Read Online Witch's Brew - Spellspinners 1 (Spellspinners of Melas County) by Heidi R. Kling - Free Book Online Page B

birdbath the water shone purple and began to swirl like a tiny whirlpool. Iris clutched the chain, her back arched tight, as if the waters were a greedy mouth trying to swallow the stone.
    “See the colors darkening?” she nearly shouted over the wind whipping the backyard fruit trees. I nodded and then jumped as a loud thunderclap shook the sky, our yard…maybe even all of Melas.
    Iris tumbled onto the dirt, as if tossed by invisible hands.
    “Mom! Are you okay?”
    Her voice was wheezy. “This isn’t a fake,” she said, “It’s also not your amulet. Didn’t you notice the shape is different? But the likeness is remarkable.” I watched Iris’ eyes change. “This kind of amulet isn’t from the dark side of magic.”
    I tucked my whipping hair behind my ears. “So where did Logan get it?”
    “I don’t know. But we’re going to find out.”
    “Can you do me a favor first and try and chill out this storm?”
    Iris looked up at the trees. At scattered lemons and oranges and ripe plums split open, pouring red, pulpy juice, which as soon as the sun peeked back from around the magic-induced clouds would begin rotting on the dirt.
    “Oh. That,” she said like some stoner dude on the Boardwalk. Like it was the first time she’d noticed the storm.
    “Yeah,” I said, “The storm that just knocked you over?” I gestured up to the sky with my thumb. Then pointed it down to the earth. “I guess your magic still works?”
    I asked the question for a reason. I wanted to know. “Obviously you can spin a spell, but can you still control it?”
    “My power exists, but it is reckless. The surges wax and wane—I can’t control them like I used to. And soon, they may not exist at all.”
    The wind lulled to a gentle breeze, and the sun returned.
    The earth beneath my feet stilled.
    “If Logan stole my amulet, why would he give me his in return? Something so powerful?”
    Iris shook her head. “He must have had a reason. And we are going to find that out, too. But first, we need to get back your stone. It is meant to protect you, and you’ll need that protection. But in order to do that, you must confess everything to Camellia.”
    I wished I could disappear into the earth beneath me.
    Maybe I could go find Dad? Join him on his yoga quest for fulfillment?
    “No. You’re going to tell Camellia.”
    I swallowed back tears. “Fine. I’ll tell Camellia, Mom. But you need to tell me about my amulet.”
    She nodded quickly, then took my hand—a small act of motherly kindness to let me know her making me confess to Camellia wasn’t personal. She wasn’t trying to be a mean and dictatorial mom. It was just business.
    Strict coven business.
    Her first priority.
    Her first honor.
    But I’d make her come through on her promise to me. She wasn’t going to skirt these questions like she did with questions about my dad. A lot was on the line—my place in the coven, my reputation, and most importantly, my magic.
    I needed to understand why my grandmother’s amulet was so much more than an heirloom. And why Logan risked so much to steal it.
     
    Logan
    Logan had to tell someone about the witch’s amulet. He waited until the rest of the warlocks were busy with other things to convince Chance to leave the grounds and head to the water. The ocean was the place he felt the safest.
    They were on their boards, waiting for a decent set of waves, when he confessed the whole story: meeting Lily, swapping the amulets, everything.
    “Whoa, back the hackles up, a witch? A real deal Melas coven female? Do you have any idea how crazy this sounds, not to mention so unlike you?”
    “I know, I know. It wasn’t as if I went looking for her. I literally just stumbled upon her.”
    Chance shook his head. He was sitting up, straddling his board. “You can’t do it again.”
    “Do what?”
    “Stumble upon a witch! You know, unless you’re knocking one out with your sword in the Gleaning. Then step all over that.” He laughed