Magic & Mayhem by Annabel Chase

Author:Annabel Chase [Chase, Annabel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Palm Press LLC
Published: 2017-12-04T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

“Right this way, Miss Ember. Everyone is waiting,” Simon said. It was time for our weekly Sunday dinner at Thornhold, the Rose family’s grand estate. My aunt’s butler gave Marley a friendly bow. “Miss Marley.”

“Here.” I thrust a small box into Simon’s hands.

Simon appeared perplexed. “You brought a hostess gift this time?”

“It’s considered polite,” I said, echoing Thaddeus’s statement from the coffee shop.

Simon smiled. “Certainly. I’ll deliver this to my lady.”

“I love your glasses, Simon,” Marley said. “Are they new?”

Simon’s smile widened. “As a matter of fact, they are.” He tapped the arm. “A friend suggested that perhaps the old pair didn’t suit me.”

I gulped. Simon couldn’t read minds like vampires could he? Because I was certain my initial thought upon meeting him was that his glasses only served to make his bald head appear rounder. I was inclined to agree with his friend—these black rectangular frames were a huge improvement.

“They’re very nice,” Marley said.

“Ditto,” I added, to assuage my guilt over my unkind thought.

“You’d think there’d be a spell to cure bad eyesight so you didn’t need glasses at all,” Marley mused on our way into the dining room.

“Maybe that’s an area you can focus on when you’re older, Miss Marley,” Simon said. “New spells are always in the works, not all successful, of course.”

I ruffled her hair. “Cool. You’ll be a magical scientist.” Assuming she came into her witch powers. Ugh. I dreaded her next birthday.

“Finally,” my aunt said. “I was beginning to think we’d need to release the hounds.”

“Ha. Funny,” I said faintly, because I wasn’t entirely sure she was joking. Knowing my aunt, she had a pack of hellhounds at her disposal for just such occasions as a tardy niece.

I was surprised to see two additional guests at my aunt’s table for our regular gathering. Sunday dinners were usually restricted to family.

“Alec’s here,” Marley said happily. My daughter was a big fan of Alec’s, both the author and the vampire.

Alec pushed back his chair and stood when we entered the impressive dining room. Every time I came for dinner, I was reminded that my entire apartment in New Jersey could fit inside this one room. It never ceased to take my breath away. Between the huge oval table, the magical chandelier, and the family crest over the fireplace, I felt like I was dining with academics from Hogwarts—that, at any moment, a giant hat might appear and sort me into a different family. Not Marley, of course. In my eyes, she was as perfect as any Rose. Instinctively, I glanced at the dark blue banner that hung above the mantel. The Rose family crest featured a full moon and stars with a red rose in front of the moon. It was undeniably beautiful.

“Good evening, Miss Rose,” he said politely. “Miss Marley.”

Marley beamed like she’d been granted her witch powers a year early. “Can I sit in the empty seat next to Alec?” she asked my aunt.

“Of course, darling,” Aunt Hyacinth replied. “You’ll make an excellent dinner companion for him.

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