FORBIDDEN • Father Paul Hill/John Pruitt

CHAPTER 1

Crockett Island

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IN THE PEACEFUL and secluded town of Crockett Island, where the sound of breaking waves and the aroma of salty air filled theatmosphere, the arrival of a new priest brought a sense of renewed faith to the community. Father Paul Hill, a man of gentle temperament and unwavering devotion, had been assigned as the new priest at Saint Patrick's Parish. Little did he know that his life was about to take an unexpected turn.

At the heart of the island, hidden among charming streets and picturesque buildings, stood a cozy coffee shop called "Mystic Brews." Run by a mysterious woman named Jane, it was a place where locals and visitors sought comfort in the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, stuffed pastries, and other delights that only this place had the privilege to savor. Unknown to the rest of the world, Jane was no ordinary woman. She was a witch, endowed with magical abilities that she kept well-hidden from prying eyes. Therefore, her personality was marked by professionalism and introversion when it came to personal conversations.

That day was marked by the presence of the new priest, who had come to replace Monsignor Pruitt, who was unable to return to Crockett Island due to his delicate health condition. Mystic Brews quickly filled up with a few faithful followers who came directly from Saint Patrick's, as they were frequent customers. Even though the number was small, the cozy coffee shop welcomed them with open doors, as the demand was not as high as in the big city. But Jane managed the place with ease, as there were not many expenses and she perfectly controlled the supplies.

As the time passed, the number of people in the coffee shop gradually decreased, which was quite usual. Sometimes she received orders that she delivered before the lunch hour, when Mystic Brews had no clientele.

Standing behind the counter, putting some croissants in the display case that had just come out of the oven, Jane finished her little task while waiting for lunchtime to close the coffee shop and make her deliveries around the Island. A sound interrupted her lost gaze at the floor and led her directly to the laptop, which was signaling a FaceTime call.

"Sasha," she pronounced the name that shone on the screen, while checking the Wi-Fi before answering to make sure the call wouldn't drop this time.

"Hi! Finally, Jane, this island's Wi-Fi is terrible. I almost sent you a letter; I might have received a reply before managing to make a call with you," Sasha laughed, taking the phone with her as she walked down the street.

"Wow, a new way to say I live at the end of the world," Jane rolled her eyes with a smile, adjusting the webcam so that Sasha could see her better.

Sasha agreed, pursing her lips, as she had no shame in voicing her opinion about her younger sister's life, and Jane pretended to care about the criticisms, but deep down, she didn't care at all about pleasing her sister. The young witch knew that Sasha followed the strict and intrusive steps of their mother.

"I'm sorry, J. But you know this place is the end of the world," Sasha admitted. "I think even the countryside would be less difficult to live in. A weirdly named island that smells like fish and is sinking further into misery."

Jane could be offended, but she chose to focus her annoyance on the place itself and the people who lived there, some of whom she had grown to like. Erin Greene, her dear friend, was one of them.

"I don't know how you manage to keep this book cafe running without sinking into debt and everything else," her older sister commented.

Jane took a deep breath, hoping her mind wouldn't be disturbed by the thoughtless words her sister so casually uttered without considering their impact. The gods knew that she wouldn't want those words to be overheard by any island resident, even though they were used to criticisms, or by her eight-year-old daughter, Matilda. The little girl had taken a liking to the place since they arrived a few months ago.