Page 1 of Spookily Yours

ONE

willow

I’d always been taught that black cats were a sign of good luck. Maybe that just came with the territory as the daughter of a witch, but every time I’d seen one, life seemed to look up.

A flash of black caught my eye as I winded through the quiet, shady street towards town.

This one was perched on the edge of the brick wall that bordered the path, his flicking tail garnering my attention as he licked his paw, like he didn’t have a care in the world.

Though I supposed he didn’t. I sighed to myself.The life of a cat.

“If only we could all be so lucky to laze around all day like you,” I said with a snort.

The little beast didn’t have a collar, so I assumed he didn’t have an owner. Shaking my head at myself, I adjusted the tote bag on my arm and continued on my way down the path.

Crunchy leaves littered the ground, giving a satisfyingcrunchanytime I stepped on one with my boots. The entire world was lit up with color, all the trees turning the magnificent hues of autumn.

Turning around, I looked back at the brick wall, but the cat was already gone.

I loved every bit of this season—when the air turned crisp and you could pull all the warm sweaters out of the back of your closet. It felt like the equivalent of wrapping yourself up in a warm, cozy blanket with a cup of hot apple cider in your hands.

But there was something extra special about the fall in Pleasant Grove. This town had always been a secret haven for witches, a cozy little town full of covens, where magic wasordinary.Long ago, the founding witches had shielded this place from the outside world, putting up protective barriers with magic. Giving us the freedom to be ourselves, not having to hide who we were.

I smiled as I saw a cobweb covered front porch; the lawn decorated with a giant spider. Families had begun putting out their Halloween decorations weeks ago. In our community, it was like a huge competition. We took it as seriously as the humans did their Christmas lights.

It was my favorite month of the year. Ever since I was small, I’d looked forward to my family attending the town’s festivities together. There was nothing better than the days where we’d decorate our house forAll Hallows’ Eve,especially when there was a pot of pumpkin juice brewing.

I missed that.

The tantalizing aroma of sugar and baked goods hit me before I’d even reached for the door handle of the bakery and coffee shop in town—The Witches’ Brew.My sister and I had opened it several years ago, and it was still crazy to me how popular we were each morning.

But right now, it was quiet, the morning dew still settled across the town as the world only just began to wake up.

The bell rang as I entered the shop, my mouth watering from whatever was currently baking in the back. The sugar cookies were my sister’s specialty, iced with such precision. Everything she made was amazing, but I eagerly awaited fall each year, knowing that it meant pumpkin-flavored treats.

Heading into the kitchen, I dropped my bag onto the chair and went to grab my apron, smoothing my light brown hair into a ponytail.

“Wil!” Luna’s blonde curls popped into view. “Good morning!” Her cheery voice instantly smoothed over my unsettled mood. She’d always done that for me.

We were almost perfect mirrors of each other, my sister and I, except for our hair. We had the same little nose, the same bright green eyes, the same slant to our nose. And while she’d inherited my mom’s beautiful honey-blonde hair, I’d gotten the caramel shade from our dad.

“Morning,” I replied, tying the apron behind my back, inhaling deeply as if I could absorb the scent in the air. “How was your morning?”

Her dedication to the bakery side of our shop was the reason we had a line out the door most mornings. What skills I had with brewing potions, Luna had gained in her efficiency with breads, muffins, and all things sweet.

“It’s been good.” Luna’s face split into a grin. “I made your favorite.”

Mmm.I thought I had scented them in the air. “Are those chocolate chip pumpkin scones?”

“You got it.” She flicked her finger, levitating one over to me.

When we were young, our parents had encouraged us not to rely on our magic. Not all witches in our town, or even in our coven, had telekinetic abilities, but we were both lucky. Our powers had gotten us out of quite a few situations in a pinch.

The scone—still warm from the oven—landed into my hand, and I bit into it happily. “Oh. So good,” I moaned. “I needed that. This morning has been, well…”

I’d barely been able to drag myself out of bed this morning. And then there was the cat. I blinked.

“I saw a cat,” I said, the words slipping out.

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