Hex Over Heels: A Witch Cozy Mystery (Fairy Falls Mystery Book 2) Read online

  HEX OVER HEELS

  FAIRY FALLS MYSTERY #2

  SAMANTHA SILVER

  Cover by

  MALLORY ROCK

  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

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Untitled

  Also by Samantha Silver

  About the Author

  CHAPTER 1

  I wasn’t the biggest fan of snakes. And that was too bad because there were currently about a hundred of them inching toward me, slithering along the ground like the creepy danger noodles I knew they really were.

  “Why do they have to be so creepy?” I called out to my cousin Scarlett, who stood about fifty feet away, watching the entertainment with a grin on her face.

  “They’re not real, Mina,” she replied. “Remember that.”

  “They sure look real to me,” I said, panic rising in my voice as one particularly enthusiastic snake slithered toward me and up my leg. I let out a squeal, lifting my leg and shaking it, desperate to get the snake off it. After a couple of moments it flew off me, soaring through the air, its body twisting before it disappeared in a puff of smoke.

  “Ugh,” I muttered, a shiver running up and down my spine.

  “Focus,” Scarlett called out to me, and I nodded.

  Taking a deep breath, I looked at the snakes, trying not to think about their gross, slithering bodies, trying not to think about the low hisses emanating from their mouths, trying not to think about their forked, flickering tongues.

  How anyone could keep a snake as a pet was beyond me.

  But I wasn’t here to think about the snakes, I was here to get rid of them. I pointed my wand, a gorgeous pastel-green piece of wood inlaid with silver flecks, and focused all of my energy on the words Scarlett had taught me a few moments earlier.

  “Venus, goddess of beauty, get rid of these snakes, so they move far away from me.”

  I pointed my wand at the group of snakes as energy flowed from my body through my arms then into the wand and out into the world. I still wasn’t fully accustomed to the sensation of magic coursing through my body, and I inhaled sharply as the spell cast.

  A split second later, the snakes all disappeared in a puff of smoke, just as the one I’d kicked off my leg had done a moment earlier.

  The snakes were gone.

  “Good,” Scarlett said, clapping her hands enthusiastically as I breathed a sigh of immense relief.

  “Did you really have to make snakes? Why couldn’t I practice with, I don’t know, puppies?”

  “Because you have to learn how to cast spells under pressure,” Scarlett replied. “And using creepy animals instead of adorable animals you just want to play with is the best way to do that. You of all witches should know how important it is to be able to use magic under pressure.”

  I nodded. A couple of days earlier, on my first trip to Fairy Falls, I’d ended up embroiled in a murder investigation that ended with my life almost being ended by magic.

  “Ok, fine, but for the record, I still think it should have been puppies.”

  “Maybe next time,” Scarlett said with a laugh. “But good job with that spell. You nailed it on the first try.”

  “It was mainly desperation. I needed those snakes gone. Did you see the one that tried slithering up my leg? Disgusting.”

  “I did,” Scarlett said. “He was an energetic one, that snake.”

  “He was a gross one,” I said, shuddering at the memory. “Well, I vote that we make a new rule: no more snakes when teaching me spells.”

  “Fine, I can always conjure up some spiders instead.”

  “Nope, they’re also on the do-not-conjure list,” I replied with a firm shake of my head. I’d probably prefer to take on snakes than spiders. Snakes were just a little bit creepy. Spiders were terrifying. There was something about the way they moved that just didn’t seem natural. I wasn’t a big fan of creepy-crawlies, in case that wasn’t obvious.

  “Ok, well, on the bright side, I think that’s enough magic for today,” Scarlett said. “Let’s head back into town.”

  We were currently in a large field on the outskirts of Fairy Falls where we could practice all sorts of magic without too much distraction. I had only found out I was a witch a couple of days earlier, and I was very new to this paranormal life. I still wasn’t sure I’d made the right call. I had quit my job in New York City and moved here to be with my family. I was frankly terrified almost every single day that I’d made the wrong decision.

  “Victoria wants to teach me how to make potions,” I said, referencing the witch who worked at The Love Shack, my Grandma Eva’s company.

  “Good,” Scarlett said. “Since she’s from an earth coven, she’s way better at that than I am. Besides, I never had the patience for potions. I’m the sort of witch who wants things done straight away, so I’m all about the spells. Let’s grab lunch quickly, then I’ll take you to The Love Shack.”

  I was happy with that. As Scarlett had taught me, magic was a lot like exercise: the more you practiced, the longer you could do it for, and when you ran out of energy, it just wouldn’t work anymore. Right now, with barely any experience casting spells, I could usually manage about six or seven spells before my energy was completely depleted and I had to rest. That last spell that I’d cast on the snakes was probably pretty close to my limits, and sitting in a café eating lunch sounded like the perfect way to recuperate.

  Five minutes later, Scarlett and I sat down at a table in a small bistro on the main street in Fairy Falls, Aphrodite Avenue. A fairy with beautiful maroon wings and honey-blonde hair fluttered over, dropping off a couple of menus and promising to return a few moments later to take our orders.

  “So how are you enjoying life here?” Scarlett asked. “I know it’s a big change. I can’t even imagine.”

  “I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “Everyone’s been great. You’ve been great. And so welcoming. I’ll always be grateful for that. But I’m not completely sure I made the right decision.”

  “I get that,” Scarlett replied. “It’s a huge change. I looked up New York City. I think it has more people than there are paranormals in the entire world.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, it’s pretty big. That was one of the things I liked about it. Seattle seemed huge growing up, and I was always attracted to the city, I think because of how anonymous I could be. But Fairy Falls is the opposite of that. It’s small, and it’s cozy, and after spending my whole life doing my best to climb the career ladder and be a big shot in the advertising business, it’s a big change coming here and giving all of that up.”

  “It is,” Scarlett agreed. “But being in a small paranormal town doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dreams. If you want to be a business big shot, there are lots of opportunities here. Because paranormals can teleport from place to place, a lot of the biggest businesses are actually based in fairly small towns. Pacific Cove Chocolates, which until recently was one of the bigg
est chocolate companies in the paranormal world, was based out of Pacific Cove, a town on the coast that’s about the same size as Fairy Falls. And Phoenix Chocolates, which is the company started by the daughter to replace Pacific Cove Chocolates, is quickly growing to be just as big.”

  “Thanks,” I said with a smile. “I’m just not sure I’ll be able to make that much of an impact when I’m so far behind on my magical studies, you know?”

  “Oh, don’t let that stop you. Being good at magic and being good at business are two very different things. Besides, you have a secret weapon at your disposal: Grandma Eva would probably love to have a mentee to teach all of her secrets to. She’s not brought it up because I’m sure she wants to let you settle in first, but if you ask her I’m sure she’ll be more than happy.”

  “Really? Do you think she would?”

  Scarlett nodded. “I know she would. She wanted me to do it, hoping I would take over the business when she decided to retire, but there are two problems with that. First of all, I’m terrible at business and never had an aptitude – or the patience – to do it right. Secondly, there’s no chance Grandma Eva will ever retire. She loves that place too much. She’s going to be at her desk until the day she dies.”

  “Well, hopefully that’s a long way in the future.”

  “I’m pretty sure. The witch is basically invincible. And I don’t envy anyone who tries to get in her way, including the grim reaper.”

  I laughed as the fairy with the maroon wings came back to take our orders. Scarlett went for the chili in a bread bowl while I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of potato and leek soup. We handed back the menus, and I leaned back in my chair.

  “I know I’m probably overreacting,” I said, but Scarlett shook her head.

  “No, you’re not. You’re reacting completely normally. You’ve had a huge change, at a level I can’t even fathom. Spending almost thirty years thinking I was a normal human and then finding out I’m actually a witch? That would be big enough on its own. But then add moving from the human world to the paranormal world, from the big city to a tiny town, after quitting your job? If it were me, I’d be curled up in a ball on the living room floor at home right now, crying into a tub of ice cream between gulps of wine that I’d be drinking straight from the bottle. Instead, you’re not only out here acting like a normal human being, but you’re also taking magic lessons and doing your best to fit right in straight away. I’m really impressed, honestly.”

  A blush rose up my cheeks as my stomach knotted; I wasn’t used to getting compliments from people, and this was one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to me.

  “Thanks,” I muttered in reply, looking down at the table. “I appreciate it.”

  “And I mean it. You’re going to be fine, but it’s going to take some time to get used to things. Give yourself that time.”

  I nodded. “You’re right. You’re obviously right. Besides, I also have to remember that things aren’t going to be like the last time I was here, where we had to race against the clock to find a killer. I can just ease into my life here.”

  “Exactly,” Scarlett said as the fairy came back, carrying a tray laden with our food. My mouth watered at the sight, and the two of us spent the next fifteen minutes in silence, enjoying our lunch. I hoped the afternoon’s potion lesson wasn’t going to involve any snakes.

  CHAPTER 2

  “G reat, you’re here,” Victoria Stone said as soon as her eyes landed on me. She was tall and slim, with gorgeous curly red hair and green eyes. After lunch, Scarlett and I walked together to The Love Shack for my potions lesson. Located inside a cute low-rise brick building, The Love Shack was a modern, spacious store with plenty of natural light that made it incredibly inviting. A vague scent of florals mixed with citrus hung on the air, but it was far from overwhelming.

  “I am here, and I’m ready to learn,” I replied.

  “How was your spells lesson with Scarlett?”

  “Great, apart from the snakes. Are there any potions that involve snakes?”

  Victoria pursed her lips. “There are a few that require a molted snakeskin, but they’re almost all extremely advanced and not the sort of thing you’d make for at least fifteen years, if ever. But live snakes? No. No potions ever require the use of live animals.”

  “Well, I think I already prefer potions to spells,” I replied.

  “Wait until you need magic in a hurry, then you’ll come running back to me,” Scarlett said with a grin. “Mind if I watch the lesson?”

  “Of course, please feel free,” Victoria said kindly. “I’m more than happy to teach the ways of the cauldron to any witch who’s interested.”

  Another two witches on the sales floor stood ready to serve customers. One was ringing up an order at the counter and smiled at us as we walked by. The rear wall behind the counter was covered in hearts, suspended as if trapped in a magical lava lamp, moving slowly up and down the wall. Victoria walked directly into the wall, and I followed after her, closing my eyes instinctively as I did so.

  I knew it was just a magical entrance to the back room, where the potions were made, and that there was no need to squeeze my eyes shut and hold my breath as I passed through the wall, but I wasn’t used to this sort of magic yet.

  The space at the back of the store was huge, with long wooden tables lining the space. Most of the tables were now occupied with various witches and wizards working at cauldrons of all shapes and sizes. Some of them moved around, grabbing labeled boxes from the shelves above with potion ingredients. I watched the hustle and bustle curiously. One witch’s cauldron began overflowing with huge purple bubbles the size of basketballs spilling over the sides and disappearing as soon as they hit the table. The witch in charge of the cauldron didn’t appear the least bit fazed by these events and simply continued stirring the cauldron’s contents with her blue-and-gold wand.

  On the other side of the room, my Grandma Eva was on the phone, the receiver pressed between her ear and her shoulder, while she busily typed away at her computer. Noticing us enter out of the corner of her eye, she turned in her swivel chair, gave us a quick wave, and went back to her work.

  “Come on over here,” Victoria said, motioning for Scarlett and me to follow her to an empty table along the far wall. I looked around cautiously at all the other witches and wizards. They seemed to know exactly what they were doing. One wizard, who had to be at least six and a half feet tall, was carefully measuring the potion he had just created and using a pipette to transfer it into dozens of little vials.

  “Is it hard, what they’re doing?” I asked, and Victoria shook her head.

  “It’s easier than it looks. Besides, right now, you’re just learning. I expect you to make mistakes, and the difference between you and them is that you’re not going to have to make hundreds of different products with the potions you make. Try to relax, Mina. It’s going to be fine.”

  I nodded.

  “Now, the first rule of potion-making, and the most important rule of potion-making, is to always follow the instructions perfectly,” Victoria said. “If you take nothing else from my lessons, make sure you remember that.”

  “Ok,” I said, nodding. Relax, but do it perfectly. No pressure.

  “Almost all potions can be made in any type of cauldron you choose. Personally, I like to use one made of copper. It’s lightweight, which makes for easy carrying, although because the heat transfers through it easily, if I’m making a potion that gets either very hot or very cold, I have to remember to use magic to transport it. I recommend playing around with multiple types of cauldrons and see what you like. Why don’t you go ahead and pick one to use for now?”

  Victoria motioned to the open shelf underneath the table where six or seven cauldrons were piled on top of one another. I peered through the pile and my eyes landed on a silvery-grey, medium-sized cauldron. I pulled it from the pile and placed it on the table.

  “Is this one alright?”

  �
��Pewter,” Victoria said, nodding approvingly. “Good choice. Yes, that will do nicely.”

  “What are you going to have her make?” Scarlett asked, her eyes lighting up. “The first potion I ever made was one that shrunk anything that ate it. I tricked Grant Bolting into taking a spoonful of it, but I messed it up and instead of shrinking, his thighs grew to the size of watermelons, and he had to be taken to the Healers to fix it.”

  I gasped. “Is he alright?”

  “Oh sure, they fixed him up no problem. Our teachers at the Academy never taught six-year-olds potions that could go too horribly wrong. Of course, Grant looks like he skips leg day at the gym now, so he should probably thank me and ask if I have any of that potion left.”

  “That’s one of the risks of not obeying the instructions,” Victoria said with a solemn nod.

  “Great, so no pressure, but if I mess it up, the potion will have completely unintended and unexpected consequences.”

  “Don’t worry,” Victoria said with a kindly smile. “The potions I’m going to teach you to make today are not only simple with easy-to-follow instructions, but even if you did happen to make a mistake, they’re almost impossible to mess up so badly that you’d cause any real damage.”

  “Besides, I can’t emphasize enough how terrible of a child six-year-old me was,” Scarlett added. “It’s a miracle I made it through the Academy at all, and you shouldn’t expect to make the same mistakes I did.”

  I nodded. “Alright, let’s get to it then.”

  “Good,” Victoria said. “I’ve written out the ingredient list and the instructions for the potion you’re going to make. The first step, much like when cooking a recipe, is to look over all of the ingredient list, make sure you have them all, and then read through all of the instructions.”

  I nodded and did as Victoria ordered. My eyes scanned the page as I started reading through the list of ingredients. I knew this wasn’t going to be your typical flour, sugar, baking powder kind of recipe, but I still wasn’t entirely prepared for what I did read.