Хармони Харт - Basic Witch

Basic Witch Witches of Salem: Gemma Bradbury Magical Cozy Mystery Book 1

Harmony Hart

Eventual Mayhem Media LLC

Copyright © 2018 Harmony Hart.

All rights reserved. Eventual Mayhem and Harmony Hart reserve all rights to Gemma Bradbury Book 1, the Gemma Bradbury Series and the Witches of Salem World. This work may not be shared or reproduced in any fashion without permission of the publisher and/or author. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

Cover Design © Eventual Mayhem

Basic Witch (Gemma Bradbury 1) / Harmony Hart -- 1st ed.

Contents

A Note of Thanks

Join The Witches of Salem

I. Basic Witch

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

Hex & Candy

II. A Taste of Salem

Alphita’s Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits

Alphita’s Honey and Sage Pear Jam

About the Author

Witches of Salem World

A Note of Thanks

It didn’t feel right to start our budding author-reader relationship off without offering a bit of gratitude. THANK YOU for taking a chance on a new series, a new pen name, and a new cozy mystery universe full of magic and adventure.

The Witches of Salem World started off as a fun idea conceived over a bottle of wine (or three, but who’s counting?), but since then, it’s developed into so much more.

This series, this world, and my interactions with fellow cozy authors and readers has reignited my passion for the craft of storytelling and world building in a way I never dreamed possible. I hope you love Gemma, Titus and the residents of Salem as much as I do.

xoxo Harmony

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Dedication

To Kevin, for your unwavering love and support, and for making sure the house doesn’t fall apart around us while I lose myself in these books.

To ALAS—Claire, Julie, Jami, Amy and Alyssa— for keeping me sane and providing a safe space for my particular brand author crazy.

And to Tammi and David, for the sprinting dates, the group experiments, the lessons & the late-night laughs.

I

Basic Witch Gemma Bradbury Book 1

Craving an extra taste of Salem?

Check out these recipes at the end of the book:

Alphita’s Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits

Alphita’s Honey and Sage Pear Jam

1

I wrapped the ritual knife in a swath of plush violet velvet and carefully passed it to the woman, handle first. Her grey eyes lit up with mischief as she weighed it in her palms before tucking it into her messenger bag.

"It's perfect. Just the thing to amplify the energy in tonight's Samhain celebration," she said.

"Don't forget to cleanse it." I slid a small bag of sea salt across the counter toward her with a wink. "Freshly infused with frankincense oil and sage smoke." I leaned closer, lowering my voice to a whisper. "I even added a bit of smoky quartz powder to give it an extra boost, just for you."

"That's quite the mix!" She patted my arm. "You're a natural, dear. Just like your great-aunt Mavis. Are you sure you won't change your mind about joining us? We'd love to have you. You can never have too much feminine power."

"Thanks for the invite, Marnie. Maybe some other time. The only thing on my agenda for the night is my annual pumpkin spice latte and a good old-fashioned Netflix binge."

"You have an untapped power inside you, Gemma. I can sense it. You shouldn't waste it, especially not on the most sacred of days."

"Understood." I smiled reassuringly as I rounded the checkout counter and guided her toward the front door. "It's just been such a hectic month, between Mavis’ passing, moving here and taking over the shop. I just don't have the energy to meet new people tonight."

I didn't want to tell her the truth—that I wasn't even a Wiccan. Or that one month ago, I knew absolutely nothing about metaphysics. Hell, I didn't even know I had a great aunt. But when a lawyer showed up at my door to tell me I had inherited a magic shop in Salem, Oregon just as I was on the verge of quitting yet another thankless corporate job, it felt like fate opening the door to some great adventure.

So I packed up my car (and my cat) and headed west out of Brooklyn in search of my true purpose. Or at the very least, something to occupy my time until the next great adventure came along.

I fell in love with the quirky shop and the cozy apartment upstairs right away. In a strange way, it felt like home the minute I walked through the door. But actually managing a magic shop was another thing altogether. Turned out, customers who frequent shops like this usually expect you to have a working knowledge of pagan philosophy. Aside from Marnie's almost daily visits, business had slowed down to a trickle.

I knew the only way to rebuild the customer base was to actually learn something—at least enough to not look like a complete newbie—so I spent my downtime speed-reading my way through every book in the shop's extensive collection. I'd finally reached a point where I felt comfortable answering basic questions, but no way was I going to embarrass myself in front of a group of actual Wiccans. That would ruin any and all chances of transforming this shop into a thriving business.

"Yule, then?" Marnie asked. "You must join us for Yule."

"Maybe." I held open the door for her. "I'll let you know."

"Wonderful. Happy Samhain and blessed be!"

"Blessed be to you too, Marnie." She stepped out into the cool October air and turned back to face me, narrowing her eyes as she nodded toward the back of the shop.

"Oh, and Gemma? You should take that citrine pendant for yourself. It will help support your creativity. And it brings prosperity and abundance, you know." She tightened her coat around her torso and disappeared into the night.

I pulled the door shut, breathing a sigh of relief as the lock clicked into place. A quick glance at my watch revealed I still had a couple of hours until the nearest Starbucks closed. Long enough to count the register and tidy up the shop before venturing out for my beloved Halloween PSL.

As I made my way back to the register, my cat, Titus, appeared from the back room, weaving between my ankles with a persistent chorus of meows as I attempted to walk without stepping on her tail. I scooped her up, stroking the back of her neck as I walked. "Always underfoot," I chided her. "I'm clumsy enough without you creating a feline obstacles course at every step. You're going to kill us both one day."

Meow.

"Yeah, yeah." I deposited Titus on the counter, smoothing her inky black fur with one hand as I opened the register with the other. "You eat when I eat, remember?"

Meow. She stared up at me, her big amber eyes flashing with anxiety as if I might never feed her again, then stepped into the cash drawer, butting her head against my fingers as I attempted to organize the day's cash.