Witch's Bell Book One

Would Ebony have to put up with forty-five minutes of "you don't know what you want to do with your life, and now terrible magical creatures are after your soul"?
    Ebony wiped at her mouth, and shrugged. She'd just have to make a decision now, wouldn't she?
    'Okay, let’s go,' Ebony headed towards the door.
    Ebony's walk with her mother was... pleasant. She wasn't worried, after all, you would have to be a ballsy, or totally crazy, magical fiend to want to take on a Coven witch. Nor had her mother used the opportunity to bat her ears about not finding greater purpose in life. In fact, the sun had been shining, the scent of brewing coffee and baking bread in the air, and the general happy ambiance of a Saturday morning had given everything a happy little tinge.
    Though their conversation had been stilted to begin with, and Ebony had found herself having to control herself on more than one occasion - stopping herself from taking a stab at her mother for her actions with the Coven - it had slowly turned almost pleasant. Her mother told her about the things she was planning to do with the house. How they'd recently had to widen the cat flap because their cat, Muggins, kept bringing home magical bats that turned into vampires halfway through the door, and got stuck there till her father went to get the screw driver. And about how Ebony's father had started to build dry stone-walls all around the garden, even though it was barely five cars wide.
    Ebony hadn't felt quite up to sharing her own recent shenanigans. After all, her mother was already well aware of them. Police work, magical punishment, magical attacks, the usual.
    But, several minutes from the station, the topic of the conversation had changed abruptly.
    Avery Bell had turned towards her daughter, a knowing smile on her lips. 'So, little witch, tell me more about the mysterious Detective Nate.'
    Ebony's stomach had given a little kick and she'd quickly found something else to look at. 'What about him?' she'd managed after a moment.
    'Something very peculiar, I think. He has an unusual presence, and an unusual will.'
    Ebony gave a brief laugh. 'He's like a dog after a bone. He doesn't let up, ever. And he asks questions all the time, he just doesn't stop. And he begins every single statement with a dry "right". It's so infuriating,' Ebony found herself suddenly talking non-stop, as if Avery had stuck a water balloon with a pin, only to find its contents burst forth with a pop.
    'Indeed.'
    'And he always seems to be at the right place at the right time,' Ebony scratched her neck, feeling it itch slightly.
    'Go on,' Avery simply prompted quietly.
    'I don't know, the first second I saw him, I thought he was just annoying. Someone who was so wound up by the rules, that he'd just burst if he found someone flaunting them,' Ebony kept scratching at her neck.
    'I see. And now what do you think of him?'
    Ebony ran her teeth over her lip. 'Oh, I don't know. He's just so different. He's not bothered by magic at all, not by anything really. I used to think I could wind him up and tease him, but now I realize he was always the one playing me,' she laughed half-heartedly, then let out a deep sigh. She kept going back to scratch her neck, it just felt so peculiar.
    'And? What do you mean? How is he different?' Avery's pace had slowed, even though the police station was now in sight.
    Ebony shrugged. 'I don't get a bad feeling about him, not at all, I just-'
    'Want to know more,' her mother smiled carefully. 'Well, he is very curious... very curious indeed. So, tell me, do you like him?'
    Ebony started to realize this was no normal itch. She stopped suddenly, turning to her mother, her face steely. 'You didn't,' she admonished harshly 'you didn't cast a speaking-hex on me, did you?'
    Her mother cocked an eyebrow. 'It is always a mothers prerogative to know what her daughter is thinking.'
    'Mum!' Ebony protested. 'You can't do that!'
    Her mother fobbed her off with a wave, but then her face turned very serious. 'I am still worried for you, little witch. Do not forget that. And I will do everything in my power to find out who is after you. Even if that requires hexing my own daughter – the very creature I am trying to save.'
    Ebony took a breath, almost ready for another fight. But then, well, she just let it go. She didn't want this – she didn't want to keep fighting with her mother – keep interpreting everything Avery did as some kind of mortal insult. It didn't make