The Rose Witch (The Coven: Old Magic Stand-Alone Novel Book 1) Read online

  “It is too pretty. I suppose you are right.” I smiled and gestured around me. I’d been hiding against the side wall, behind the elaborate columns. “I will not hide myself anymore.”

  She reached out and ran her fingers over the clear quartz pendant hanging in the cut out of my dress. “I am glad you’re still wearing this.”

  My cheeks flushed. “Dad gave it to me…I never take it off.”

  Her eyes watered and I saw her swallow, like mentioning my father still hurt her all these years after his death. “He would be happy to know.”

  “Mum—”

  “It looks different today, now that your magic is back. Did you notice?”

  I frowned and followed her stare — and gasped. I gripped the inch-long quartz crystal and lifted it off my chest to get a better look. My eyes widened. In the chaos of the day I hadn’t noticed. Normally it was a plain clear quartz but now it had a blue crescent moon in the middle that glowed brighter than the neon sign at a pub. My jaw dropped. My breath caught in my throat. There was something…something so familiar about this. It was there on the tip of my tongue, yet I couldn’t place it.

  “Well, it’s even more beautiful now as well. Treat it with care.” She squeezed my shoulder and winked before turning and strolling onto the dance floor, her long red skirt trailing behind her.

  “CHLOE!”

  I jumped and dropped my pendant, it slammed against my chest just as a familiar face bounced into view. She pounced on me, wrapping her arms around me tight. Ever since she came back from America after uni she’d been a hugger. Though I had to admit it was nice. When she pulled back, I smiled. “Carole Lancaster – I mean Hayes. My apologies. How was the honeymoon?”

  She squealed and grinned. “Just ravishing.”

  “As ravishing as that dress I bet.” I chuckled.

  Her gown was spectacular. A burgundy skirt draped loosely from her hips but the bodice was made of delicately placed gold embellishments atop a mesh shirt. It had to be the most daring gown I’d seen all night, though Carole wore it well. Her normally turquoise-dyed hair was an elegant shade of aubergine mixed with sandy blonde. The deep warm tones made her green eyes pop.

  “Honestly, after today I’ve almost forgotten I even had a honeymoon.” She wiggled her fingers and little glittery puffs of mist danced in the air. “Can you believe we have magic? Isn’t it magnificent? I thought it would never happen in our lifetime.”

  My stomach tightened. I hated that I was the only one who didn’t feel comfortable and at ease with it. Mine scared me a bit. It made me nervous. But not Carole, though I wasn’t surprised. If anyone in the family was a witch, she had the right vibes. She was always telling me about her essential oils, tarot cards, ecstatic dance, and something about a level two gong master, though I had absolutely no idea what that meant. She was a photographer and her new husband was a nurse.

  I cleared my throat. “How is your husband dealing with the revelation?”

  “Oh, Clint?” She fanned herself as her eyes sparkled with excitement. “You didn’t know? Clint is a witch, too. He was a healer. That’s why he’s a nurse in the hospital after he gave up his magic to marry me and now look – it’s back!”

  My jaw dropped. “Clint is a witch too? Did everyone know that but me?”

  “No. I hadn’t wanted to make a big deal out of it since I was going to give it up,” a deep voice rumbled from behind me and then Clint stepped out.

  “Oh, hello, Clint!”

  “I had been planning on telling everyone once we were married,” He grinned and kissed my cheek. “Chloe, you look lovely this evening.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Though it appears we have a bit of proper catching up to do.” He winked and wrapped his arm around Carole’s waist, then spun her around. “But later. If we don’t start dancing now I may make another trip to the buffet.”

  Carole squealed as he spun her all the way to the middle of the dance floor.

  “And this is Chloe Lancaster.”

  I turned to my right at the sound of my name just as Louis, my cousin who worked the guard gate out front, came strolling up to me with a gorgeous blonde. My eyes widened. Louis was an average looking bloke, took more after his father’s side, so I was a tad surprised to find him with her. It was horribly mean of me. Louis was a lovely man. It was just that this girl could have been a supermodel, gracing the covers of vogue and walking runways.

  Her pale blonde hair was styled up off her neck, which gave a perfect view of the string of diamonds wrapped around her throat. She wore dark makeup on her eyes that made the royal blue irises pop. Her lips were painted bright red like my mother’s. To my surprise she was actually taller than my own five-foot-nine, and judging by the length of the tanned leg sticking out the slit on her dress, that had nothing to do with high heeled shoes. Her gown was a deep navy-blue satin, like the color of sapphires. The straps hung off her shoulders, and I wondered if those were already driving her mad.

  “Chloe?”

  I flinched then shook myself. “Bugger, sorry. I was just standing here gawking at the poor girl, wasn’t I?”

  The girl’s cheeks flushed a deep pink and I realized with a start that she couldn’t have been more than sixteen or seventeen.

  Louis cleared his throat. “I said, this is Chloe Lancaster. The fellow at All Souls College in Oxford that I was telling you about.”

  “Right. Yes, that’s me.” I shook my head and was sure I looked a real nutter. “Sorry, I am not right in the head this evening. Been bit of a day.”

  The girl laughed and it made her eyes sparkle. She nodded. “Oh, trust me, I’m right there with you.”

  “I bet.” Louis chuckled, then gestured between us. “Chloe, this is Bettina Blair. She’s a witch from America and a friend of Jackson’s. She was on the quest with him to find Michael’s sword—”

  I gasped. “Oh my bloody hell, were you really?”

  “You sounded just like Arthur Weasley just now.” Bettina grinned. There was a wild edge to it that kind of scared me, like perhaps she was unpredictable. “But yes, I was really. Though Jackson did most of the work. He was amazing. I haven’t seen Jackson at all tonight, have you?”

  “Um, no I haven’t, actually—”

  “Oi, there he is right there!” Louis practically yelled with a toothy grin. He pointed behind me.

  Bettina gasped and followed his point. Her eyes widened and her cheeks turned bright red. She licked her lips as goosebumps spread over her skin. I turned to look and spotted my young cousin on the other side of the dance floor surrounded by a herd of people I knew were all desperately trying to talk to him. Poor Jackson. He was ridiculously handsome and ever charming, yet he loathed the spotlight even more than I did. Every time he was back in town, the family fawned all over him, though I supposed now I knew why.

  At the moment he stood there in his tuxedo beside his father, who was really just an older version of him. He looked utterly exhausted and there was something not quite right about the way his arm just hung there like that.

  “Oh, Jackson!” One of the older aunts waved at him from a table ten feet away. “Jackson!”

  He smiled and waved, then ducked behind a waiter carrying champagne—and froze. His eyes widened and glistened. His cheeks flushed. I frowned and glanced back to see what he was gawking at – and found Bettina. I glanced back and forth as it clicked. Ohhhhhh. She’s a friend. Right. I believe THAT. The two of them were staring at each other like there was no one else in the room.

  Jackson’s dad gave him a little shove and he stumbled a few steps toward us. Bettina took this as invitation and started for him. They practically ran for each other, meeting halfway in the middle of the dance floor. I grinned.

  “Can you believe they’re both in The Coven?”

  I jumped and spun back to Louis. “What?”

  “Jackson and Bettina are Cards in The Coven.”

  I smacked his arm lightly. “Bloody hell. Why didn’t you te
ll me?”

  Louis grimaced and ran his hand through his dark hair. “Bollocks, Chlo. They’re just kids. You shoulda seen ‘em this morning rolling up to the gate half dead. Figured they deserve some reprieve amongst this rubbish?”

  I opened my mouth, then closed it and sighed. “Yes. Yes, you’re right. Of course you are. I apologize. I didn’t mean—”

  “You need to get your nose out of the books a wee bit more.” He chuckled and his shoulders bounced. “Does Oxford teach a class on social skills?”

  “If anyone should, it’s probably them.” I rolled my eyes and grinned. But then my gaze landed on Jackson and Bettina as they used dancing as an excuse to stare lovingly into each other’s eyes. “I just…I don’t know, I could’ve behaved myself a bit better? Thanked them for everything they do, they live such horribly dangerous lives. And…well, I just have a lot of questions and I fear only The Coven can answer them.”

  Louis put his hand on my shoulder. “You all right? You look a bit…haunted.”

  I feel haunted. But this was not the time or place for such discussions. Nor was Louis the appropriate vessel. I adored my cousin, but he knew no more about magic than I did. I needed someone with actual experience with it.

  “Chloe?”

  I shook myself and smiled up at him, praying I looked halfway sane. “It’s just been an overwhelming day with my new magic, that’s all.”

  “Sure has. Aunt Pippa told me earlier that The Coven has an embassy in London and there’s a witch there named Ms. Beaumont who apparently helps teach young witches how to use their magic. Supposedly she’s going to come here to the estate and help us get acquainted.”

  He winked but my head was buzzing and my stomach in knots. This Ms. Beaumont person sounded promising. If I couldn’t get a moment with Jackson or Bettina, then I surely would seek her out. Because I had so many questions.

  Why doesn’t anyone else have red smoke coming from their hands? Why do books come to life when I open them and are they dangerous? Or is it just an illusion? What about the paintings? Are they…alive? Why can I go into them and can I get stuck there? Can I get hurt there? Why did that angel seem to SEE me? Why could I go through a painting like it was a portal? But the other one I just went inside of? Where do those other doors in Oxford lead to and how do they all work?

  I sighed and rubbed my temples. My brain hurt from thinking too hard, and thinking was my favorite thing to do in the whole world. They called me D.D. growing up, short for daydreamer.

  The crowd gasped.

  I jumped as whispers and murmurs rolled through the ball like a wave. My pulse quickened. I blinked and scanned the party. Everyone had stopped moving and was staring at the entrance with their jaws dropped. I turned and followed their gazes…and my jaw followed suit.

  A young girl, maybe sixteen, stood there front and center, in her ripped-up black jeans, beat-up black combat boots, and a black tank top. Her eyes were the palest green I’d ever seen and her long hair was black with bright purple tips. My pulse quickened at the sight of her. Red smoke seeped from my clenched fists, like it thought I was under attack.

  The girl made a weird face that might’ve been an attempt at a smile—then she lifted her left arm and waved. A Roman Numeral II was tattooed on her pale skin— I gasped. That’s a Coven Mark! Though I couldn’t remember which one. No wonder I felt the need to run and hide.

  “Hi… I smelled food?”

  “The High Priestess,” someone whispered near me.

  The whole crowd pointed to my right to where the buffet line was set up.

  “Please, Ms. Bishop. Join us,” Pippa said from up at the front.

  “Cool. Thanks.” Ms. Bishop grinned and nodded.

  But then she looked down at herself and around the ball. She pursed her lips, then snapped her fingers. Rainbow smoke swirled around her until she couldn’t be seen at all. A few seconds later, her smoke vanished, leaving her standing there in a floor-length black lace gown that was half see-through. It was strapless, which perfectly showed off an intricate tattoo on her chest that started in the middle with a pink crystal heart and branched out like black vines across her right shoulder and down to cover her fingers. Her long black hair was now braided straight down her back. Her lips were now deep wine red and her eyes lined with black.

  Ms. Bishop looked to the crowd and shrugged. “Better?”

  There was a beat of silence and then the room erupted with cheers of excitement. People rushed to her like she was the Queen of England. But then her name registered. Bishop. I’d heard about Bishops this morning. They told me Bishop was a founding bloodline – the one with the most magic. Which made sense. The air tingled with electricity with every step inside the girl took. That pink crystal tattoo on her chest sparkled and pulsed.

  I leaned over. “Louis? Who is she? Is she really a Bishop?”

  “Yup. Tegan Bishop. High Priestess of The Coven,” he said in a rush under his breath. “Pippa told me she’s Bettina’s best friend and arrived with them this morning but fell unconscious right after.”

  “She’s a Bishop.”

  He chuckled. “Apparently there are six Bishops in The Coven right now. Wicked brilliant if you ask me.”

  “Her tattoo,” I tapped on my chest. “Does it mean something?”

  His eyes widened. “You don’t know?”

  I shook my head.

  “It’s a soulmate glyph—OH, she’s headed to the buffet. I’m going to see if I can catch her.”

  I waved to his back as he skipped toward the buffet line – like everyone else did. If Tegan Bishop noticed, she surely didn’t give a damn. She prowled over to the buffet line and grabbed a plate, looking like a mama duck with all her ducklings waddling behind her. With everyone’s attention on the High Priestess, I turned and slipped through the crowd in the opposite direction, just in time to see Jackson and Bettina sneak out the back door. I chuckled and hurried over to the little two-person table under the big glass windows on the far wall, the one that overlooked the estate garden. It’d been occupied all night but it was free now. I sat down and turned my attention to the window.

  The glass was ice-cold to the touch but it felt heavenly against my forehead as I leaned against it. Down below, I caught a glimpse of Jackson and Bettina kissing and it made me smile. Cheeky teenagers. When they scurried off in the direction of Jackson’s room, I chuckled and glanced over my shoulder. Pippa and Gregory were surrounded by guests, completely oblivious that their guests of honor had skipped out for a shag. I wasn’t going to tattle on them.

  A sharp chill prickled on the back of my neck. I gasped and sat up straight. I felt eyes on my back. Something slid down my spine and I shivered. No one at the party acted any differently. No one acted like they felt that. My pulse skipped beats and my stomach tightened into knots. Slowly, I spun back to face the window, then leaned forward.

  And saw nothing.

  The garden lights were off so that the lights of the ball would twinkle from outside. It was just utter darkness outside. The night was clear and a dark navy blue. Stars twinkled down at us, surrounding a soft glowing moon.

  I looked to the shadows. I scanned each one, searching for glowing gold eyes. Yet there were none. Everything was dark and still. Each sway of the bushes in the breeze made me jump, and every time it was nothing. No demon-dog. No man with smoke wings. No—

  “May I join you?”

  Chapter Five

  Chloe

  “May I join you?”

  I jumped and my forehead slammed into the glass. “Gorblimey.”

  Someone giggled behind me. “My bad.”

  I rubbed my head and turned toward the unfamiliar voice – then froze. My eyes widened. “High Priestess.”

  She shrugged. “I’ve been called worse.”

  I blinked and shook myself. “Um, yes. Yes, join me. Sure. Fine.”

  She narrowed those pale green eyes on me and sat down, holding only a biscuit. She held it up. “Do you know how long
I stood in front of the sign that said biscuits waiting for a biscuit to show up? Do you know how many of your family members just watched me without helping me? I mean, help a girl out, eh?”

  I snorted and covered my mouth with my hand.

  “Are y’all still mad about the tea thing?” She shook her head but there was a twinkle in her eyes that put me on edge. She leaned forward and grinned the dodgiest of all grins. “Or maybe someone told them I impersonated the queen the other day?”

  My eyes widened. “You did what?”

  “We had to retrieve a crystal from inside Buckingham Palace.” Somehow that grin grew more dangerous. “You should have seen Jackson’s face when I walked in and caught him standing on top of the table – while I was disguised as the queen. Granted, I probably could have let him off the hook quicker but my way was so much more fun.”

  I threw my hand over my mouth and laughed.

  She leaned back in her seat and popped her biscuit in her mouth. She frowned as it crunched, then licked her lips. “Not bad. Our biscuits are so much better.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What exactly is an American biscuit?”

  She gasped. “Blasphemy. Here, try this.” She waved her hands in front of her and that rainbow-colored smoke billowed in a little tornado between us. When it vanished, there was a saucer with a round golden piece of dough. She handed me a knife that had definitely not just been there. “Biscuit. With butter. You’re welcome.”

  I bit my bottom lip and took the knife, then cut myself a piece. The sound that came out of me as my tastebuds exploded sounded far too much like Shelly this morning. My cheeks warmed. “Your lot probably would’ve won the war faster had you just shared some of these.”