Shadow's Whisper, page 16
part #1 of Stonebridge Witches - Book One Series
Harriet reached out and embraced June, holding her tightly. “You’re amazing, you know that? After everything you’ve been through, you faced that shadow like a complete boss.”
June smiled, the gesture tinged with melancholy. “We’ve been through a lot, haven’t we?”
“Too much for a sleepy town like this,” Harriet agreed, laughter mingling with the seriousness that surrounded them.
June pulled back and looked at her friend, her heart aching. “Harriet, you’ve been more than a friend to me through all of this. You’ve been the one thing that’s kept me from getting lost in it all,” she confessed. “I just… I want you to know how grateful I am.”
“You don’t have to thank me. That’s just what friends do.” The words were bittersweet and felt like a goodbye of sorts.
June smiled, trying her best not to let her tears get the best of her. It was time. She had to protect Harriet from the world she’d carelessly drawn her into. The coven’s request loomed large, but it was the right thing to do. Harriet had no protection against the dark things that lingered on the fringes of Stonebridge, and not even the strongest talisman could help. In the world of witches and magic, human indifference was a powerful thing.
Harriet sighed and sat back in the armchair. “It’s time, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but I promise I’ll keep an eye on you. I’ll protect you, even if you won’t remember why or from what,” June vowed.
“I know,” she murmured. “For the next thirty seconds, at least.” She readied herself. “Okay, do it before I lose my nerve.”
June knelt before her friend and touched her hand. Reaching for her magic, she focused on her intent, weaving the threads of her spell.
She breathed out the words, a series of whispers that danced around Harriet, shimmering before sinking into her skin. It was a spell of forgetting, carefully tailored to erase any recollections of magic, shadows, and most importantly, June’s own secrets—anything that would make Harriet a target.
June sat on the floor beside the armchair, watching as Harriet’s awareness of the magical world faded to black.
As the last of the light dissipated, Harriet blinked, confusion clear in her now oblivious gaze. “June? I forgot what I was saying.”
June forced a smile. “No, nothing important. Just a bit of gossip, you know?”
“Right, gossip,” Harriet echoed with a small laugh, none the wiser. “I mean, if you want juicy gossip, then you ought to know that Lucas has a crush on you.”
June’s cheeks reddened. “You told me that he did in high school.”
“Well, I think your return rekindled some old memories.”
“Ugh,” she said with a sigh.
“What? You’re not into him?”
“It’s not that, it’s just…” She looked toward the windows and the darkening sky beyond. Winter was fast approaching, and the days had shortened considerably.
“June?”
She looked up at Harriet and smiled. “I’m just glad I came back to Stonebridge. I think it was just what I needed.”
June walked slowly through the square, her boots crunching on the gravel path. She’d completed the final part of her promise and now she was no longer just June Morgan, but a witch of Stonebridge, bound to a coven that stood against the dark.
With a deep breath, she left behind the echo of the spell she’d cast on Harriet and stepped into the quiet warmth of the apothecary. The bell above the door jingled as she entered, a sound that constantly followed her around town, it seemed.
“June,” Alistair said, looking up from the computer behind the counter. The light from the screen reflected in his glasses, obscuring his eyes.
“It’s done,” she told him. “Harriet’s memory is gone.”
He regarded her for a moment before saying, “You’ve done well. It’s a hard thing for a witch to protect those we care for from truths that could harm them.”
June nodded, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat.
“You’ve learned a hard lesson, June,” he went on, “but you have an advantage that many young witches in your position don’t—the wisdom that comes with growing up.”
“Just because I had to grow up quickly doesn’t mean it was easy,” June replied.
“I didn’t say it was,” Alistair agreed. “But sometimes the hardest lessons are the most necessary for growth.”
She looked at him, realising the depth of truth in his words, but knowing it didn’t soften the sting.
“Come, help me with this computer.” He gestured her over. “We never did stocktake, but now I really need some help figuring out this program.”
June shucked off her coat and laid it across the counter. “How much stock did the shadow cost you?”
“A bit, but don’t worry about it,” he said. “I’ll recoup the costs, and Lydia has already agreed to help me restock some herbs and other bits and pieces from her stores to get me by. Thankfully, it’s coming close to wintertime.” He smiled. “Business slows a little, but the candle trade picks up at Christmas.”
June gave him a half-smile, her mind still occupied with Harriet’s face as their shared memories evaporated. But with a deep breath, she shoved those thoughts away and focused her attention on the screen in front of her. It was time to look to the future.
“Stonebridge is resilient,” Alistair remarked. “And so are you, June. You have your mother’s strength and your father’s will. They’d be proud.”
Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but she blinked them away. Even after all her mistakes, Alistair believed in her, in their coven, and in the ability to endure whatever darkness might come.
“Thanks,” she said, fixing her gaze onto the computer screen. “For everything.”
“Come now,” Alistair said, shutting down the computer. “Let’s close up for the day—we all need a rest after all this business. There’s much to be grateful for, and tomorrow, we continue our work.”
“Sure.” She reached for her coat, but hesitated at the last moment. “Alistair? The amulet?”
“Safely tucked away with Mirabel,” he murmured. “As are the other artefacts.”
“Okay. Good.” She picked up her coat.
“Would you like me to walk you home?”
“No, no, I’m okay,” June replied. “I’ll go by the café, grab a coffee to go. The walk’ll do me good since I’m still buzzing from all the magic.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” Alistair asked, watching as she fastened her coat.
“Sure.” She smiled. “Someone’s got to help you with that computer.”
June pushed open the door to The Corner, the comforting scent of cooking food and ground coffee filling her nose. She paused just inside, her gaze drawn to the figure behind the counter. Lucas was there, as he always seemed to be, despite all he’d been through that morning. The coven must’ve used some potent magic to revitalise him after she’d pulled the shadow out of his body, because he looked as fresh as a daisy.
His hands moved with practised ease, grinding coffee beans with a rhythmic clatter that filled the space between them.
His brow was furrowed—his default setting—but when his eyes met hers, something flickered within. An echo of what they’d shared in the clearing, perhaps, even if he couldn’t remember.
“Hey,” June said as she approached the counter and took off her coat.
“June.” His nod was curt, but not unkind. “What can I get you?”
“A coffee, please,” she said, offering a small smile. “Can you make it a cappuccino with extra chocolate on the top?”
“Sure.” He turned to prepare her order, the muscles in his arms flexing beneath the rolled-up sleeves of his flannel shirt. She sat at the counter and watched him work, appreciating the quiet. There was comfort in the normalcy of it, despite the undercurrent of magic that pulsed just beneath the surface.
“Still on the job hunt?” Lucas asked over the hiss of steaming milk.
Her heart skipped at the question. “Yeah,” she admitted, leaning against the polished wood of the counter. “I am. Alistair needs some help with doing a stocktake, but after that, I don’t know.”
“Thought so.” The corners of his lips twitched, hinting at a smile that rarely made a full appearance. “I might know someone who’s looking.”
“Really?”
“Maybe,” he said, sliding the steaming cup of coffee across the counter toward her. “Start once you’re done at the apothecary. Next Friday, okay? Don’t be late.” There was a teasing challenge in his tone, a glint of humour in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.
“Really?” she asked, making a face. “You want me to work here, making coffee and—”
“You want a job or not?”
June chuckled. “Thanks.” The offer was more than a job, but an opportunity to get to know the grown up Lucas Burger without the taint of the shadow.
“Guess we’ll see if you can handle the morning rush without dropping anything,” he quipped, and she laughed.
“Is that a challenge?” June asked, cradling the warm cup between her hands.
“Of course it is.” His gaze held hers for a moment, brown eyes sparkling.
“I like this side of you,” she stated. “But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
Lucas’ smile faded and his grumpy mask fell back into place. “Careful, I might cancel that offer.”
As he returned to work, June gazed after him, a dreamy smile on her face. No, he wouldn’t.
She gazed out of the window, where the mundane world bustled on, unaware of the battles fought in the shadows. The fairy lights wrapped around the trees in the square sparkled, reflecting warmly off the ice crystals forming in the evening air, making the ordinary seem enchanted. Magic was woven into the fabric of this town, and it was as much a part of it as the cobblestone streets and the gnarled oak trees that lined them.
Sighing, she felt the weight of her grimoire in her coat pocket. The shadow that’d threatened the town might have been imprisoned, but there were other dangers, other mysteries hidden within the pages of Stonebridge’s history.
Her journey was far from over. Her lessons would continue, and with time, she would master her abilities and take her rightful place amongst the Stonebridge witches. And perhaps in time she’d understand what’d truly happened to her parents.
A sudden clatter behind the worn wooden counter shattered her daydream, jerking her back to the present. She blinked, her gaze meeting Lucas’s expectant nod as he gestured toward her empty cup.
“Want another?”
“Uh, no,” she said, fumbling in her pocket for some change. “I’m off home.”
A hint of annoyance flickered across Lucas’s face, his brows knitting together. “Put your money away, Morgan,” he grumbled, an undercurrent of affection softening his gruff tone. “This one’s on me.”
Before she could protest, he’d turned back to the coffee machine.
She left The Corner, her entire being filling with hope for the future. A gust of wind teased her hair, pulling it across her face, and she paused for a moment, her eyes reflecting the golden glow of the street lamps as she regained control of the unruly locks.
Glancing back through the window, she saw Lucas watching her, his normally stern expression soft. Their gazes held for a moment before she turned away and began the short walk home, ready to face whatever the future held.
But lost in thought, June didn’t notice the subtle change that was taking place far above Stonebridge. The once clear sky began to shift as if responding to an unseen force. Ominous clouds swirled and churned together in the twilight, forming a brewing storm that devoured the fading light.
She felt the weight of her grimoire in her coat pocket and smiled, hope filing her heart. Tomorrow was a brand new day, and she was ready for whatever it might bring.
Light or dark, June Morgan was ready.
The story continues in
SHADOW’S REFLECTION
Stonebridge Witches - Book Two
Shadowed reflections and elemental omens. In whispers of ice, the unknown is awoken.
* * *
As the darkness of the shadow entity fades from Stonebridge, June Morgan is trying to live a normal life. Well, as normal as a fledgling witch can manage. Under the guidance of skilled witch Elaine Parker, she delves deeper into the mysteries of elemental magic, striving to harness the untamed forces of nature.
But old threats arise as a storm brews over the annual Stonebridge Christmas market, threatening to plunge June’s world into chaos. For reflected in the ice, is a shadow that has the power to unleash untold devastation upon the town.
With time running out and the fate of the Stonebridge Witches hanging in the balance, June must confront the darkness lurking within winter’s chill before it's too late. Can she master her magic and save her home from darkened devastation, or will the melting ice herald the end of everything she holds dear?
* * *
Shadow's Reflection is the second book of the Stonebridge Witches series. Will June be able to contain the elemental forces and protect those she loves, or will she buckle under the pressure? Only time, and winters chill, will tell.
OTHER BOOKS IN THE
STONEBRIDGE WITCHES
by Nicole R. Taylor
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Buried secrets. Magical lies. With a shadow’s whisper, darkness begins to rise…
* * *
Shadow’s Whisper #1
Shadow’s Reflection #2
Shadow’s Embrace #3
* * *
…and more to come!
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ABOUT NICOLE
Nicole R. Taylor is an Australian Urban Fantasy author.
She lives in the western suburbs of Melbourne dreaming up nail biting stories featuring sassy witches, duplicitous vampires, hunky shapeshifters, and devious monsters.
She likes chocolate, cat memes, and video games.
When she’s not writing, she likes to think of what she’s writing next.
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Want more novels just like this one? Check out Nicole’s other series:
* * *
THE WITCH HUNTER SAGA - Vampires and witches collide in this thrilling Urban Fantasy adventure. You’ve never met vampires quite like these…
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THE CRESCENT WITCH CHRONICLES - Witches, shapeshifters, and ancient myth collide in this colourful Irish flavoured series! Come on an adventure fraught with danger and forbidden romance… and the ultimate battle to save magic before it's gone forever.
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THE ARONDIGHT CODEX - An ancient war with demons. A lost sword with the power to end it all. And a woman with purple hair is the world’s only hope.
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THE CAMELOT ARCHIVE - Set in the same alternate Arthurian world seen in The Arondight Codex… Deadly secrets. Murder and revenge. The end of the world is nye and Camelot is the last bastion of hope.
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THE DARKLAND DRUIDS - A woman with no living relatives travels from Australia to the other side of the world to find out the truth of who she is…only to land in the middle of a prophecy of destruction. Druids, witches, fae, and shapeshifters abound in this thrilling magical adventure!
* * *
FORTITUDE WOLVES - Werewolves and vampires are embroiled in a war for supremacy and a troubled woman is in the centre of it all…only she doesn’t know it. Packed with suspense, action, and supernatural secrets, this series is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats…
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AUSTRALIAN SUPERNATURAL: ORIGINS - Solace may seem like just another sleepy town, but the easily forgotten community is a haven for vampires, witches, werewolves, and other supernatural outcasts. Little can newcomer Eloise imagine the secrets the locals are desperate to protect…
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AUSTRALIAN SUPERNATURAL: GOLDFIELDS - Set against the backdrop of Victoria’s vibrant Gold Rush history, AS: Goldfields tells the story of a small Australian town, where dark spirits and supernatural conspiracies threaten to tear apart an unlikely trio of witches and vampires.
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AUSTRALIAN SUPERNATURAL: HIGH COUNTRY - Set in the wild and romantic Snowy Mountains, it tells the story of Grace Atkinson, who discovers a secret world of shapeshifting black panthers…and the evil forces who hunt them.
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TALES OF LOR’IYSLAR - In the enchanting world of Lor’Iyslar, where ancient magic and mystical realms collide, follow the adventures of Evelyn, Finn, and their mis-matched group of fae companions as they navigate the secrets of lost civilisations, embark on quests for magical relics, and confront the shadows of a forgotten past.
