The Western Witch and the Gauntleteers

By Sarah Howlett

For fifteen years Bethany Western has kept the family witchcraft secret, but now she is moving to a school where everyone will know what she is.

 

Maybe having everyone know she is a witch won't be such a terrible thing? Maybe, for the first time in her life, she'll be free to be herself?

 

But when her new fr

• Language: English
• Publisher: Butterdragons Publishing
• Release date: Jun 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9789493287457

Sarah Howlett

Sarah Howlett is a prolific author of children's fiction with numerous books published, delighting children of all ages. She started writing at a young age, filling countless notebooks with her beautiful stories. But it was her profession in developing literacy and teaching children with special educational needs that propelled her into the publishing world. She firmly believes in helping parents to help their children, so she pours her heart and soul into her words. She loves writing fantasy adventures for girls and boys of all ages with unique characters and out-of-this-world places, and her books span from pre-school education through to teen books. Sarah lives in England with her husband and four children, and a host of animals, including their cat-goat-beaver who doesn't know she's really a spaniel.

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A picture containing night sky Description automatically generated

Title: The Western Witch and the Gauntleteers (The Western Witch Trilogy Book One)

Series: The Western Witch Trilogy

Author: Sarah Howlett

Copyright © 2023 Butterdragons® Publishing

All Rights Reserved

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. This includes, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise.

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Published by Butterdragons® Publishing

https://butterdragons.com

ISBN: 9789493287457 (ebook)

ISBN: 9789493287464 (paperback)

ISBN: 9789493287471 (audio book)

Cover Design by: Dazed Designs

Audio book narrated by Martha Webb

Her secret is precious

Knowing what no one does

But a brand-new life

Renders her secret exposed

New friendships are made

New secrets are forged

New powers discovered

And ancient foe re-emerges

Loyalties are tested

Friendships are on the line

Friends and enemies joined

On adventure of their lives

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by Helle Gade

Chapter One

Bethany Western sat in the lounge while her parents reduced her life to cardboard boxes. Today was the day they moved to a new house, and she was nervous. She sat by the dining room window looking at the garden that had been hers for the last fifteen years. They didn’t need to move; her mum, Alison had been working in the same place for over twenty years. She was the senior financial advisor in a company known as the DIA.

For the last seventeen years, her dad, Rupert, had stayed at home with her and her sister Morgan, but now he had decided to get a job. Beth had been okay with that; she was a big girl now. When her dad got a job in the library at the DIA, she hadn’t minded. Then her parents had decided to move to the DIA and that was when Beth’s life was doomed to change.

The DIA owned a housing complex, offering affordable housing for staff. With both her parents working there, they got enough of a discount to afford a very nice house.

Is your room empty yet? Beth’s mum called.

Beth looked just like her mum, with the same pale complexion and long brown hair they wore back in a ponytail. Beth liked her skirts significantly shorter than her Mum, though. She was a tall girl with long legs she liked to show off. 

Beth responded with a groan. Her things were all boxed up, all she had left to do was one final check, but she was dreading it. That final look at her personal sanctuary as an empty space was going to be the hardest moment of the whole move, so she started up the stairs slowly. 

It wasn’t just moving from her house, she was leaving all her friends and enrolling at a private school within the DIA.

The worst thing was that everyone there would know she was a witch. That had been her secret; hers, her mum’s, and her sister Morgan’s. That was what the DIA stood for, Darkling Investigation Agency. Darklings were everything different, like her.

She opened her door and just stood in the doorway. The room was empty, just bare cream walls with darker patches where her posters had been stuck until yesterday. She had so many fond memories of time spent alone, with friends, and with her family.

There was a stain in the corner from a time she had tried practicing a potion in her room and made a mess. It was hidden behind the wardrobe for so long she had forgotten all about it. Beth drew in a deep breath and closed the door for the final time.

Pass the pot there, honey, Beth’s dad, Rupert called as she walked back into the lounge. 

He was packing all the house plants and had too many in his arms to pick up the one beside Beth.

What’s up? he asked, as Beth carefully placed the pot into his arms. 

Cold feet about moving?

Beth nodded, although it was more than cold feet, she had a chill right up her spine.

All my life, we’ve been the only witches I know. Beth sighed.

Well, I’m not a witch, Rupert exclaimed, teasing. That’s a girl thing.

Beth wasn’t in the mood for joking. She, Morgan, and their mum were witches, poor Dad was the only non-darkling living in the house. He was going to have to get used to a lot worse now that he was working in the DIA, there were more darklings working for the agency than non-darklings.

Fortunately, Rupert had a very good understanding of what to expect from his years by her mum’s side, more than enough for his new role ahead. He needed this change more than the rest of them, having become just a little too dependent on daytime television. 

I’m okay with the move, I just liked it being our little secret. Beth sighed.

She was a bright, popular girl who could make friends anywhere, but she liked knowing what her friends didn’t. What bothered her was everyone knowing what she was. Her ability to influence the opinions of others would be harder to use if the whole class knew she could do it.

Tell me again what boy witches are called. Beth questioned.

Not witches, Alison called from the kitchen amidst the banging of pots and pans Hunters, dear.

See, Beth responded to her mum’s comment, hunters sound scary. What do they hunt?

Everyone, a long time ago, Rupert replied, They appointed themselves the police over all darklings.

Beth had heard of darklings before, her parents had educated her about other beings that lived amongst humans; witches, vampires, werewolves, and hunters were all called darklings, by those who knew they existed, at least.

Anyway, you keep believing hunters are scary and keep away from all boys, Rupert suggested.

Dad, there will be normal children there, too, Morgan huffed.

Her father always tried to keep her away from boys, and Morgan was keen on meeting boys, hunter or not. She was pretty, but differed from her sister in height. Although younger, Beth was already a little bit taller than her sister. 

The normal kids will still know what I can do, Beth grumbled.

It wasn’t the other kids being different she was worried about, it was them knowing how different she was.

Beth, what brought this on, you were really keen when your mum first mentioned the move? 

Just cold feet, last minute nerves, Beth sighed. I mean, this is it now.

Beth had felt fine about moving, everything had been explained to her, all about the huge, global organisation her mum worked for, all about the private schooling that came with the job. But now that it was happening, she felt nervous.

It will be okay when we get there, I promise, Rupert smiled, turning back to the windowsill of flowerpots. Now, which of these plants bite?

Beth smiled and stood up to help. Poor Dad, not only did he have to live with a house full of women, but they were all witches, too.

I remember when your mother told me she was a witch. It scared the hell out of me, Rupert sympathised. Then I found out that ghosts, zombies, and demons were real, too. Your Mum being a witch didn’t sound so bad after that.

Hunters aren’t that bad, honey, Alison agreed, walking past with a huge box of pans in her arms. And all the other darklings are well controlled by the hunters. You’ll probably never come across any other kind of darklings.

So why has no one ever heard of the hunters then? Beth questioned accusingly.

What’s the point of a secret organisation if everyone knows about it, honey?

But people know about werewolves and vampires, even if they don’t believe.

Okay, Alison sighed, walking over for another darkling chat, her box left lying on the floor. We need rumours of the scary things in the world, so if anyone sees one, however unlikely these days, we know what to do, and we also know what to call them. Hunters are looking for people using these names, so they know where to investigate.

All the men who fought them throughout history were probably hunters, Rupert added.

Van Helsing, Morgan called, thinking of the actor.

Don’t be silly, love. Alison called. Come on, the removal lorry will be here soon to collect the furniture, and all the carnivorous plants need to be hidden in the car before they get here.

Beth knew her time was up, no more reminiscing about her life in the house. Time to suck it up and move on.

Come on Beth. Those hunters at the new school aren’t scary, they are a mystery waiting to be solved, Alison called, grinning.

No. No mystery. No boys, Rupert insisted, trying to joke but being deadly serious underneath. Morgan was two years older than Beth and, at seventeen, she was beginning to date boys.

Chapter Two

Beth felt her palms turn sweaty as her dad turned off the motorway, but she was feeling better about the move now.

Leaving the house had been the hardest part and now, she was quite excited about the adventure ahead. She started paying attention to the signs and surroundings, looking for any clues indicating that they were approaching a secret organisation.

Beth looked over to find Morgan quietly looking through the window as well, and Beth could sense that she was nervous, too.

Finally, Rupert entered the housing estate and pulled up outside a coach house situated over three garages.

Oh! Beth couldn’t hide her disappointment.

The flat was small. She had been promised something bigger than their old house and this was certainly a long way off. 

Alison climbed out of the car and knocked on the front door. Beth looked around, the street was a pretty row of buildings on either side, a pair of little houses separated by three garages and a coach house above them.

The houses had a little window looking into the kitchen diner, and Beth could just about see through into the living room at the back. There were two bedrooms upstairs, from what Beth could tell. Each house had a pretty little front garden, fenced off along with their garage. The properties seemed a bit small for a family of four.

Dad, these houses are tiny, Beth voiced her concerns.

From my understanding, the flats are for single people, and these houses are for married couples, Rupert explained drawing her attention to some larger houses with a wave of his hand. People don’t need that much room before the kids come along.

So, we’ll get something bigger? Beth smiled.

This is the estate manager’s office. Your mum is just finding out directions.

Alison climbed back in the car with a handful of paperwork.

Right, it’s not far, She informed them, clipping her seat belt on Straight ahead ‘til the second left turn.

Rupert drove off and Beth sat bolt upright to see what houses lay around the second left hand corner. They seemed nice, bigger than the previous road, but still not the size Beth had been expecting.

Right. we’re looking for Hamilton Drive, Alison announced.

Beth was excited, she couldn’t wait to finally see her new house.

There! Morgan squealed, pointing to the right.,

Rupert stopped, checked behind, and slowly reversed. Morgan was right, there was a break in the row of neat houses with a driveway marked Hamilton Drive. Rupert put on the car indicator and turned up the drive.

He had to drive up the length of the buildings and the gardens. At the top, the drive opened up into a large stony parking area with three large houses in a semi-circle around them. Rupert parked outside the left-hand property numbered One.

Wow! Morgan gasped.

The door was in the middle of two windows, and it was twice the size of her old house frontage. Beth hurried from the car and was the first to push open the gate into a neat front garden.

Well, time to see if this is the right place Alison smiled, slipping the key into the front door, unlocking it with a turn.

Beth and Morgan were first into the house. It had a long corridor and a flight of stairs right in front of them, with a door from the hall leading to the left and right. Beth turned left and entered a lounge running from the front to back of the large house, at least twice the size of their old living room. There was no furniture yet, giving it a cold, empty feeling, but it would soon feel like home once their things arrived. 

Come on, Morgan urged, longing to explore the house with her sister.

The room to the right of the hall was a dining room and further back was a large kitchen. Rupert grinned, being the cook in the household, he was delighted with a huge number of cupboards and fitted appliances.

Beth didn’t care about the kitchen, she wanted to see the upstairs. At the top of the stairs were five closed doors. Beth and Morgan ran around opening them all and peering inside the big, open spaces that were four double bedrooms and a bathroom. The room above the dining room looked out over the front with a bathroom above the front door. They had all shared a bathroom in their old house, but both girls knew they didn’t stand a chance of getting this room for themselves. It would certainly be their parents’ room. The two rooms over the lounge were equal in size, the only difference being the view out the front or the back. Over the kitchen, was a slightly smaller room, but still big enough for a double bed. Between them, at the back, was a family bathroom with an overwhelmingly clean smell, like someone had