Read Online Witch's Bell Book One by Odette C. Bell - Free Book Online Page A

a sailor. 'Why that stupid old woman,' he finally put Ebony down, 'the department's really going to have to do something about her.'
    Ebony's top teeth were dug so hard into her bottom lip that the flesh had turned white from lack of blood. 'Errgh!' she stamped at the ground. 'How dare she!'
    'You handled that situation very well, I thought,' Nate rounded on Ebony.
    'Oh get-' she began.
    'Alright then, that's all done,' Ben clapped his hands together loudly. 'Time you and me get back to the station, rookie. I've got an in-tray of ordinary crime, and two doughnuts sitting on my desk.'
    'So, we're done here then?' Nate shot a careful look at Ebony.
    'No, we're going to go back in there and hex that stupid-' Ebony began.
    'Yep, that's a wrap,' Ben said, voice strong and hard.

Chapter Four
    E bony drew the brush through her hair. It ran as smooth and quick as a flag through the air. There had never once been a knot in Ebony Elizabeth Bell's hair, and heaven forbid there ever would be. She only ever brushed it to liven it up – to give it bounce, body, and remind it of its magical roots.
    Ebony hummed to herself softly as she picked a pair of earrings off her dressing table. They were silver dangling things, with beautiful little blue stones that sparkled out at the world like stars on a dark night. Once she'd finished hooking the earrings in, Ebony selected two or three bracelets and crammed them over her wrists. They were all golden, gleeful, and just so pretty.
    Still humming, her hand hovered over her collection of rings, wondering which to choose. Rings were always difficult accessories, especially for a witch. The problem with rings was they were, well, ring like. They were circles. And circles were powerful symbols for witches. Circles magnified, concentrated, and strengthened anything that lay at their center. And while a bangle was technically a circle, and for that reason also had its power – rings were worse. They were worse because of where you wore them, on your fingers. And fingers could point. And a point was like a circle, it concentrated, it restricted – it magnified. So a ring worn on a finger was a powerful thing indeed, especially considering which finger you chose to wear it on.
    Ebony sighed, eventually deciding not to wear a ring at all today. It was too hard, and anyhow, she hadn't even begun to decide what outfit to wear, and it was already ten thirty!
    Though most people choose what to wear before they picked what accessories could match it, Ebony always did things around the other way. She picked her accessories first and then her clothes last. Why? Because Ebony changed accessories depending on her moods, not her tops.
    'Now, now, now,' she said softly as she walked in to her walk-in wardrobe. 'What kind of day will today be?' she asked a pair of jeans as she ran a hand over the tough fabric. 'Is today a jeans day? Will I be sitting down at restaurants and walking in the rain?' She pointed over to a pair of cowboy boots, 'will I be stalking down the street, hair flaring behind me?' She tugged at a 50's-style red dress, 'will I be posing on the tops of stairs?' she grabbed at a white hat, 'will I be staring melancholy as the rain drizzles down the window?'
    Ebony giggled. By far, this was her favorite part of the day. Dressing up. Her father never could understand why she always took so long to get ready in the morning. He'd always have a shower, slap on his uniform, tug his hat over his hair, kiss Ebony's mother, and walk out the door.
    Ebony, on the other hand, sometimes took a full hour to decide just what to wear and how to do her hair and make-up. And only her mother really understood why. It was because a witch always had to be careful about how she met the day in the morning, especially a summoner witch. Wear a floral dress, and don't be surprised if someone gives you flowers. Wear winter boots in summer, and don't be surprised if it rains all day. Go to breakfast in an evening gown, and you