

  “Late night?” I asked, with a trace of amusement.

  He grinned. “Aren’t they all?”

  I motioned for them to sit and took my place beside the dog. “Thanks for meeting me here. I’ve got to run Marley straight to her music lesson after school, so the window of opportunity is short.”

  Aster perched on the edge of the chair opposite me. “Mother mentioned that you’re covering this weekend’s Wizards Connect tournament for the paper, so we thought we should give you all the background information before it starts.” Aster’s gaze darted to her brother. “We know your technological skills are somewhat…”

  “Lacking? Nonexistent?” I waved a hand. “It’s fine. You can say it. I know what my limitations are.”

  Are you sure about that? Raoul asked, joining us around the coffee table. I’ve seen you inhale a whole pepperoni pizza.

  I glared at the raccoon. Can you not critique me while I’m hosting? It’s distracting.

  His beady eyes widened. Oh, this is hosting? He surveyed the room in an exaggerated fashion. Heavens to Betsy. Wherever are the crudités?

  I made iced tea. Oh. “I made iced tea,” I announced hastily. “Let me get it.” I hurried toward the kitchen.

  “Anything that involves hydration is probably a good idea for me,” Florian called after me.

  I was relieved that I chose the responsible path and omitted the vodka. I poured two glasses and returned to the living area to hand one to each of my guests. I’d never be Martha Stewart, but I was okay with that.

  “So, what do I need to know about this tournament?” I asked.

  Florian lit up. “It’s going to be amazing. Paranormals are already flocking to town. I went into the Whitethorn last night and it was positively heaving.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “Really? Aren’t these losers…I mean, these gamers all introverts?”

  “Not all,” Florian said. “I met a pixie last night in town for the tournament who would definitely qualify as extroverted.”

  Aster groaned. “I think you’re confusing extrovert with hyperextended.”

  “I’ll show you the game,” Florian said. He tapped his phone and showed me the screen. “For purposes of the tournament, all you need to know is that whichever gamer obtains the Emerald Chalice first is the winner.”

  “What do they win?” I asked.

  Florian’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “A trophy that looks like the Emerald Chalice and bragging rights, of course.”

  “No money?” I asked.

  Not even free pizza? Raoul blew a raspberry. I was going to find an old phone at the dump so I could play, but sounds like it’s not worth it.

  “They play because they love the game and this is an opportunity to get together with other like-minded individuals,” Aster explained. “They’ll build friendships that can last a lifetime.”

  Raoul pretended to snore.

  “A geek fest,” I said. “I get it.”

  Florian started swiping on his screen and I gasped as he staked a vampire. “Got him,” he said, and pumped his fist in the air.

  “Why did you have to kill him?” I asked.

  Florian looked at me. “You know he isn’t real, right? It’s not like I just murdered your boyfriend.”

  “Killing paranormals is part of the game,” Aster said. “They present as obstacles to your goals. Vampires are one of the hardest to kill.”

  Naturally.

  “Leprechauns are the easiest,” Florian said. “You use one of the iron items in your supply list and bam!” He grinned. “Is it wrong that I laugh whenever I kill one? They make these angry faces right before they die, like they’re so affronted that you killed them.”

  I squinted at the screen. “What kind of supplies do you have?”

  He tapped the screen to open to a new page and pointed. “You collect things you find as you go because you never know what will come in handy. I’m a fan of the silver lasso and the cast iron skillet because they’re useful for both killing and survival skills.”

  “Or you can buy them with gold,” Aster said.

  “Why would the lasso be silver…?” I trailed off, the realization dawning on me. “And werewolves play this too?”

  “Werewolves are a huge percentage of the WC community,” Florian said.

  PP3 growled at the mention of werewolves and I patted his head reassuringly. “You’re not as deaf as you pretend to be, are you?”

  Aster gave PP3 a disapproving look. “I’m glad we haven’t given in to the boys’ pleas for a dog,” she said. “Cats are far less work.”

  “Well, we’ve got one of those too,” I said. Sort of. Marley’s familiar was a kitten—with wings. “Bonkers
is young and spry, so she doesn’t need the same kind of attention that PP3 does.”

  Does that mean when I’m old, you’ll finally pay attention to me? Raoul asked.

  I rolled my eyes. Oh, right. Because you’re sorely lacking in that department.

  The door burst open and Marley dragged herself into the cottage with her backpack hanging off her shoulder.

  “Tough day at the office, sweetheart?” I asked. “Should I fix you a bourbon on the rocks and rub your feet?”

  Marley flung the backpack against the wall and released a breath. “I have so much homework this weekend.”

  Florian frowned. “I thought we’d asked the schools to go easy on homework this weekend to allow for more children to participate in the tournament.”

  Marley laughed. “Do you really think the teachers at the Black Cloak Academy are going to withhold homework so that I can play a game on my phone all weekend?”

  “In the interest of community spirit, yes,” Florian said.

  Marley threw herself on the sofa. “I don’t want to play anyway. I’m not really into those kinds of games.”

  “But Wizards Connect is hugely popular,” Florian said. “I’ll bet lots of your friends are playing.”

  “I don’t like that it’s called Wizards Connect,” Marley said. “That’s so sexist. Do they assume girls aren’t gaming?”

  “Because Witches and Wizards Connect is presumably a mouthful,” Aster said. “They want to keep it simple for marketing purposes.”

  “Then why not Witches Connect?” she asked.

  “Because then boys probably wouldn’t play,” Florian said.

  Marley glanced up at him. “See? Sexist.”

  “They should have called it Paranormals Connect,” Aster said. “The game consists of all sorts of species.”

  “Yes, but you’re playing as a wizard,” Florian said. “You kill the other species in pursuit of your goal.”

  “I want to play,” Marley announced.

  “But you don’t even like gaming,” I protested. “You just said so.”

  “I’ve decided I want to win,” she said. “I want to show them that girls can play the game every bit as well as boys.” She fixed her big blue eyes on me. “Will you help me?”

  I barked a short laugh. “You realize who you’re asking, right?”

  “The woman who short circuits the microwave,” Marley said. “Yes, I’m aware. I’ve been living with you my whole life.”

  I hesitated. “You said you have a lot of homework this weekend.”

  “I’ll manage,” she said. “You know I always get my work done.”

  “You’re already covering the tournament for the newspaper,” Florian said. “Might as well immerse yourself in the topic.”

  I gave Marley’s chin an affectionate pinch. “You know I can’t resist this face.”

  Florian flattened his hands on his thighs. “The tournament kicks off at sunrise. The diehards won’t miss it, so up to you if you want the full experience.”

  “So I have between now and sunrise tomorrow to learn how to play this game?” I said.

  “We’ll get started straight after my music lesson,” Marley said.

  “Not so fast,” I said. “Don’t forget we’re going to Palmetto House for dinner.”

  Marley gave our cousins a deadpan look. “She never forgets a dinner when she doesn’t have to cook.”

  “Gee, thanks,” I said.

  “I’ll be interested to hear what you think of cousin Philip,” Aster said.

  “I’m interested to see what I think of cousin Philip,” Florian said. “I haven’t seen him since I was a child.”

  “Somehow it doesn’t surprise me that he’s a gamer,” Aster said.

  I balked. “Wait, that’s why he’s in town?”

  “Yes,” Aster said. “He’s participating in the tournament.”

  I laughed. “Sweet baby Elvis. I thought that was a coincidence.”

  “You’ll understand better when you meet him,” Aster said.

  “Have you seen him yet?” I asked.

  “No, we’ll be seeing him at dinner tonight, same as you,” Florian said.

  “Why isn’t he staying with Aunt Hyacinth?” Marley asked. “She has all those extra rooms.”

  Aster and Florian exchanged glances. “He and Mother don’t really get along,” Aster said. “It’s one of the reasons he hasn’t been back to visit.”

  “He and our father were close growing up, but they grew apart as they got older,” Florian said. “Cousin Philip was always a bit of a free spirit. Did what he wanted and didn’t mind what anyone’s opinion was.”

  “Like you,” Marley said to him.

  “Not exactly.” Florian patted her head. “You’ll see.”

  Thanks to Marley’s music lesson running ten minutes past schedule, we arrived late to dinner at Palmetto House. Everyone was already gathered around the table, including Linnea’s kids—Bryn and Hudson—and a few guests of the inn. Linnea sometimes had the family dine in a separate area, but she must’ve decided to group us together tonight because of Philip’s visit.

  “Ember and Marley, I’d like you meet our cousin, Philip Muldoon,” Linnea said.

  When the wizard stood to shake my hand, it took every ounce of self-control I possessed not to react. My cousins weren’t kidding about him. In a Pokémon T-shirt and faded jeans, Philip looked sixty going on sixteen.

  “What an absolute pleasure,” he said. “I’ve heard so much about you both.”

  “It’s great to meet you,” I said.

  “And these are guests of the inn,” Linnea continued. “Lewis and Clark are here for the tournament.” She gestured to the gnome and leprechaun at the table.

  “Lewis and Clark,” Marley repeated. “Really?”

  They exchanged baffled looks. “Yes, why?” Lewis queried.

  “They’re a famous pair of explorers in human history,” Marley said. She took her seat beside me. “They traveled more than eight thousand miles together.”

  “Lewis and I have probably traveled more than eight thousand miles together at this point,” the leprechaun said. “We’ve known each other since we were kids.”

  “We travel for gaming tournaments a few times a year,” Lewis added.

  “This is Starry Hollow’s first time hosting anything like it,” Linnea said. “And we’ve got a full house to show for it. It’s going to be a busy weekend.”

  “We’ll be out of your hair most of the time,” Clark said. “We need to find all the hot spots.” The leprechaun stared intently at his phone as he spoke.

  “Mom, you always say no technology at the table,” Hudson complained.

  “And I’m making an exception this weekend for obvious reasons,” Linnea replied. “Palmetto House itself is some kind of hot spot, so gamers keep appearing outside. I guess I have my siblings to thank for that.” She gave Aster and Florian a pointed look.

  “One was peeking in the window from the backyard earlier,” Bryn said. “It was creepy.”

  “I thought you’d appreciate the free marketing,” Florian said. “If it takes seven times for an ad to register, imagine how many times you have to see Palmetto House before deciding you might want to stay here.”

  “I don’t think they’re seeing anything beyond their phone screens,” Linnea said, “but I appreciate the thought.”

  “It’s a wonderful place you have here,” Philip said. “I can imagine what your mother thinks of it though. I remember this place before you bought it. It was a fixer upper, wasn’t it?”

  Linnea suppressed a smile. “Yes, Mother wasn’t what I would call pleased.”

  “Is she ever?” Philip asked.

  “You do plan to see her, don’t you?” Aster asked. “I think she’d be offended if you didn’t at least pop in for a quick visit.”

  “As it happens, she’s invited me for Sunday dinner and I’ve accepted,” Philip said.

  Clark glanced up from his phone. “What ab
out the tournament?”

  “One dinner won’t be the death of me,” Philip said. “According to the schedule, the winner will be awarded the trophy at Balefire Beach on Monday afternoon.”

  “Yes,” Florian said. “I originally planned to have it on Sunday, but Mother isn’t exactly flexible when it comes to traditions.”

  “You don’t have to tell me,” Philip said. “I remember one year I suggested celebrating your father’s birthday out of town and you should have seen the look of fury on your mother’s face. She nearly hexed me right then and there.”

  “She always liked to celebrate birthdays at Thornhold,” Linnea said.

  “Thornhold?” Lewis perked up. “That’s a hot spot too. Good place to find gold.”

  “Yes, it’s where I live,” Florian said.

  Philip laughed. “I can just picture your mother’s reaction to a lawn full of gamers.”

  “You haven’t used Rose Cottage, have you?” I asked.

  “No, you’re safe back there,” Florian said. “I didn’t want to give the dog a stroke.”

  Or Marley. She was prone to anxiety and the last thing I needed was a parade of strange men outside our window or trampling her new herb garden.

  Clark grimaced and tossed his phone onto the table. “Unlucky charms! I missed that vampire. Now he’s going to come back stronger.”

  “Is that how it works?” I asked.

  “Yes,” Lewis said. “Any obstacle you don’t defeat comes back stronger the next time. They feed off your failure.”

  “Sounds like Mother,” Linnea said wryly.

  “It’s one of the aspects of the game I like,” Philip said. “Keeps it challenging. Some of them get too repetitive. I get bored and stop playing.”

  “How are you already playing?” I asked. “Doesn’t the tournament start at sunrise?”

  “I’m playing the normal game right now for practice,” Clark said. “The game will automatically switch to tournament mode when the time comes.”