Purrfect Magic Read online

  Purrfect Magic

  Whisker Witchcraft Book 1

  Samantha Coville

  Copyright © 2019 by Samantha Coville

  All rights reserved.

  Book cover design by FrostAlexis Cover Designs.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or location is entirely coincidental.

  Visit My Website: www.SamanthaCoville.com

  Created with Vellum

  For Kenai, Sweet Pea, Teaser, Tori, Riot, and Winchester.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  COMING SOON: Pawsome Magic (Whisker Withcraft Book 2)

  Chapter One

  Three years. I just need to survive thirty-six months. 1,095 days of homework, lectures, and a roommate that probably snores. 26,280 hours before I am finally free to do whatever the hell I want.

  I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, the gravel of the expansive driveway crunching under my shoes. The car that had dropped me off pulled away behind me and I took a quick peek around at my new classmates, the first-year class of the Jourdemayne Academy of Witchcraft.

  The excitement was obvious on everyone’s faces as they got to know each other, their bags dragging behind them. I rolled my eyes and reached into the sleeve of my blouse. Held in place by a strap was a wand, eight inches long and made of stained, polished dogwood. I’d received it seven years earlier on my fourteenth birthday, two years before the normal age for a first wand. With two flicks of my wrist and a “vitae” enchantment under my breath, my suitcases lifted effortlessly off the ground.

  Jourdemayne Academy of Witchcraft looked exactly as I’d imagined. My parents had been telling me stories of those stone walls and lattice balconies since I was a little girl. I mean, technically, my father had gone to the boy’s school next door and across the river, the Bolingbroke Academy of Wizardry. But who really cares about the details?

  I took my first steps toward my new home, my bags following a few feet behind me. As I strolled, I slipped my wand back into its place and brushed my thick golden hair behind one ear. I could feel a few pairs of eyes latching onto me. They all knew how to perform the same little parlor trick, but magic, no matter how big or small, takes energy. They were probably trying to reserve theirs to be ready for whatever the first day of class would hold.

  But I wasn’t worried. I hadn’t been worried even once during the enrollment process. There are only 75 students at each of the two academies at any given time, 25 in each of the three student years. It was officially the most prestigious and exclusive college for magic in the world. But they almost guaranteed my acceptance into the program the moment I was born. Benefit number one hundred and twenty-seven of being Harper Bishop.

  The entrance to the Academy was a set of double doors that towered over my head. They stood open, inviting me in, welcoming me to a world of possibility or uncertainty or a mix of the two. The sounds of my steps changed from crunching pebbles to clapping on the stone flooring of the foyer. I breathed in the smell of old paper, potion ingredients, and the oddest mix of over a dozen different perfumes. I kind of wished all the students could just agree on the same one.

  “Greetings and welcome to the Jourdemayne Academy of Witchcraft!”

  I jumped as the voice behind me startled me from my thoughts. With my loss of concentration came the crashing of my luggage on the floor. I groaned and crouched to stuff a few shirts that fell out back into their place. I stared down the suit of armor that had surprised me. There was nothing inside the metal of course; it was just an enchantment. But I hoped the spell gave it enough humanity to know that it annoyed me.

  “Miss Bishop, would you like me to begin your tour of the academy?”

  “I’d rather just go straight to my room, thanks.” I flourished my wand again and my suitcases resumed their silent hovering.

  “As stated in your orientation papers, Miss Bishop, this tour is a mandatory part of your first day here at Jourdemayne. You may delay it in order to socialize with your classmates, but you will not be given your room assignment or class schedule until it is completed.”

  The voice was tinny and sounded like it was on the other end of a long tunnel. I resisted the urge to see what would happen if I lifted the face protector on the helmet. “Fine, take it away.”

  The suit of armor bowed and began walking stiffly down a hallway to the left of the spiral staircase that took students upstairs to where the rooms were. I followed along at a lazy pace and peeked into open doors as we passed them. It appeared this was a hallway of simple classrooms, nothing special.

  “The Jourdemayne Academy of Witchcraft has over a dozen lecture rooms ranging in size. These lecture rooms will host everything from Foundation of Potions to Advanced Magical Law. Select classes, such as Pegasus Care, will take place outside in the back lawn of the mansion.”

  The hallway hooked around to the right and then back to the right again, making a giant “U”. This hallway had all the doors closed, names carved into the doors and glowing with a supernatural golden light.

  “These are the offices. Your professors can be found here for office hours or correctional appointments.”

  I couldn’t help myself from smirking at the last part. My parents would act like it was the end of the world if I ended up in a “correctional appointment”, which were just the fancy words that meant detention. Or expulsion.

  Since we had gone in a “U” shape, I assumed we would end up back in the foyer when we reached the end of the corridor, but it actually opened up into a large dining hall with a dozen circular tables and a separate head table. The mansion was bigger inside than it looked from the outside. Right then I considered asking the suit of armor if there were maps. But he’d already started talking again with his predetermined spiel.

  “Meals will be served three times a day here in the dining hall. Outside of meal hours, your only food option is a community pantry in the kitchen through those doors. Variety is limited, so it is recommended you don’t miss your meals.”

  “Noted,” I sighed as I surveyed the stained glass windows that created rainbows on the floor and tables. The windows displayed depictions of witches and wizards of note through the ages. The window behind the head table showed a beautiful woman dressed in purple, her luscious brown hair flowing behind her as she rode on a black steed.

  The suit of armor had begun walking out of the dining hall but halted when it noticed I wasn’t following. It turned awkwardly around and seemed to glance from me to the window I was staring at and back to me again.

  “Ah, yes, Headmistress Jourdemayne herself. She rode her horse through
the night to escape the town that had burned her at the stake. She concocted a combination of charms and potions to make her immune to the flames, while still appearing to have died. After faking her death, she rode free and eventually founded this Academy.”

  There was a hint of possible pride in his voice at recounting the tale that I, of course, already knew. But the suit of armor was kind of growing on me at that point, so I let it slide. It turned back to its original course and led me through more connecting corridors, escorting me past a medical wing, ingredient storage space, and a boarding room for magical pets.

  The suit lifted a creaking finger. “Remember, year one students are not permitted to keep any pets, magical or otherwise, at the Academy. During your second year, you will be given a chance to take the licensing test to acquire your license to keep cats, dogs, owls, ferrets, frogs, bats, raccoons, or horses.”

  “Does anyone actually keep a raccoon?” I raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

  “There is one. Odd fellow…” The suit’s sentence trailed off, and I had to stop myself from snorting back a laugh. Anyone who kept a raccoon was the type of person I needed to find in this place.

  I was ready to get off my feet when we returned to the foyer. I could tell other students were just beginning their tours with their own suits of armor leading the way. My guide suit finally gestured to head up the staircase to the bedrooms and I could not be happier. It had been a four-hour car drive after a six-hour flight to get to the Academy. I needed a nap. And a shower. Maybe not in that order.

  We ascended, and I was instantly overwhelmed by how many hallways and doors there were up there. But I supposed it made sense with 75 students and a collection of staff members. I followed behind the armor as it turned left, down six doors, and then faced the right-hand side of the hallway. The number 127 shimmered it golden light similar to the professor names on their office doors.

  “This will be your living space, Miss Bishop, and will continue to be yours for the duration of your stay at the Academy. You are welcome to hang posters and calendars, but do not bewitch the room in any permanent manner. You will find your class schedule on your bed. Do you have any further questions before I leave you to your new home?”

  “No,” I smiled. “You did a very thorough job.”

  “Then, once again, welcome to the Jourdemayne Academy of Witchcraft. The Headmistress, as well as the entire staff, expects great things from all the students here.”

  I nodded a final goodbye and the suit of armor trudged away without me. For a moment I wondered what would happen to him. Would his enchantment cease and the metal become lifeless? Or would I see him again roaming the halls? Would he remember me? Would he care? Should I even care?

  “Dear lords, I need some sleep.”

  Chapter Two

  I don’t know what I expected more. Would the room would be empty, bare, basic, and pretty much boring? Or would it be opulent and grand, filled to the brim with the finest luxuries the Academy could afford?

  It was definitely the latter.

  The floor was a sleek, dark wood. But over it was a plush, soft Oriental rug. The shades of yellow and orange and red complemented the maroon walls. Two matching canopy beds draped in silk sat on either side of the room. One had a pile of clothes already strewn all over it. The other was perfectly made, not a wrinkled to be found. There were also sets of armchairs, nightstands, and desks already supplied with pens and parchment. A vase of flowers sat on one of the desks and it filled the room with a pleasant floral aroma.

  It was obvious which bed my mystery roommate had already selected, so I went to the other bed on the far side of the room and my luggage landed gently on top. Photographs of students past hung on the walls. Some of them were smiling but some of them were holding wands at the ready for a duel.

  My eyes drifted to the closet, and I became concerned. It looked awfully small. I took a few steps over to it and moved the sliding door to reveal that it had clearly been enchanted so that the contents inside had five times more space than it should have had naturally. I smirked. Perhaps my living accommodations for the next three years were not as bad as I had originally thought.

  A door to an adjoining room opened, and I jumped back startled. A girl wrapped in a towel, her hair dripping wet, made a gasping sound as she was as startled as I was. She was a very petite little thing and reminded me of how people had always described the Fae to me. She had the sense of innocent beauty that the Fae also had. She was human though. No wings were a dead giveaway.

  Her hair appeared to be a dark brown color. But since it was dripping on the floor, it would be hard to tell the true color until it dried. Her eyes were a matching hue and were wide and round as they realized who I was. She gripped the towel tighter around her, making sure that nothing was exposed.

  Oh no, I thought. It’s already starting. I can’t go one full day without having to fend off someone who knows me or my parents. I braced myself for whatever she would say next.

  “Well, this is unexpected.” She shrugged her shoulders and started going to her bed to grab her clothes. I gawked at her in disbelief. But then I kind of felt relief wash over me. She clearly knew who I was, and was excited about the fact that I was her roommate, but she wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it. At least not yet.

  She looked over her shoulder at me as she started sifting through her clothes, looking for the day’s outfit.

  “So you’re Harper Bishop. It’s very nice to meet you. My name is Olivia.”

  “Hi Olivia,” I stammered. I was at a loss for words. I wasn’t used to people being so chill around me. But I could feel the tension leave my shoulders. I moved back to my own suitcases and started unpacking my clothes into the closet that was next to the bed.

  “Oh, you’re going to need this.” She grabbed a piece of paper off her nightstand and reached across the empty space between the beds to hand it to me.

  I took it with a thank you and checked what was written on it. It was our class schedule. The first-year classes were anticlimactic, to be honest. Witchcraft History, Charms and Hexes, Medical Applications, Magical Etiquette, and a couple of others. My dad had warned me you didn’t get to the dangerous and exciting topics until the next year.

  I groaned.

  “You noticed the first class is at six in the morning?” I looked up to find Olivia grinning.

  “That seems cruel,” I noted.

  She laughed as she grabbed a handful of clothes and made her way back to the adjoined bathroom. She closed the door behind her and I listened as she clumsily changed. The door opened once again to reveal Olivia in the Jourdemayne Academy uniform.

  Dear god.

  A white button-down blouse had the school crest embellishing the right pocket. The skirt was the stereotypical red plaid that had me on the verge of gagging. Black flats accompanied the ensemble and I hated knowing a matching uniform was in my own bag, shipped to me a month prior.

  “At least we only have to wear these to the classes,” Olivia attempted to perk me up. “I just had to know how it looked, I’d avoided trying it on at home.”

  “Smart move,” I added.

  Olivia paused, staring at me, then staring at the floor, and then back at me. She finally sat on the edge of her bed and made an apologetic pouty face.

  “Okay, I really didn’t want to ask and bug you, but what’s it like?”

  I halted my unpacking and looked at her. I don’t know if I was surprised in the sudden change in interest or disappointed that the peace hadn’t lasted very long.

  “What? Having two parents in the Warlock Alliance?”

  “No,” she laughed. “Having everyone know who you are. You can’t go anywhere without getting stopped. I wanted to not be that person, but I figure we’re going to be roommates and stuck with each other, so I should just get it out of the way. I’m rambling, aren’t I? I’ll shut up.”

  “It’s all right,” I held up a hand to calm her down. “Most people want to know ab
out my parents. And they always want to know if I want to join the Alliance like them. Few people are interested in just me on my own, I guess. I get asked about my fashion a lot, though.”

  “I can see why.” She eyed my current ensemble, and I had to agree it was amazing. I always looked best in pink. The hot pink leather jacket was bespoke and worth a minor fortune. It was probably my favorite piece I owned. And now I’d have to trade it out for that hideous red mess during class hours.

  “So, like, obviously, you know tons about where I’m from and who I am. Tell me something about you.” Olivia didn’t seem half bad as roommates went. I guess I could be friendly.

  “Um,” Olivia looked at the ceiling as she pondered what to share. “Well, both of my parents took jobs in the non-magical world, but my high school exams showed I was rather gifted at charms. So here I am.”

  “That has to be nice,” I sighed, lounging on my bed. “You know without a doubt that you’re here on your own merits. I’ll never know if I’m just here as a Bishop. But, thankfully, I don’t even really want to be here. So does it even matter?”

  Her eyes went wide. “You don’t want to be here? The most exclusive magic academy in existence?”

  I gave her a smug smirk and a wink. “The second I graduate, I will be on a plane to Paris.”

  I got no response from her on that matter and I was more than happy to finish unpacking in silence. The only other time I heard her speak that night was when she let me know she was heading downstairs for dinner. I told her I’d find her a little later when I got down there.