The Salty Witch: Summer School

By Kristen S. Walker

A young witch who has been bitten by love before. A drop-dead gorgeous vampire who likes to live wild. Could a summer fling help them get over their hangups about love?

Brie has to make up for all the classes that she missed when she was sneaking off to meet her mermaid girlfriend, so she’s stuck in summer school. But after homework is done, she should be allowed to have a little fun. What better place to hang out than the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk? With a seasonal pass, she can go on roller coasters and watch free concerts on the beach every night.

The vampires at the Boardwalk are harmless because it’s illegal for them to feed on people. It’s still a bad idea to date one, but Brie wants a little fun on the rebound. Lucinda says she doesn’t want anything serious. A casual summer romance could be just the thing for both of them.

Then bodies start showing up on the beach, drained of blood. People are quick to blame the vampires. But Brie sees clues that don’t add up, and Lucinda insists that the vampires are innocent. Together, they could find the truth about what’s really going on... or Brie could be heading into another trap.

Can she trust her new girlfriend or did Brie make another deadly dating mistake?

The Salty Witch is the second book in aYA urban fantasy academy trilogy. It takes place twenty years after the Fae of Calaveras trilogy, but does not require prior reading. If you like teen witches, magical schools, and lesbian vampires, you’ll enjoy Kristen S. Walker’s latest novel.

Buy today!

Rated PG-13 for mild profanity and sexual references.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kristen S. Walker
• Release date: Oct 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005734732

Kristen S. Walker

Fantasy author Kristen S. Walker dreams of being a pirate mermaid who can talk to sharks, but she settles for writing stories for teens and adults. She's proudly bisexual, Wiccan, a liberal feminist, and lives in northern California with her family and two rescued pets. To find out more about her stories, please visit kristenwalker.net.

Book preview

1

Fairy-lights whirled over my head, swaying to the beat of the music. An orchestra played a lilting waltz with many strings while a heavy metal band strummed their electric guitars. Over it all, a classically trained operatic singer shrieked and wailed, bringing together the old and new genres in a haunting melody. In the ballroom, some people twirled in silk ballgowns and suits while others wore modern fashions.

But even stranger than the mix of eras was the variety of people in the crowd. Ethereal Fae towered over the crowd with their androgynous features, looking down on the rest of us with vague disdain. Dwarves bashed into each other in a mosh pit in front of the band. Kitsune shifted between human and fox forms with their many tails sweeping across the floor. Pookhas twitched their horse-shaped ears. The water sprites from the nearby river danced outside as a courtesy because they tended to drip. Humans were the minority here, mostly mixed-blood faeriekin and witches.

My head hurt despite the earplugs I wore to dampen the noise. I’d overeaten sweets from the buffet, and I wanted to kick off my wedges because I could feel the straps digging into my heels. If only this could be over.

My best friend, Damian, grabbed my hand and held it in an iron grip. You can’t leave yet, he said to my unhappy expression. One more song. This is my last chance to dance with you.

I sighed, but I tried to hide my discomfort behind a smile. I’m not going that far. You can come visit me.

Santa Cruz doesn’t have parties like this, he said with a toss of his head.

I had to agree with him there. Doe’s Rest Castle was the seat of Calaveras County, called the County of the Golden Forest in the magical community, so it had more prestige. Our ruler, Count Glen Byrne, loved to go all out with his celebrations. Santa Cruz had the Barony of Darkwood, but its ruler Baroness Karma Rainfoam didn’t have as much of a reputation to uphold. Her Dewmire Keep looked more like a mansion than a true castle, and she had a more casual approach to celebrating holidays.

I wasn’t into such large gatherings, but I had an obligation. My mom was a member of rank in Count Glen’s court, so they had to come. And now I was a witch—or at least a student at a witch academy. I’d sworn an oath to serve the Seelie Court of Fae in exchange for my magic, and people expected me to make an appearance. My oath was to Baroness Karma, but I owed loyalty to Count Glen as well.

The Summer Solstice was one of the most important festivals. Every time the Veil thinned enough for people to travel between the worlds, the Court hosted a party to welcome the Fae and other magikin. But the Summer Solstice was also the longest day of the year, and magical powers were stronger.

The whole celebration often stretched over several days, starting on the evening before the solstice. There were jousting tournaments and athletic competitions, magical demonstrations, dances and feasts. But I only came for the main party tonight. Tomorrow, I’d be leaving in the morning and that was why Damian was pushing me to spend so much time with him.

Baroness Karma was much more low-key. She had a barbecue in her backyard, with some casual games like hackie sack and ultimate frisbee. It was more like a hippie company picnic than a Fae court’s gathering.

I danced for one more song, then pulled Damian toward the door. Let’s get some fresh air.

My shoes came off the moment I stepped outside and I hooked the straps in the crook of my finger, carrying them with me. We circled around the water sprites and the other dancers outside, heading for the garden paths. Within a few turns, the sounds of the party were muffled by the trees and bushes.

It sucks that you’ll be gone all summer. Damian shoved his hands in his pockets and pouted. What am I supposed to do without you?

You said you got that summer job, I pointed out.

I looked around for a bench that wasn’t occupied by canoodling couples. There was one by the roses, so I hurried over to grab it. When we were seated, I turned back to my friend. You are going to visit me, right?

Damian nodded. Whenever I can borrow a car from my family. But you’ll probably be stuck in classes most of the time, anyway. He nudged me. Don’t forget to have some fun.

Having fun instead of studying is what got me stuck in summer school, I said with a grimace.

I’m just saying. I know that you’ll get stuck inside and barely lift your head from the books if you don’t have me to drag you out. He held up his phone. I’ll be checking in with you every day to make sure that you’re not stifling yourself.

I stretched my legs out. I’ll have my surfboard, so I’ll at least go out to the beach.

And let me know all the hot gossip! Do you know who else will be there?

I shook my head. I didn’t really talk to most of our classmates, so I didn’t know who else was coming to summer school. But I promised to let him know when I found out. He rattled off a list of names of other people he thought might be there, but I only recognized about half. He’d been way more social with everyone over the past year while I mostly kept to myself.

But while we were talking, I kept getting the feeling that someone was watching us. I peered through the rose bushes at the rest of the garden, but it was hard to see who was out there in the dark.

Damian noticed my shifty looks and frowned. Is something wrong?

I put a finger to my lips and glanced around a final time. Then I leaned closer to him and whispered, Does it feel like someone is watching us?

Damian craned his neck to see. Nope, I don’t see anyone around.

I shivered. It’s cold out here. Let’s go back inside.

We headed back toward the entrance, but I kept my eyes on the shadows.

I saw a tall figure hurrying away down another path. I didn’t get a close look at her face, but I was pretty sure from her sneer that it was Duchess Auriana, a haughty Fae.

I stopped short, grabbing Damian’s arm. Did you see that? I whispered. That looked like my mom’s mom.

His eyes widened. It can’t be her.

The Duchess hadn’t come around the Doe’s Rest Castle much in the past twenty years—ever since her half-human daughter, Ashleigh, had broken her betrothal with Count Glen. Ashleigh swore off Fae politics to marry her true love: my mother, Rosa. Auriana refused to acknowledge me as her granddaughter because Mama Rosa gave birth to me and I didn’t have a drop of Fae blood. I’d only seen her a few times, but I’d never forget her cold expression every time she looked at me.

What was she doing here now? I’m pretty sure she hadn’t presented herself to the count or any other member of the court. All Fae were welcome tonight, but it was polite to say hello instead of lurking in the shadows. I had a feeling that she was up to no good.

More secrets. More lies. My head spun with the implications. I was done with messing around in magical politics and worrying about other people’s schemes. That had nearly gotten me killed a few months ago and distracted me from my classes. I should let my parents deal with this.

I’m going to tell my mom, I said, looking inside the windows to see if I could spot them.

Damian stepped into my path. Wait, what will you say?

I frowned. What do you mean? I’ll just say that I saw the duchess and I think she’s up to no good. Then someone else can handle it.

You don’t even have proof that she’s done something wrong.

Yeah, but after what she did last year with my patron—

Which you didn’t tell them about. Damian folded his arms. Are you willing to admit that you’ve been keeping that a secret all this time?

He had a point there. Duchess Auriana had sent a Fae who served her to be my patron, but another Fae, my mom’s patron Loki, had warned me ahead of time. The only way to avoid the trap was for me to make an oath with Loki as my patron first. It seemed easier at the time not to tell my parents what had happened. But if they started asking questions, it would be hard to avoid covering it up with another lie, and I knew how things could spin out of control.

I sighed. Fine, I won’t say anything. I’m just going to head home.

Aw, really? But it’s so early.

I glanced at my watch. It’s almost eleven.

Fae parties didn’t really get going until after midnight. On the shortest night of the year, many people would be dancing until dawn. But I’d never planned to stay that long.

Fine. Damian hugged me. Have a safe drive tomorrow.

I hugged him back, then slipped out to the car. I’d text my parents to let them know I was going home. They were often at these parties all night, but they understood that I didn’t want to stay so long. I just hoped they remembered that they were driving me to Santa Cruz in the morning.

At least when I was at school, I would be safe from the Fae.

2

Ihoisted my heavy suitcase by the handle while I juggled my art portfolio under my other arm. The dirt path was too bumpy for the tiny wheels to roll. The Unicorn dorm loomed above me, but I didn’t bother to look up. Not much could have changed in only a week.

Are you sure you brought everything? Mama Rosa asked for at least the fifth time. Kitten, her bearded dragon familiar, was perched on top of the boxes she carried. It seems like this is less stuff than we brought you last year.

I don’t need the same amount of stuff, I said, shaking my head. The summer only lasts ten weeks and then I’ll have to move it all out again. The less I bring, the less trouble it will be.

Mama Rosa sighed. But we’re helping you, so it won’t be too much trouble. You should still have the things that make you comfortable.

I glanced back at my other mother, Mama Ashleigh, for support.

Mama Ashleigh smiled down at her wife over her armful of my belongings. Her faeriekin blood made her taller than both of us ordinary humans, but she never looked patronizing. In a melodic, calming voice, she said, It’s Brie’s room, so it’s her choice. If she finds that she left something behind that she really needs, we can always bring it down for her on a weekend.

Mama Rosa relaxed. That’s true. Or sooner, if you have to have something. We have the summer off so we’ll have time off to come see you whenever you want.

Mama Ashleigh cleared her throat.

Oh, yeah, all that free time teachers have when school is closed, I said with a wink. You don’t have any developmental training, district meetings, cleaning your classroom or office, lesson planning for next year…

My moms laughed at the old joke. Some people assumed that teachers had so much free time when school wasn’t in session, but I’d learned early in life that it just wasn’t true. Ashleigh was a school counselor at the public high school, while Rosa taught herbalism and Earth magic at the Calaveras Witch Academy. They were constantly working to help their students—after hours, weekends, and summer break. In a normal summer, I’d be at home helping them.

But when I’d turned sixteen and finally passed the test that allowed me to learn magic, I’d chosen to come to a different witch academy in Santa Cruz. My hope was that attending a school where no one knew my family would allow me to fade into the background. Instead, I’d gotten distracted by mermaids living illegally in the bay and had struggled to pass my classes. To make up for my poor grades, I was now stuck in summer school for most of the break.

Secretly, I wasn’t too unhappy about being in summer school. Santa Cruz felt like my second home now. I knew all the best beaches for surfing, the best sushi restaurants for vegan rolls, and how to navigate the hiking trails between classrooms. I was getting the hang of my magic without my witch mom hovering over me. Although I still wasn’t sure if I wanted to stick with witchcraft for college or my career, there was something about being here that felt right.

The only sad part was my best friend Damian was home for the summer, so I wouldn’t have him to keep me company. But my new friend, Erin, lived in the area so I could see her after classes. And with most of the other students gone, I could buckle down to concentrate on my studies.

No distractions this time. Since I’d been betrayed by my so-called girlfriend, Gabriella, I didn’t want to think about anything but my grades.

We were almost to the front door when it swung open, revealing a perky blonde girl who was a few years older than me. My RA Hailey wore casual clothes, a pale pink sundress and flip-flops, instead of the school uniform. Her squirrel familiar, Doreen, hopped up and down on her shoulder.

Brie! Hailey squealed. She snatched the suitcase from my hand. I saw you coming. Do you need help?

Um, thanks, I mumbled. I could have managed to carry my luggage on my own, but she’d taken it before I had a chance to say so. I didn’t know you’d be here for summer.

Hailey grinned and waved to my parents as they followed me into the common area. Hi, Mrs. and Mrs. Quinn-McAddams. I wasn’t planning to stick around, but at the last minute, a TA spot opened up so I grabbed it. It’ll be great to get some teaching credits in before I start senior year. Besides, they needed someone to watch over the Unicorns. Otherwise, you would have been stuck in Phoenix, the other girls’ dorm.

I perked up. You’re a teaching assistant? Which class?

Two Fire classes—Working with Animals and Reading Auras.

Oh. I was forced to take Earth to make up for classes I’d missed. If I passed both in the first session, I’d get to take learn Water magic, the type I was really interested in. Shifting my heavy stuff, I asked, Am I in the same room?

Sorry! I keep babbling while you’re all standing around holding this stuff. Hailey handed me a key. Since only a few students are around for the summer, we’re all staying on this floor. You’re in 210, at the far end of the building.

I was secretly relieved that I wouldn’t be in the same spot. My old dorm room had too many memories associated with my ex.

Hailey led us down the long hallway. I noticed her name was on a colorful floral sign over room 201. I’d never been down this way before, so I didn’t know this was where she stayed. Maybe she was close to the entrance so she could keep an eye on all the younger girls—the high school students had a curfew at 10 pm.

When I opened the door to my new summer room, I saw that it was another corner room, so it had a little extra space. My roommate had already moved in, but unlike Samantha, the bitch from last year, this girl had only filled her half of the space.

And it looked like she was five-years-old, judging from her style of decorations. Pastel pink and blue bedding on the top bunk with a pile of stuffed animals and glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to the ceiling above it. Fluffy stationery accessories on her desk and glittery stickers scattered everywhere. Prisms hung in the window, casting rainbows all over the room, and crystals rested on the sill. Posters on the wall showed sparkly unicorns, glammed-up fairies, and cutesy dolphins.

I rested my art portfolio on my desk and took my suitcase back from Hailey. Eyes roving around the room, I asked hesitantly, Who’s my roommate?

She was just here a minute ago, Hailey said, sticking her head back into the hall.

The closet door slid open and out popped a short Asian-American girl in a unicorn onesie. She struck a pose with her fingers in a V for victory sign. Surprise!

Pamela, I said, trying to smile, but I was dreading this summer session already. You… surprised me.

Mama Rosa dropped the boxes on the floor and reached her hand out to Pamela. Well, hello there! What’s your name? I’m Brie’s mom, Rosa. She turned to look at me. You two already know each other?

I hadn’t bothered to learn most students’ names, but Pamela was familiar to me from my community project, aka forced student labor. Damian and I called her group of friends the Crystal Unicorn Girls. They’d all volunteered for the same assignment, which I’d gotten stuck in: cleaning out the unicorn meadow and stables.

Pamela Nguyen, but please, call me Pam, she said, shaking Mama Rosa’s hand energetically. Brie and I take care of the unicorns together!

Mama Ashleigh looked up at the walls. I can tell you like unicorns.

Pamela stared at her for a moment, then ran and tried to cover the nearest fairy poster, blushing with embarrassment. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know there would be any faeriekin here. I didn’t mean to offend you.

It’s fine, Ashleigh said with a smile. I’m Brie’s other mom, Ashleigh.

I rolled my eyes. If Pamela was aware that her posters had were offensive to Fae, she shouldn’t have them at all, whether she thought a faeriekin would see them or not. With her Asian background, I expected her to understand more about negative ethnic stereotypes. But I didn’t want to argue with my roommate about decorations on the first day.

Pamela looked back and forth between the three of us like she was making the mental calculations. Obviously, since I looked human, then Rosa had to be my birth mom. But it always seemed to trip people up for a moment seeing that our family was mixed and I had two moms. It shouldn’t matter how all the blood relations lined up, since I could’ve been adopted, but it was the first thing people thought about when they saw my family.

Back home, the second thing would be to ask if my mom was the famous Rosamunde McAddams, but in Santa Cruz it never came up. The reason why I had wanted to go to another school was to avoid those kinds of questions. I’d gotten through a whole year without being teased for my family name once, and I hoped I could keep it up.

I brushed past Pamela to the closet and started hanging things on the empty side. We’d better get unpacking if you guys want to get home tonight, I told my parents. Since you have that long drive.

Mama Ashleigh sighed. That’s true. She set her boxes on the floor. I’ll go get the next load from the van.

Mama Rosa turned to Hailey. Oh, quick question before you go. Is there any kind of orientation or group activity today? We were hoping to take Brie out for dinner before we left.

Hailey handed her a sheet of paper. "This is our