Hopeless Chaos: Harpies Hollow: Mayhem Coven, #1

By Jaycee Wolfe and J.E. Joyce

Some people can find love just living their life, but some in Harpies Hollow need something extra to find their soulmate. Cori and her sisters add some magic to their lattes at the Witch's Brew coffee shop to help connect those souls in love. But when the sister's can't find their own match, they dig deep to fall under their own love spell.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.E. Joyce
• Release date: Oct 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223582458

Book preview

Prologue

The keening cry of an unnatural wind howled through the dark attic. Samhain should have been a night of celebration and ritual, but for the woman and her two sisters huddled in the attic of the ancient dilapidated house, it was the end.

What if we haven’t done enough? What if they don’t find the pieces in time? What if they come after them next? the youngest of the three sisters asks, staring out at the skeletal branches of the tree scraping against the cracked window. The single cracked and stained pane offered the only light to their improvised prison cell, soon-to-be tomb.

We have done all we can. We knew this day was coming and prepared as best we could, the oldest responded, doing her best to comfort her sister as she worked to scratch the final sigils into the rough circle in the rotting floorboards.

It wasn’t supposed to happen this soon! We had so much left to do, the middle sister laments. The intricate knots she has been tying in the scraps of fabric the three tore from their clothing are finally coming together into a makeshift bowl of sorts. Hopefully, it is enough.

The path has been set, the clues and markers laid as best we could manage. We have to trust we have done everything possible to prepare them. They are strong. Each and every one of them have the blood in them. It is their destiny. There is no escaping destiny. The oldest’s grave words are punctuated by a new sound filling the attic.

The chanting of voices starts as a lower murmur, barely recognizable over the roaring wind outside, but quickly grows in pitch and volume until it's a near-tangible thing wrapping around the sisters.

The three share a look as the sound of chanting takes over, frozen in space for a moment, before the oldest gives a slight nod of acknowledgment.

It’s time.

All three sisters adjust so they are sitting around the edges of the crude circle that has been scratched into the floor, all three of their hands and nails showing the ragged and bloody evidence of their efforts. The middle sister takes the small knotwork bowl and places it in the center of the circle, whispering a quick incantation over the fabric to attune it for their use.

It’s not ideal; none of it is. All they can do is hope their efforts have been enough, that all their struggles, training, and knowledge have not been for nothing.

The youngest sister removes a chain from around her neck, a charm she has not removed in nearly forty years. Placing it in the bottom of the bowl, she begins to chant. The oldest sister takes up the chant, joining her voice to her sister’s, as she pulls the broken shard of glass from behind her.

The other two watch as their eldest sister closes her eyes and extends her palm over the bowl. With a deep breath, she increases the volume of her chant as she slices her palm deeply with the glass and clasps her fist as drops of blood begin to seep through her fingers and down into the bowl, soaking into the knots. Without pausing in her chant, the oldest passes the glass to the middle sister, who repeats the move, twining her voice with the others as her blood joins the first in the bowl. The youngest takes the shard and repeats the slice, the same as her sisters. The three join their hands over the knotted bowl, letting their blood and magic mix and twine together as it soaks the knots and covers the crystal.

Their voices are at a fever pitch now, counteracting the harsh chanting from below and the unnatural wind outside. The sisters cling to each other's fingers as they continue to chant, shouting their incantation with everything they have, their voices straining with the effort.

With a deafening crack, a bolt of lightning cuts through the dark night, cutting through the ancient house as if it wasn’t even there, finding its mark in the knotted bowl with the blood-soaked crystal.

When the cold morning sun breaks through the trees the next morning, the only thing left of the ancient house and its occupants are three crystal shards, once clear but now faintly glowing and blood red.

Chapter One

Cori

Ismile softly, taking in the bright yellow light with hints of silver dancing around the young woman staring longingly into the bookstore in the middle of downtown Harpies Hollow. She is stopped in the middle of the busy sidewalk, but her eyes are trained on the bestseller rack sitting in the display window. I glance over her shoulder and see the exact same lights dancing around the head of a man strolling along the sidewalk toward us, his face buried in his cell phone. I roll my eyes at that sight. Nevertheless, the smile doesn't fall from my face.

This is the best part of my life, about who I am. Helping people. Guiding people. This is what makes me happy.

I take in the couple's auras once more before making my plan. Sliding up beside the young woman, she doesn't seem to notice I’m here, so I clear my throat.

Oh my gosh, I’ve been waiting on the release of that book, I say excitedly, even though I know nothing about the book in question. I just need a quick distraction for my plan to work.

Oh my gosh, really? Me too! I’ve been dying to see what happens to Lainy! Does she end up with Coda or Gage? she asks excitedly, turning to face me now.

Or maybe it's going to be both? I say, winking as she blushes from head to toe. She ducks her head, her strawberry blonde hair curling around her face. I look back up just in time to see the man about to pass us, and I know it's now or never.

Well, I think I took up enough sidewalk space for one day. I should probably be going, the girl says, about to take a step.

With a flick of my fingers, the magic flows through my hand, and quickly, her shoelaces come untied.

Oh, be careful, hun. Your shoelaces! I point, but this time, the magic coming from my fingers is to give her a soft push, knocking her off balance... and right into Mr. Cellphone.

The clash makes him drop his phone and wrap his arms around her to hold her upright. His face shows frustration until the girl uses her free hand, not placed on his chest, to move the hair out of her face. When he gets a glimpse of her face, his entire demeanor changes. Irritation morphs into disbelief before quickly changing to awe.

I am so sorry. I don't know what happened. I— the girl's words cut off as she gets her first glimpse of the man.

No need to be sorry. Are you okay? he asks softly. He sets her back on her feet before using his free hand to move a stray hair behind her ear.

O-oh, um, I think so. Thank you so much. If you wouldn't have been here, that could have been bad. I probably would have been trampled, she says, laughing softly.

That would have been a damn shame. He smiles softly at her. They stare at each other for a moment before he makes his move.

I was just heading to the bakery on the corner. Could I buy you a cupcake or something? he asks nervously. He places his hands in his pockets and shifts on his feet nervously.

That sounds lovely. I’ve been craving sweets lately. She smiles at him, and he beams back at her before taking her hand and walking away.

I look at the ground and realize his phone is still there. He’s lost all interest in the thing. I pick it up quickly and call after the pair.

Sir! Your phone, I yell.

Oh, right! Thank you so much. He smiles, taking it from my hand before focusing right back on his date. And my job here is done.

I bounce the entire way down the sidewalk of our quaint, historic downtown business district. There are few things I love more than my morning walks through our little town. If you picture the quintessential idyllic New England small town, and then add a heavy sprinkling of all things witchy, and roll it all up in year-round Halloween Town vibes... that’s Harpies Hollow.

Still buzzing from the high of my successful matchmaking, I breeze into the local coffee shop, Witch's Brew, that my family owns. The soft tinkling of the bell above the door alerts my sisters to my presence.

Let me guess. Cupid worked her magic again today? one of my younger sisters, Poppy, asks from behind the counter.

Maybe. I shrug, not wanting to give her too much.

Poppy and her twin, Pepper, are the quintessential babies of the family. I swear those two make jokes about everything and are always pulling pranks, just trying to find trouble anywhere they can. I don't want to give her any more ammunition than she needs. She knows how much I hate that Cupid joke.

Poppy opens her mouth, probably about to make some stupid joke or pun, but luckily, our oldest sister, Belladonna, Bella for short, walks in from the back. When she notices me, she starts in without missing a beat.

Don't forget, we are going through the attic and getting rid of the clutter up there this weekend. And don't even think about trying to weasel your way out of it. Either of you, she says, giving Poppy and me that stern, motherly look.

You mean cleaning and getting rid of mom's stuff, I snap, not even attempting to hide my bitter tone.

I had hoped connecting those two souls this morning would brighten my whole week, but of course, Bella had to bring this up, and once again, I’m filled with anger.

Don't start this again, Cori. It's time, Bella sighs. To say there has been tension between all six of us sisters lately would be an understatement, and it all stems from one thing—finding the closure we need from losing our mom.

Half of my sisters are ready to go through all of her stuff: clothes, spells, books, the works. While the other half aren't prepared for that yet. It seems so final to me, like she’s gone and will never come back, and I'm not ready for that. Don't get me wrong, I know she died and moved on to the afterlife, but I’m not ready to come to terms with that yet and get rid of all her earthly belongings. I think Bella feels like she won't ever move on if we don't just get it over with, but I don't know if I’m strong enough yet.

Cori, look. I know you hate the thought of going through Mom's things. We all do. It’s been six months. We need to move on with our lives. It’s what mom would want. You, of all people, should understand the need to rid yourself of the weight of past grief and emotional baggage. It’s not healthy for any of us to carry that for so long, Bella explains, brushing past me to load up the display case next to the counter of our family's little coffee shop.

She comes off harshly and makes me wince. I know she doesn’t mean it that way, but this has been a sore subject since the ceremony. Her statement, you of all people should know,... hits its target, and my mood drops. Just what I need right before a full day of work.

The six of us sisters own The Witch's Brew together, each taking turns working the counter and dealing with customers. However, I spend more time upfront than most of the rest. The twins, Poppy and Pepper, prefer the evening and closing shifts since, in their words, that's when the weird and crazy crowd comes in. Bella, the oldest of our little brood, spends most of her time handling the business and numbers side of things. She runs a tight ship, but none of us can argue that she has the best mind for business. Hazel, the second oldest and one just before me in the lineup, spends most of her time in the back baking and cooking up the absolutely delicious and mouthwatering treats we keep stocked in our little front display. Oh, and our fourth sister, Sage, helps by filling in the gaps.

"It’s time to open, girls.