Spun by Sorcery Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  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

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  EPILOGUE

  BARBARA BRETTON’S ROAD TRIP PROJECTS ROUNDUP

  DAWN BROCCO’S MINI STOCKING CAP

  GEORG HAWKS’S MINIATURE SOCKS—TOE UP

  LAURA PHILLIPS’S THE MARA SCARF

  KIM HELMICK’S BASIC RIBBED SOCKS—CUFF DOWN

  RACHAEL HERRON: HOW TO KNIT IN THE DARK

  TERRI DULONG: DON’T LOOK BACK!

  CAROLINE LEAVITT: THE SWEATER

  JEAN BRASHEAR: THE FOURTH TIME’S THE CHARM . . .

  MAURA ANDERSON: THE WEDDING SHAWL

  “THE REGION OF THE HEART IS HER TERRITORY.”

  —Susan Elizabeth Phillips

  LACED WITH MAGIC

  “Laced with Magic has a well-rounded cast of characters, an enchanting story line, and the surprise ending will leave readers eager for another visit to Sugar Maple.”

  —Darque Reviews

  “There’s no such thing as an easy choice in this poignant, magical story of love and sacrifice. Bretton spins an incredible tale. The next book in this series can’t come fast enough.”

  —Booklist (starred review)

  “A lighthearted satirical blending of a knitting cozy with a paranormal romance . . . Never serious except for knitting tips, fans will enjoy Barbara Bretton’s fine tale Laced with Magic.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  “Best known for excellent contemporary romance, Bretton has created a paranormal series that is both engaging and timely; for those who like their fantasy with a down-home flair.”

  —Library Journal

  “Another light, frothy tale . . . plenty of amusing touches of supernatural humor (via the townsfolk) and a nice progression of Chloe and Luke’s romance.”

  —BookLoons.com

  “I was expecting a light revisit to Sugar Maple. What I was not expecting is a story that is witty, enchanting, exciting, and at times totally heart-wrenching.”

  —TalesofWhimsy.com (5 stars)

  CASTING SPELLS

  “Bretton spins an imaginative and charming tale.”

  —Booklist (starred review)

  “Tongue-in-cheek humor lifts this weird but fun hybrid, part knitting cozy, part paranormal romance, from romance veteran Bretton.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Whimsical and satirical . . . Barbara Bretton casts a spell on readers with a charming urban fantasy romantic police procedural.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  JUST DESSERTS

  “A real treat.”

  —A Romance Review

  “Good pacing and dialogue make this warm-hearted story one that readers are sure to relish.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “There are surprising, funny twists to this story and a lot of touching episodes to pique the emotional side . . . Highly entertaining, cleverly written, and hard to put down.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “A fun, romantic read. I enjoyed it and recommend it for all those who like a great story filled with humor and romance.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  JUST LIKE HEAVEN

  “I laughed, I cried, I cheered . . . Bravo, Barbara Bretton . . . another winner!”

  —Contemporary Romance Writers

  “Just Like Heaven . . . is exactly that.”

  —Romance Reader at Heart

  “This one will keep you reading past your bedtime.”

  —BellaOnline

  SOMEONE LIKE YOU

  “Bretton, a master storyteller, superbly dramatizes a great range of emotions in this compelling tale.”

  —Booklist (starred review)

  “Readers who appreciate a powerful character study that digs deep into cause and effect will want to read Barbara Bretton’s fine convincing tale.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  CHANCES ARE

  “Alternately poignant and humorous, this contemporary romance gracefully illuminates life’s highs and lows.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Ms. Bretton provides a fine return to the Jersey shore with this warm family drama.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  GIRLS OF SUMMER

  “Barbara Bretton is a master at touching readers’ hearts. Grab this one when it hits the shelves! A perfect ten!”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “A moving romance . . . Barbara Bretton provides a deep tale of individuals struggling with caring connections of the heart.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  “A book readers will want to savor.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Bretton excels at women’s fiction that engages the emotions without manipulating them . . . I highly recommend that discriminating readers pay a visit to these Girls of Summer.”

  —The Romance Reader

  SHORE LIGHTS

  “An engrossing tale of hope, promise, heartache, and misplaced dreams.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “[A] warm, wonderful book.”

  —Booklist

  “Powerful.”

  —The Romance Reader

  “A lovely book . . . It’s an uplifting story, warm and cozy, and easily recommended.”

  —All About Romance

  “An absolute wonder of creative writing that comes right from Barbara Bretton’s heart. A perfect ten.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  And acclaim for the other novels

  of Barbara Bretton . . .

  “Bretton’s characters are always real and their conflicts believable.”

  —Chicago Sun-Times

  “One of today’s best women’s fiction authors.”

  —The Romance Reader

  “Honest, witty . . . absolutely unforgettable.”

  —Rendezvous

  “A classic adult fairy tale.”

  —Affaire de Coeur

  “Dialogue flows easily and characters spring quickly to life.”

  —Rocky Mountain News

  Titles by Barbara Bretton

  SPUN BY SORCERY

  LACED WITH MAGIC

  CASTING SPELLS

  JUST DESSERTS

  JUST LIKE HEAVEN

  SOMEONE LIKE YOU

  CHANCES ARE

  GIRLS OF SUMMER

  SHORE LIGHTS

  A SOFT PLACE TO FALL

  AT LAST

  THE DAY WE MET

  ONCE AROUND

  SLEEPING ALONE

  MAYBE THIS TIME

  ONE AND ONLY

  Anthologies

  THE CHRISTMAS CAT (with Julie Beard, Jo Beverly, and Lynn Kurland)

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

/>   375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)

  Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)

  Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)

  Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India

  Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore, 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)

  Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  Copyright © 2010 by Barbara Bretton

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  BERKLEY® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  The “B” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  PRINTING HISTORY

  Berkley trade paperback edition / November 2010

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Bretton, Barbara.

  Spun by sorcery / Barbara Bretton.—Berkley trade pbk. ed. p. cm.

  eISBN : 978-1-101-44515-0

  1. Women merchants—Fiction. 2. Magic—Fiction. 3. Salem (Mass.)—Fiction. 4. Domestic fiction. I. Title.

  PS3552. R435S68 2010

  813’.54—dc22 2010027895

  http://us.penguingroup.com

  For Alaskan Sass, Moonshh, Anna92, Lemonsong, Wagsmeows,

  Twoszee, Treklady, Kristyh1981, Tishkits, Miaknit,

  Ria19, and all the wonderful knitters at Ravelry’s Read

  and Knit/Crochet Swap! who are more fun than a sale-priced

  bag of DK-weight cashmere.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  A big thanks to all of my pals at Romancing the Yarn including Fran Baker, Maura Anderson, Devon Monk, Dallas Schulze (who taught me spinnerese), Nancy Herkness, Mary Ann Mohanraj, Caroline Leavitt, Janet Spaeth, Elizabeth Delisi, Terri DuLong, Rachael Herron, Jean Brashear, Laura Phillips, Flo Moyer, Cindi Myers, both Nicoles, Kim H, Shirley, Mandy, Penny, Adrienne, Monica, Sharon, Cathy, Jill, New Zealand Kim, Kat, Sara, Rho, Renna, Lynda, Leslie, Rusty, Tanya, Michelle, Linda, Pat, Ellen, Carol N, Holly, Anne, Mary, Grandma Moo, The Georg, Lynda, Laura, Turtle, Susan, Anonymous 1-2-and-3, and everyone else who has taken time to visit over the last few years.

  Much love to Jeremy Bredeson, who gave me a refresher course in believing when I needed it most.

  Thanks to Dawn Brocco for the magical spice cookies and the friendship!

  A shout-out to the knitters at Fiber Fiction on Ravelry who make it fun to check for messages every day. (Okay, twice a day.)

  A knitterly welcome to our niece Tricia who has been lured over to the dark side of fiber obsession.

  And, most of all, to my husband, Roy, who has shared more road trips with me than I can count. I love you, BDH.

  1

  CHLOE SUGAR MAPLE, VERMONT

  What would you do if the people you loved, the places you knew, disappeared without warning? Your town, your home, the knit shop you’d built from scratch, your best friends, your enemies, the familiar landmarks that had been part of your world since the day you were born, all of them suddenly wiped off the face of the earth in the time it took to take your next breath.

  You would probably think you’d had too much to drink or that maybe someone had slipped a weird mushroom into your salad when you weren’t looking. People disappear. Cats and dogs go missing. Car keys, stitch markers, your favorite sunglasses.

  But not your hometown.

  Hometowns aren’t portable. You can’t load them onto the back of a flatbed truck and roll them to a new location. Every now and then Mother Nature reaches into her bag of tricks and tests the mettle of a small town. She flings tornadoes and blizzards, fires and floods at them then watches in admiration as they bend, but never break.

  And they definitely never disappear without a trace.

  At least that’s what I thought until it happened to me.

  I’m Chloe Hobbs, a half-human sorceress-in-training. When I’m not studying the Book of Spells, you can find me either at Sticks & Strings, my wildly popular yarn shop, or at our town hall, where I serve as de facto mayor of Sugar Maple, a small tourist town in northern Vermont.

  But there’s a whole lot more to Sugar Maple than meets the eye. Our folksy, small-town façade hides truths that could endanger our existence. Sugar Maple is inhabited by the descendants of oppressed creatures who fled Salem during the Witch Trials. Desperate for sanctuary, my ancestor Aerynn led other endangered souls north to an Indian town named Sinzibukwud, where they were welcomed with open arms and generous hearts.

  Our hardware store is owned by a family of werewolves. Our head librarian is a gorgeous Norwegian troll. My best friends are a shapeshifter and a witch. A family of vampires runs the funeral parlor. Traveling house sprites handle most of our home repairs. And who could forget Forbes the Mountain Giant, who walks in his sleep.

  And that is only a tiny portion of our current population.

  Most of the time the human side of my lineage doesn’t win me any points with the townspeople but it does come in handy when we have to deal with the bureaucrats down in Montpelier. For the most part, we haven’t had to deal with them much over the years but lately it seems as if we’ve been getting more than our share of attention from the fine folks at the state capital.

  The shocking death of a tourist named Suzanne Marsden at Snow Lake last December is a good example. We had flown under the radar for so long that I guess we’d grown complacent. That was what centuries of being a town without crime could do to you. You dropped your guard. You forgot that evil actually existed and that sometimes it was right there sitting next to you.

  The one good thing to come from that tragedy was Luke MacKenzie. Luke is one hundred percent Homo sapiens and our newly minted chief of police.

  More important, he is also the love of my life, a fact which seems to have turned Sugar Maple on its collective ear.

  Isadora, the powerful leader of the New England Fae, had never been one of my biggest fans but we had somehow managed to coexist until Luke came to town to investigate Suzanne’s death.

  From that moment on, Isadora and I were at war. The thought of a full-blood human living in Sugar Maple pushed her over the edge and she set out to find a way to pull the town beyond the mist into the realm of the Fae, where she could reign supreme.

  She knew before I did that love was the key to unlocking my inner sorceress and that my emerging powers would turn our fight into a war between (almost) equals. I thought I had managed to banish her back in December but I underestimated the Fae warrior’s need for revenge. She found a way to break through the banishment shield and tonight, at the once-in-a-lifetime moment when the sun and stars were in magickal alignment and I was at my most vulnerable, she struck.

  I won’t lie to you. It was touch and go there for a while tonight as we battled for the spirit of a little girl and the future of Sugar Maple. When the earthquakes started and that crazy light show
flashed across the sky and Luke’s ex-wife—well, let’s say that I had to call upon every secret I could access from the Book of Spells to come out on the winning side.

  Not to brag or anything, but in the space of an earth hour I fought the battle of my life, defeated my archenemy, reunited a mother and child, and saved my hometown from certain disaster. Finally I was in sync with my magick. The nonhuman part of my lineage didn’t scare me any longer. (Okay, maybe it still scared me a little but I was on my way.)

  And even better, it didn’t scare Luke. Flying cars. Enchanted waterfalls. Demons with an ax to grind. Most other human males would have headed for the exit the first time they found themselves accidentally turned into a Ken doll, but not Luke. He hung in there through it all, and a few minutes ago he said the words I always wanted to hear.

  You’re not alone anymore.

  Chloe Hobbs, the woman who had pretty much been alone her entire life, had finally found her soul mate. Now when I looked into the future I saw a home and a family of my own, which, for a Hobbs woman, is the ultimate pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

  Hobbs women love only once. I know that sounds crazy and kind of eighteenth century but that was how we were made. When a descendant of Aerynn falls in love, she falls in love forever and there isn’t enough magick in the universe to change that simple truth. Wouldn’t you think one of us would have managed to get it right in three hundred years?

  But not one Hobbs woman had until now.

  Luke loved me for who I was, magick and all, and he didn’t want to change me. He knew that my destiny was tied up with my quirky little Vermont town and he was okay with it. To my delight he loved Sugar Maple as much as I did and was looking forward to building a future here with me.