Page 5 of Rewitched

“But I’m having such a lovely time. And I worked so hard to set the mood.”

Realisation dawned. “Wait, was this storm your doing, too?”

He sunk his hands into his pockets, seeming a little self-conscious. “Might have been. Don’t you like it?”

“I forgot my brolly, and I have to walk home once my shift is finished, so no.” She grabbed the door handle, keen to get herself out of the confined space and away from this man’s irritating arrogance. “Will that be all?”

He sighed, equally unimpressed. “Not that this visit hasn’t been incredibly welcoming thus far, but on second thoughts…” He snapped the thumb and middle finger of his right hand. In a fraction of a moment, a black envelope was summoned neatly between the two with a dusting of golden sparks. “So I don’t end up making a second trip, more than anything.” He offered the paper to her. “Read it. Don’t ignore it this time.”

“I told you, I wasn’t ignoring anything.” Belle pinched the letter from his grasp. “Thanks,” she added curtly, turning the paper over in her hand. “Will there be anything else?”

“Yes, actually. Any beach read recommendations? Something light, something fun, a little spice?” he asked, a wide grin escaping which almost split his face in two, entirely giving the game away for just how much he was relishing stealing her time.

Belle glared at him. Reluctantly, she stuffed the letter into the pocket of her apron for when there wasn’t a five-person-deep queue requiring her immediate attention. How bad could a letter be? If it was urgent, they’d call. Did covens call?

She pointed a finger at him. “Do not go past the office. If Christopher sees a customer coming out of the stock-room, I’ll never hear the end of it. Follow me. But not yet. In a minute.”

Her instructions seemed to amuse him greatly, and he gave her a small salute. Without glancing back at him, Belle flung open the stock cupboard door, dusting down her apron and speed-walking back towards the till. The man hung back for just a moment, intently watching her leave before eventually heading out behind her, ducking his head to avoid the door-frame.

A short while later, and with the queue under control, Belle returned to the back of the shop with her arms full of books. Shocked, she stopped. There he was, still lingering between the shadows of the classics and contemporary shelves, all long limbs and unkempt hair. He shot a covert glance in her direction and quickly looked back to the book in his hands when their eyes caught, as though he’d been found up to no good.

Belle’s hands went to her hips. “You’re still here?”

“Can’t a man enjoy a browse anymore? I came all this way and you’re not going to let me take advantage of the offers?”

“By all means, browse away. In fact…” She gestured for him to hold that thought while she dove into an adjacent corner. She returned to find him looking intrigued. “A personal recommendation. This would be perfect for your next read,” she said with a sickly sweet smile, thrusting her suggestion against his chest. She caught a flicker at the side of his mouth, as though pleased with himself for winning her over.

125 Magic Tricks for Young Magicians: With Free Gifts to Astound Your Friends!

“There might even be something in there to improve your little envelope spell.” Their eye contact burned: his a strange combination of fury yet faint amusement, hers entirely indignant. Belle held it this time, adamant not to buckle under his stare again.

“Please do not come back here again,” she said. “Or at least warn me next time so I can leave the country first.”

“Excuse me, do you work here?”

Belle transformed her expression back to genuinely friendly in a fraction of a second, turning to a bespectacled lady who was approaching her with a stack of brightly coloured romance covers.

“Sure do. Are you okay there? Let’s get those in a basket for you.”

As she steered the woman towards the till while reeling off a list of author names, Belle couldn’t help but notice a flutter of movement from the corner of her eye. Only a string of faint golden sparks remained, trailed between the shelves, and that crackling scent of bonfire smoke that ignited her senses again. In the chaos of his arrival, she’d forgotten to even get his name. Probably something as ridiculous as he was. Gandalf maybe? Fortunately, she highly doubted that he would make a habit of visiting Lunar Books.

2

A Witch’s Home

MAGIC IN THE mundane can be difficult to find, but it is always waiting patiently somewhere, snuffling quietly, curled up like a sleeping animal and ready to be found by those searching hard enough. Flat 31 was one such enchanted place. Small and shadowed, with wonky cupboard fronts that didn’t quite fit properly and a temperamental back right hob ring that had needed fixing for months, the kitchen inside was nevertheless filled with magic. Every inch of it was covered with the stuff, from the heap of used teabags on the drainer to the mixing bowl in the corner. Even the butter dish was charged with magic, because this was the home of a witch. Albeit a humble one.

“…talking about losing that magic in a relationship, you know? That real, enchanting kind of magic between the two of you that can only be considered witchcraft. For many couples it—”

The radio clicked over again.

“Goal! That magic left foot of his once again, some kind of sorcery from the boy in—”

“You’ve got to be joking.”

“Good morning, Jane. Yes, Londoners will no doubt be disappointed to hear that the unseasonably warm spell is officially over for us. That dry, sunny, altogether rather lovely late summer spell—”

“Oh, for…”