Page 2 of Coven of Magic

Joy was so busy being bitter about her exclusion that it took a while for Paulina’s words to catch up to her. “Suspect?” she gasped, her heart kicking faster in her chest.

“You found the body. For all we know, you killed him.” Joy opened her mouth to tell Paulina it was a girl who’d been killed, but she snapped it shut when Paulina’s eyes narrowed to slits at the audacity of her considering talking. “Call your boss—you won’t be in today.” Not giving Joy a single chance to argue, Paulina looked past her to Gabi, emerging from the tent she’d put up while Joy had been talking to Bo. “Finally.I want answers. Why’s there a dead man on my beach?”

“Girl,” Gabi corrected absently. Joy recognised the busy calculation in her eyes, and knew her mind was whirring, making clever connections like she always had.

Bo squeezed Joy’s arm and whispered, “Don’t worry. She can’t lock you up without evidence. Gabi won’t let her, and neither will I.”

But Paulina was Head Witch—the woman whoranAgedale. Everyone knew Paulina could do whatever she wanted without consequences. Joy felt even sicker than before.

She let her eyes wander, and a shock went through her as her eyes accidentally met Gabi’s, those same dark brown eyes she’d spent most of her teenage years staring into. Joy froze, her limbs forgetting they were in the middle of trembling.

Gabi Pride stood merefootstepsfrom her, in the same coat as ever but with disposable gloves on her hands. She looked exactly the same as she had six years ago, her straight black hair tied back, her skin pale, and her dark eyes intent. If Joy’s voice hadn’t dried up, a cry might have fallen out of her mouth. Gabi was back. Really back.

But Gabi wouldn’t be happy to see Joy. Her heart shrivelled into a tight ball as she remembered the last time they spoke. She could hear the words of their argument as if it had happened yesterday, not years ago.

“You got everything you need?” Paulina asked Gabi.

“Not even close,” Gabi replied in the deep, velvet voice that crushed something deep down in Joy. She soundedexactlythe same. The same as she had all those times she whisperedI love you. The same as the last day Joy heard her voice, with grief over her mum an ever-tightening noose around Joy’s neck and acid spitting from her in the form of words. Hateful, meaningless words.

“Pride,” Paulina barked, turning to Bo. “You takeherin for questioning while this one gets the evidence.”

Joy hunched her shoulders at the hatred in Paulina’s voice, but Bo just hugged her tighter, ignoring the pointed look the Head Witch gave to his hand on Joy’s arm.

“Not my job,” Bo replied with what was probably too wide a smile for the scene on the beach. “Sorry, Paulina. Retired, remember?”

Paulina huffed, her face turning blotchy red. “Fine. Stay here and babysit her instead.” She pointed a pudgy finger at Gabi. “Don’t go easy on her. This one’s got psychopath written all over her. You know what they say about quiet ones, and with herparentage…”

Fury coursed through Joy, momentarily erasing everything else. “What about myparentage?” she asked before she could stop herself. “You think because I’m a witch and a fae, I’m automatically a murderer?”

“No one thinks that,” Gabi spoke before Paulina could. Her voice was soft, calming. So were her eyes when Joy met them. It somehow made her feel worse, to know Gabi didn’tentirelyhate her, not enough to obliterate any sympathy anyway. “But I’d have to interview you no matter what, since you found the body.” She flicked a look at Paulina, defiance in the gesture. “You can go now. I’ve got it covered. And before you warn me to be impartial in my questioning, I’d like to remind you that I’ve spent the past six years in highly specialised police training. I’ve had the dubious pleasure of handling three murder cases already.”

Paulina’s eyes narrowed, her nostrils flaring at the insubordination. “One week, Pride. Remember that.” She turned on her silver-heeled boots and trudged up the nearest sand dune, the bottom of her cloak dragging through the sand.

“Stay here with my dad until I’m done,” Gabi said. Joy was too distracted by the sudden need to be sick again to realise she was talking to her. “Joy.” Gabi’s latex-gloved hand lifted as if to touch her but reconsidered; Joy caught it in her peripheral vision and the beach snapped back into focus. She managed to nod.

“Do you need to … handcuff me?” She couldn’t look at Gabi, her eyes instead on the little white tent covering the dead witch. Which wasn’t any more reassuring than looking at Gabi.

Gabi sighed. It was such a familiar, frustrated sound that Joy couldn’t help but be a little bit comforted. “No matter what Paulina says, you’re not a suspect. You’re a witness. So, no, I don’t need to handcuff you.” She paused, and added, “Just don’t go anywhere.”

It was an unnecessary thing to add—Gabi had known Joy since they were thirteen and was well aware of what a voracious rule-follower she was. She needed to be questioned, so she’d wait right here until Gabi was done and then answer all her questions. But…

“Are you…” she began, and then gulped to be met with Gabi’s full attention, their gazes locked. “Are you the new…” There wasn’t really a word for what Bo and Clover had been.

“The new Pride?” Gabi’s mouth twitched. “Yeah.”

Your mum would be happy, Joy didn’t dare say. Joy had never known Gabi’s mum, not like she knew Bo, but Gabi had told her again and again how Clover wanted Gabi to follow in her footsteps and keep things safe and orderly in Agedale. Joy swallowed the words and nodded.

So Gabi would be questioning her—would be, no matter what she said, looking at Joy for any signs she’d killed this girl.

Joy pressed her trembling hands against her thighs and waited for her interrogation as Gabi disappeared back into the white tent.

TWO

GABI

One week, Pride.

As if Gabi didn’t already know. As if passing this trial period with flying colours wasn’t the most important thing she’d ever done. And it was fuckingtypicalthat she encountered a murder on her second day on the job.