Court of the Fire Witch: A Clash of Hexes and Flames, #3

By N. R. Hairston

The ancient royal court of Arkin holds secrets that can change the entire course of their nation.

When I unearth those secrets, the current Arkin court puts my name on a hit list.

Now, along with my boyfriend Mark, I've got to find a way to stay alive and fight off an entire royal army.

That's on top of dealing with Mark's mafia family. This fight wouldn't be easy. Can we really make it out alive this time?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fire Ink Media
• Release date: Jan 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223790983

Book preview

Court of the Fire Witch

A Clash of Hexes and Flames, Book 3

N. R. Hairston

Copyright © 2023 by N.R. Hairston All rights reserved.

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.

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IF YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW more about Liam and Mark, please check out their character page here: Liam and Mark Character page

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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

Author Note

Other Titles by N. R. Hairston

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Chapter 1

THE STREETS WILL RUN red with blood. My business partner, Tanya read from a fire note she’d just unsealed. It was a note written hundreds of years ago.

Tanya was an average-height black woman with brown skin. She was in her late twenties. Today she wore a black business suit, with jeweled heels.

Those same jewels adorned her neck, fingers, and wrist. She looked like she’d just stepped out of a fashion magazine, but that was normal for her. Tanya always looked her best, no matter the occasion.

We’d met in college and decided to go into business together. Tanya was a fire witch like me. Our company did everything from putting out magical fires, to creating fire spells and hexes for big businesses looking for protection.

Tanya walked across the glass floor, her heels making a clicking sound. Blue smoke swirled around her. She was happy! We were in the Arkin building. I’d named it that seven years ago, the moment I’d turned twenty-one.

I was twenty-eight now, and this was my first time using the place. Tanya handed me the fire note, her eyes going to the mirrors on the wall.

Everything in here was glass. We were surrounded by relics from the lost kingdom of Arkin. Five hundred years ago, the Arkin kingdom had been prevalent in fire magic. Every fire witch I knew wanted to find the lost treasures from that era.

I’d been searching for them since I was thirteen years old. I often hunted for buried fire notes and letters, but the lost Arkin Kingdom was something close to my heart.

Those artifacts held secrets from long ago. That intrigued me more than anything.

I loved history. It sent chills down my spine, picking apart remnants from a lost era, learning what life must’ve been like during those different time periods.

Tanya ran a hand over the mirrored wall. You expect many double-image spells? Some spells required a double image to work. Since this particular fire dig was so precious, I didn’t want anything messing it up.

Tanya picked up a piece of jewelry. It was a necklace with a long chain. A cylinder-shaped charm hung from it, blazing with flames. Wonder what secrets this holds.

I waved a hand at all the Arkin relics. I’d discovered a hidden vault, filled with Arkin artifacts two days ago.

I’d beaten my mentor Poon to the punch, and he hadn’t spoken to me since.

Tanya picked up a glass. It blazed with fire on the inside. Got mafia plans later?

I dropped the fire note in my hand and gave her a sarcastic look. My boyfriend, Mark Gravely, belonged to the biggest mafia family on this side of the hemisphere.

None of your business, I shot back at her. I picked up a long, blank scroll. I ran my hand over it. It’d been sealed with fire, but the hexes guarding it were twisted, and curved, making it more complicated.

I wanted to unseal it. It’d take some hellified fire magic, but maybe Tanya and I working together could get it done. I rolled up my sleeves, anxious to get started.

Tanya picked up a piece of cloth. It was torn, so it could’ve been an article of clothing or a table drape. It was blue. An image of a lion was embedded around the edges. The lion was blazed in fire.

She waved her hand over it, but before she could unseal it, her phone beeped. She checked her messages and shook her head. It’s Dela. Dela was her assistant. Dran Blake is demanding our immediate attention.

I groaned at the same time my digit beeped. Digits were small communication devices. They were shaped like a smartphone but had a million more functions.  

It was Bryce, my assistant. Dran Blake said he’d pull his account if we didn’t meet him at his office in an hour. I shook my head and put my phone away. He’s back to never doing business with us again.

Tanya laughed, manicured nail still fingering the cloth. He threatens that whenever he doesn’t get his way.

Dran was one of our executive clients. We created hexes for all his businesses and homes. Because he spent so much money with us, he thought he owned us.

He came from a rich family with connections. He was used to having his way, but we didn’t play favorites at Incinerate.

I put thoughts of him away, anxious to get back to my find. A large trunk of letters sat in the corner.

I licked my lips, pulse jumping in anticipation. I’d often dreamed of what the lost Kingdom of Arkin was like. Fire witches had reigned supreme doing that time.

It was said to be the most prosperous time for those with fire power. The entire Arkin line was said to be blessed with the gift of fire. I reached for a piece of paper, but it slipped out of my hand.

I went to grab it but felt a vibration under me.

Whoa, Tanya said from across the room. She braced her hand on the wall. The room vibrated again, then I heard a boom.

We’re under attack, I yelled. I’d prepared for this too. I figured, if we found the lost relics of Arkin, someone would come looking for them.

I waved a hand and whispered, Ti qi ui. It was a teleportation spell. I had three extra locations set up. Ti qi ui, I said again, sweat dripping down my face.

The spell was powerful, I could feel the energy draining from me while I powered it. Ti qi ui, I said again and stumbled back, hand on my stomach. All the items disappeared, going to my second building. Once they were gone, I sagged in relief.

Tanya grabbed me by the arm. Let’s get out of here.

Something hard hit against the door. Tanya and I exchanged a look.