The Witches of Greyfox Cove

Chapter Two

Aunt Emerald led him into the house. The entryway was small and dimly lit, with no furniture except for a coat rack carved of dark wood. The floor was adorned with an old rug with an ornate purple pattern. There was also a chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Aunt Emerald hurried him along into the living room, which was huge, with antique, mismatched furniture that looked like she had acquired them all at different points in time but all long ago.

The furniture wasn't the only thing interesting in the room though.

Sitting on one of the antique couches was a woman, probably about Aunt Emerald's age, wearing a long dress with her hair in a vintage style. "Took you long enough to get home, Emerald," she said, rising gracefully.

"Who's that?" Gabriel asked.

"This is my friend Rachel Tern," Aunt Emerald said. "She and her daughter are living with me for the time being because she recently moved here and has yet to find her own home."

"Oh, I didn't know you had a roommate," Gabriel said, fidgeting with the strings on his jacket. Then he remembered his manners and said, "Pleased to meet you, Ms. Tern. I'm Gabriel, Emerald's nephew."

Rachel nodded. "Yes yes, I am aware, pleased to meet you. I am surprised that you're my daughter's age, I thought you'd be younger. I'm sure you'll get along with her."

Gabriel didn't know what to say to that. A movement across the room caught his attention, and he looked down to see a small black cat slinking out from behind a bookshelf.

"Hi, cat," he said gently, kneeling down. "What's the cat's name?" he asked Aunt Emerald.

"Oh that's Morgan, he's Abigail's cat," Aunt Emerald replied off-handedly.

"Abigail must be Ms. Tern's daughter?"

"Yes of course," Rachel Tern said. Then she cocked her head as they heard footsteps on the front steps. "Ah, speak of the devil, that must be her finally coming home from the library."