Witch's Bell Book One

and a sigh.
    Even though the thoughts were eminent and important, Ebony realized with a quick blink that now was probably not the time to get lost in them. She looked up from her vacant stare to see both detectives sharing a worried look.
    'Where's my office, then?' she asked with an awkward smile. 'I'm here to work, aren't I?'
    Ben's top teeth were sunk so deep into his bottom lip that the skin had turned a mottled white and pink. 'Eb, you sure you're feeling okay? I mean, are there any side effects from those bracelets, or the drugs maybe? Did you get a good night's sleep?'
    Ebony sighed, realizing that Ben probably now thought she was a drug-addicted insomniac ex-witch. But her shoes were so comfortable, she reminded herself again, so very comfortable. 'Don't worry,' she said honestly, this time not shrugging, 'it will take time to get used to. Plus,' she found herself grinning, 'I've never had drugs before.'
    She meant it as a joke, but Ben's face became all the more pained. 'Okay,' he eventually said with a nod, 'I'm going to set you up in your office,' he said clearly, as if talking to a three-year-old. 'There are some old cases I thought you could look at for me – but no pressure,' he raised his hands quickly, as if trying to negotiate his way out of a hostage situation. 'You get to them only if you feel you can.'
    'Okay. I don't have anything else to do. And I can still read, I think,' she tried for another joke, this time adding a grin to make sure it went down right.
    But once again, Ben just looked pained. 'You can't read? I mean, that was magical too?'
    'No,' she said blankly, 'I can read, Ben.'
    'Okay, okay, I'll take you to your office then,' Ben looked and acted like a worried aunt.
    Nate opened his mouth, as if trying to say something, then just blinked heavily. 'Glad to have you back,' he eventually offered.
    'I didn't go anywhere,' Ebony added, a bare spark of her usual spunky nature returning. But the spark was still dim against her current mellowed state.
    As Ben turned, ushering Ebony on with a flick of his hand, a tall, leggy, stunning blonde walked into the room. Chalcedony. She was wearing a very smart, very stylish black skirt - an expensive looking white shirt ruffling out from it. She had high, but smart, black heels on. She had a gray handbag hanging over her arm, her usually dead straight blonde hair looped into an exacting bun at the base of her neck. She wore make-up, but with the ease of someone who didn't really care.
    Ebony saw more than a couple of appreciative glances slip Chalcedony's way from the men in the room. Even the women looked slightly awed.
    Chalcedony cocked her head to one side when she saw Ebony, her electric-green eyes glinting. She didn't say anything, but she didn't have to – it was plastered over her face like a ten-meter billboard.
    'Glad you're here,' Nate said, rushing up to the new witch. 'We've got a situation down town-'
    'I've read the report, Detective Wall, and I am ready to go. This situation should be easy to control, but I suggest that we move now. I never like to delay.'
    Was that admiration flickering in Nate's eyes, or something else? Was the usually efficient Detective admiring Chalcedony's graceful go-get-them attitude, or just her figure?
    Ebony bit down on her lips, an unusual frustration seizing her torso, as sticky and slow as melted treacle.
    It was strange, seconds before she'd been detached and philosophical and now she was itching with frustration. Being human, and without magic, was like being a flag in a hurricane. You turned this way and that entirely at the whim of the wind whipping around you.
    And the winds, apparently, had just changed, and Ebony felt the annoyance draw through her with the pull of a gale.
    She tried not to meet Chalcedony's gaze. Her former best friend may have been many things, but she was still a witch, and a very powerful witch at that. Ebony could glare at the blonde bombshell all she wanted, but Chalcedony could reply with a witch's gaze – and Ebony would rather not grow a boil on the end of her nose right now.
    So Ebony found herself staring down at the floor, chewing into her lips like they were leather bits.
    Ben tried to get her attention with an awkward wave. 'Ah, Eb? Something on the ground? Anyhow, we've got to go now. Frank will show you to your office.' And with that, Ben, her Ben, turned to follow a different witch out the door.
    Nate grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair, throwing it on