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  I produced the gift bag I’d been holding and gave it to Althea to open. She frowned at the object inside. "What is it?"

  “A magical espresso machine,” I said. “The beans grind themselves. For the days when you don’t feel like hoofing it to Brew-Ha-Ha.”

  Althea's eyes grew round as she examined the contraption. “Great Zeus on a mountaintop! The world is such a wonder."

  "It really is, Althea,” I said. “And I can’t wait for you to see it again.”

  Chapter 2

  I stood in front of the entrance to the Arabella St. Simon Academy, or ASS Academy as it was otherwise known. I had joined the remedial witchcraft class when I’d first arrived in Spellbound and was mistaken for a witch. Despite the error, it had not been wasted time. I learned basic spells, and met my best friends in Spellbound. Now that the head of the coven had been removed from power, the five of us were promoted to the next level of our education. No more remedial classes for us. Some in the coven were still reeling from Lady Weatherby's role in quashing valuable information on how to break the curse that kept the residents trapped in Spellbound. Admittedly, I was one of them. Although I’d never felt particularly close to the steely-eyed witch, I’d trusted her implicitly. It was still a bitter pill to swallow.

  Begonia appeared beside me. "Ready to go in?"

  Was I? "It's going to be different from now on.” My anxiety was not a fan of different.

  Begonia looped her arm through mine. "Of course, it’ll be different. We’re going to finally learn more advanced spells. We’ve earned this." She gave me a pointed look. "You’ve earned this."

  I inhaled deeply and pushed open the door. As we passed by the office, the first thing that struck me was the absence of Chairman Meow, Lady Weatherby's familiar. He was prone to sprawling across her desk. Instead, a ginger cat sat on the windowsill. Professor Holmes’s familiar, Gulliver. The interim head of the coven, however, was nowhere to be seen. I imagined he was already in the classroom.

  We continued down the corridor until we reached the classroom for enchantments. As a remedial witch, we’d only ever used one classroom. Now, we would mingle with the rest of the students. Bigger classrooms, more advanced work. My pulse accelerated just thinking about it. I was right back in law school, feeling out of my depth. I’d always managed in the end, but it took an awful lot of mental energy to get there.

  Reluctantly, we entered the full room. We seemed to be the last students to show up. I spotted Laurel, Millie, and Sophie in a middle row. No extra seats there. Begonia clasped my hand and steered me toward two empty seats at the back of the room. That was probably for the best anyway. Keep a low profile. Some coven members weren't happy with me over the Lady Weatherby incident, even though it was not directly my fault. It was the rest of the coven that forced her step down in light of recent events. That, and her prison sentence, of course.

  A quick headcount revealed approximately twenty-five students in the class. I recognized faces but didn't necessarily know their names. At the front of the room stood kindly Professor Holmes and Meg. The flame-haired witch often taught our remedial classes when the more senior members of the coven were otherwise engaged.

  Professor Holmes knocked his wand on the desk to get our attention. "Let us begin, class. As you may have noticed, we have a few additions today. Please join me in welcoming these five fine witches to the next level of their magical training."

  A witch at the front of the room raised her hand. Her back was as straight as her corn silk hair.

  "Yes, Avery?" Professor Holmes said.

  "I think it’s important to mention that one of them is a sorceress," Avery said. "So, by my count, that's four witches and one sorceress."

  Professor Holmes gave her a patient smile. "Thank you for that clarification, Avery. For our purposes, we will consider Emma a witch like the rest of us. We've welcomed her into our coven, so there is no need to differentiate her."

  "Seems to me she's done that all by herself, sir," Avery replied.

  I slumped in my seat. So much for flying under the radar.

  "Emma will be learning the same magic as everyone else in the class," Meg interjected. "She may be a sorceress, but you have to remember, the only formal training she's had has been in connection with the academy. She lived as a human until her arrival here, with no knowledge of her abilities."

  "And we will be most welcoming, won't we, Avery?" Professor Holmes asked pointedly.

  "Of course, sir," Avery said. "It will be an opportunity to learn a different kind of magic from our own. I see it as a plus."

  Nothing in her tone suggested she viewed my presence as a plus. I couldn't let Avery's attitude bother me, however. I had too many other issues on my mind, such as how to convince Gareth and Daniel to get along.

  "Today, we will learn how to enchant an object, so that it moves on its own,” Professor Holmes said.

  Millie's hand shot up. "Like mind control?"

  A few students snickered.

  "No, Millie, not mind control," Professor Holmes said. "Think of it as giving a burst of energy to an inanimate object."

  "Like my spell that moves a quill without me holding it?" I asked.

  Professor Holmes came to stand in front of the desk and clasped his hands together. "A bit like that, yes. Allow Meg to demonstrate."

  Meg stood with her wand at the ready. She focused her will, pointed at the flower vase on the desk, and said, “Give this vase half a chance/and it will show us how to dance."

  The vase seemed to spring to life, lifting into the air and spinning. It then tilted from side to side, as though responding to a beat. For an object made of glass, it had some serious moves. The vase then dropped back to the desk with a thud.

  Avery's hand flew into the air. I got the distinct impression that Avery was the advanced version of Millie.

  "Yes, Avery?" Professor Holmes said.

  "What's the point in making a vase dance?" Avery asked.

  Meg fixed Avery with a hard stare. "The point is to demonstrate the enchantment. The vase is an inanimate object, and I have done a spell that allows it to move on its own."

  "But who cares?” Avery pressed. "Wouldn't it be better to demonstrate a practical use for the enchantment?"

  A few students groaned quietly, while a few more rolled their eyes. To be fair, I thought Avery's question was a good one, although she could have been more polite. I suspected, though, that she had a habit of asking tough questions when everyone else simply wanted to learn how to do the enchantment.

  “Very well then, Avery," Professor Holmes said. "Why don't you step up and help us with a practical demonstration?"

  Avery didn't hesitate. The petite blonde strode to the front of the class like she was born to lead. I noticed that her wand was purple with green stripes. I hadn't seen one like that before.

  She pointed her wand with a Hermione-like confidence and said, “Give these shoes half a chance/and they will show us how to dance.”

  It only took a brief moment to realize which object she’d enchanted. The professor’s shoes took on a life of their own, dancing and pirouetting around the front of the room. Unfortunately, the rest of him was still attached to the shoes.

  “Well done, Avery,” Meg said, her lips forming a thin line.

  The shoes came to a halt, and I half expected smoke to emanate from his feet. Professor Holmes was hardly a spry young wizard. He could’ve easily lost his balance and busted a hip.

  “And how is your example any more practical than the vase?” Professor Holmes asked, leaning against the desk to catch his breath.

  “Vases don’t need to dance,” Avery said simply, and resumed her seat.

  Well. Lesson learned.

  I’d never seen Great Hall so full of residents. Typically, the enormous room was occupied by either the council or the parties to a court case. The scene reminded me of the King of Prussia mall a week before Christmas.

  “Emma, welcome back,” Stan, the town regist
rar, greeted me.

  “This must be the most well attended council meeting in history,” I said, scanning the impressive room.

  “A lot on the agenda,” the elf said. “I’m glad I ran into you because I have a favor to ask.”

  “Sure. What is it?”

  “I registered newcomers this week called the Goldmans. A lovely family of giants,” he said. “I think you’d be an ideal choice to show them around town. They’re very nervous about settling in. Seems like they’ve had a rough time in their previous town of Jabberwocky Junction.”

  “Giants,” I repeated slowly. I hadn’t met a giant before.

  Stan gave me a reassuring smile. “Not to worry. Their size is only a reflection of the size of their hearts. I figured you’d appreciate that about them.”

  Stan knew me well. I was a sucker for a big heart. “Just tell me where and when.”

  “I’ll have them come to your office on Monday at ten, if that suits you.”

  “No problem,” I said. “I look forward to meeting them.”

  "Well, well. If it isn't our own Mrs. Daniel Starr." Lorenzo Mancini studied me through hooded eyes. The alpha of the werewolf pack had taken a dislike to me early on, and I never seemed to regain his favor. As usual, he was elegantly dressed in a custom suit with shiny gold cufflinks. Certainly not silver.

  "Nice to see you, Mr. Mancini," I said. I didn't bother to correct his use of my married name. He knew perfectly well that I intended to remain Emma Hart. Lorenzo was always trying to find subtle ways to disrespect me.

  "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you in attendance," he said. "It seems whenever there’s a matter of great importance to the town, you’re on hand to insert your particular brand of wisdom."

  Again with the insult. It must've been Lorenzo's time of the month. The full moon, I mean.

  I felt a strong hand on my shoulder. "Sorry, I'm late." Daniel planted a kiss on my cheek. "I was trying to sort through some of the boxes at home before the meeting started.”

  Lorenzo shifted his attention to the angel on my shoulder. "A belated congratulations to you. On behalf of the pack, we wish you every happiness."

  "Thank you, Enzo,” Daniel said.

  A flicker of annoyance passed over the werewolf's features. Nobody called him Enzo, not that I had ever heard. Did I mention how much I loved my husband?

  A horn echoed, drawing everyone's attention. I glanced across the room to see Mayor Lucy's assistant, Nichole, blowing through a giant type of horn.

  "There's my cue," Lorenzo said. "Do try to keep your comments to a minimum, Ms. Hart. We'd like to go home sometime this century."

  I resisted the urge to stick out my tongue as he turned away. I was a mature, respected member of the town. Most of the time.

  "Big turnout," Daniel said. "I guess everyone is eager to hear what changes will be implemented.”

  "This is their big chance to speak up," I said. "Not that they're going to resolve everything in one meeting, but they’re going to start laying the foundation for the next iteration of Spellbound right here and now." It was thrilling and a bit scary. Change was hard for many, and this change was greater than most.

  "Quiet in the Great Hall, please," Mayor Lucy said, fluttering to her seat on the dais. "There aren't enough seats for everyone, so please try to find a place to stand that isn't blocking the path to the doorway."

  That would be no easy feat. The room was packed. Some fairies and pixies had taken to hovering in the air, just to make space on the floor.

  "Mayor Lucy," Maeve said from her place on the dais. Maeve was a banshee and member of the council. "It's already sweltering in here. May I propose opening a window for fresh air?"

  I scanned the room, perplexed. The only windows in the Great Hall were the enormous arched ones of stained glass. How did she propose to open those?

  I didn't have to wait long for an answer. Mayor Lucy pointed her wand at the window and said a spell that sounded like complete gibberish to anyone other than a fairy. The glass disappeared, and a pleasant breeze swept through the room. I heard sighs of relief around me.

  "Now," Mayor Lucy continued, "we have much to get through during this meeting, so let's get started, shall we? What's the first item on the agenda, Lord Gilder?"

  The elder vampire consulted his notes before speaking. "The most pressing matter appears to be that of technology. It seems that many residents have already visited other towns and returned with items that have not previously been used in Spellbound."

  A voice piped up from the crowd. "Could you define what you mean by technology?" I recognized Rochester's voice. The wizard sat in the front row beside Judge Melville.

  "Computers, phones…gadgets that I am wholly unfamiliar with," Lord Gilder replied.

  "They have something in New Moon City called MagicPads,” someone interjected. "Will we be getting those? I’m not even sure what they do, but they look amazing.”

  Lord Gilder held up a hand to silence the room. "We need to go about this in a methodical fashion. I ask that you save your questions for the end when we will open the floor to the public. For now, let us highlight the issues on this meeting's agenda." He returned to the notes for a brief moment. "Immigration rules. Are we set on the number of new residents per year? Do we have the infrastructure to support a new wave of paranormals? How do we intend to handle outside influences? I, for one, have already been contacted by the Vampire Guild. They want to send a team to speak with the vampires in residence. I suspect other groups will follow. Are we to submit to their jurisdiction or maintain our independence?"

  My thoughts drifted to the criminal sentencing guidelines that I'd worked so hard to change. Would the open borders impact that? Would Spellbound’s criminal court now fall under a larger entity's jurisdiction? Maybe Spellbound courts would now be subject to the paranormal laws of the region. Rochester and I, as well as the other lawyers in town, would be directly impacted.

  "It has been suggested to this council that we not embrace all of the advances of the years that we've missed," Lord Gilder continued. "That it might serve the town well to preserve its unique character by maintaining its look and feel. For example, someone mentioned we carry on using fey lanterns instead of adopting the modern lights fueled by magical energy. If we were to preserve our charm and character, we would forgo adopting magical energy currents as part of our infrastructure."

  Murmurs rippled through the crowd. I couldn't determine whether they were in favor or against.

  "What would be the benefit, Lord Gilder?" Juliet asked. Juliet Montlake was the Amazonian owner of the local bookstore. I imagine she worried about technology like e-books running her out of business, if she’d even heard of them yet.

  "The benefit would be tourism," Lord Gilder replied. "There is unlikely to be another town in the world quite like Spellbound due to our unique circumstances. It is our understanding that paranormals pay good money for the chance to experience something different. It would be, for many of them, like stepping back in time." He paused. "For many even, like stepping back into their original time."

  He had a point. I certainly fell in love with Spellbound for its special qualities. It was, and remained, the most enchanting place I'd ever been. To fill it with normal cars and flat screen TVs and cell phones would do it an injustice. Then again, before I came, I would have said I couldn't live without my phone. Truth be told, I'd gotten quite used to life with a messenger owl or Elf Express. It wasn't as convenient, but maybe the pros outweighed the cons in this instance.

  "What about television?" Maeve asked. "I went to visit a cousin last week, and she had this amazing service called Fairy Flix. You could watch hundreds of shows right on the screen in your home. Even performances of Shakespeare plays.” Maeve owned the local playhouse, so it was no surprise this appealed to her.

  “What about the WonderWeb?” someone asked. “I heard some places are already up and running with it. When will it come to my neighborhood?”

&n
bsp; “Access is being rolled out one neighborhood at a time,” Wayne replied. The troll was routinely the logical voice of the council. “We’re going slowly, so as to avoid costly mistakes.”

  “I’d like Quinty to convert a car from the human world to run on magical energy,” Markos said. “Like he did for Emma.” The minotaur was a talented architect and a good friend.

  “The council has decided to place a block on modern cars for the time being,” Lord Gilder said. “At least until we figure out what our existing infrastructure can handle. This will take quite a bit of analysis by experts.”

  There were a few groans of disappointment, but most attendees seemed to understand the reasoning.

  “We’d like to establish a separate tourism board, so that the council isn’t handling every issue that crops up,” Lorenzo said.

  There seemed to be far less organization from the council than normal. They had to be overwhelmed, not to mention they were missing Lady Weatherby. Although Professor Holmes had taken over as interim head of the coven, he had not been asked to join the council. I suspected the council was waiting for the coven’s permanent replacement.

  The discussions went round and round until finally Mayor Lucy took control of the conversation. She fluttered high into the air until everyone in attendance could see her.

  “We won’t resolve every issue today,” she said. “We thank you for your interest, though, and want to encourage you to stay involved. This is your town, too, and we want the new and improved Spellbound to reflect all of us.”

  A smattering of applause followed.

  “Due to the late hour, we need to wrap up this discussion,” she continued, “but please don’t forget to attend Spellbound Day tomorrow, to celebrate the breaking of the curse. Everyone’s invited, and we have a wonderful addition to the town square to show off.”

  I was anxious to see what it was. At home, Daniel had speculated that it was a sculpture of a unicorn, since a unicorn horn had been instrumental in breaking the curse.