Page 31 of The Spell Caster

Juni pointed at him. “And I’m just saying we came to this party to not think about that.”

“What if they do have weapons, though? Are they… are they organizing or something?” Another of the Dark Water casters spoke up.

Juni groaned. “Here we go again.”

“They don’t think. They’re just creatures,” said a witch with spiked hair that had been tipped with green.

“All the old stories have angels talking and waging war like people,” Zac pointed out.

“Yeah, you just said it—stories. It’s all mythology,” Juni countered.

“I just think we should be ready. Something’s different.” Zac crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back.

My stomach twisted. It was the same fear I’d had.

“You were there,” Zac said, and the entire coven suddenly focused their attention on me. “Did they have weapons? Did it seem… organized?”

“I… didn’t see most of it. I cast too much and passed out.” I fidgeted, not sure if I should share the rest. “But I heard they had staffs that could shoot burning light.”

The Dark Water casters looked at each other uncertainly.

“That’s it,” Juni declared, poking a finger into Zac’s chest. “It’s not enough for you to murder the vibe in cold blood, you have to piss on its grave too? Layla, let’s go. I have an urgent need to dance!”

I laughed, breaking the tension.

Juni led me to an open spot on the dance floor. The flashing lights, moving bodies, deep beat, and Juni’s horrible dancing soon had me smiling and thinking of nothing as I swayed to the music.

Song after song unwound the deep tension I had been carrying.

“Can I cut in?” a large, grinning witch with a bushy beard yelled, clearly not dressed for the party in a dusty T-shirt with “LAKESIDE POTTERY: WE DO IT WITH CLAY” emblazoned on it.

Juni threw their arms around him with a scream, and the pair sealed their lips together, not even bothering to pretend to dance anymore.

I chuckled at Juni, who gave me a wave without coming up for air.

My throat tightened unexpectedly as I twirled off by myself. Longing and envy seared through me. I wanted that kind of freedom. Juni wouldn’t be able to keep their lover, but that didn’t seem to be stopping them.

Spell casters had to marry spell casters and have baby spell casters. I’d never once questioned that. My parents had broken that rule, and my mother made damn sure I knew it was the source of all her misery. It had never even crossed my mind to make out with a handsome potter on a dance floor.

Or a guardian. The thought bubbled up out of nowhere, lodged itself in my mind, and then wouldn’t leave. A guardian who would kiss me like he did everything: aggressively and on his own terms, with his entire heart.

I wasn’t sure what made me look up. Through the crowd, I locked eyes with Costi. How long has he been watching?

He was leaning with his boot propped up behind him against the far wall. Beside him was another Northern Sea guardian I had seen around—Costi’s friend Ash, I thought.

Holly was with them, I realized with a jolt.

She whirled and glared at me as Costi stepped past her. I couldn’t see her expression, but I suddenly felt small and awkward, standing in the middle of the dance floor alone. Ash clamped a hand over Holly’s bicep, stopping her from following.

With almost frightening intensity, Costi stalked toward me like a storm rolling in off the ocean.

My body reacted instinctively, warring with itself. Freeze. No, go to him. No, run.

I made a panicked dash toward the nearest exit, which turned out to be one of the wooden porches. It was unlit. The breezy night air cooled my heated skin as I sucked in a shaky breath full of the taste of the forest.

Of course Costi followed me. He slid the door closed. The sound of the party muffled, leaving only the droning of night insects.

I swallowed heavily, backing up against the railing.

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