Page 27 of The Spell Caster

“Oh! I was… going to go to the party.”

His smile stayed in place, but something in his eyes shifted. Disappointment, maybe? “Next time, then.”

“You really don’t have to go to extra trouble. I can check the library myself. I was planning to.”

“It’s no trouble, really. I’m a circlewright as well as a spell caster, so I often study in the evenings. I have a great interest in magical history,” he said as he cut salad leaves into smaller pieces.

“You do both? That’s impressive.” As an initiate spell caster, I had practiced a few circle spells, but most casters gave them up once they summoned their familiar. Circle spells were slow and time-consuming. Usually, only witches who couldn’t pull enough magic to cast would put in the years of dedicated study needed to become a competent circlewright.

Calamus dropped his eyes to his food as he smiled again. “I feel it’s important to have a well-rounded magical education. I hope to contribute something new to the body of witch knowledge with my cross-disciplinary studies.”

“I’m sure you will,” I said, my mind elsewhere. I had overestimated the amount of fried food I could cram into my body and was regretting taking so much. But I was unwilling to admit defeat.

“I’m very curious to hear about you. Tell me about yourself,” he said, raising his eyes to my face and recapturing my attention.

I pushed some noodles around with my fork and tucked a tendril of loose hair behind my ear. “There’s not much to tell. I’m just a typical witch. Nothing interesting ever happened to me before this.”

“Something tells me you’re not ‘just typical,’” Calamus said with a warm look that made me wonder if Datura wasn’t so far off about him after all. I didn’t know how to respond, but he cleared his throat lightly and continued. “Can you tell me about what happened with your familiar? Did it just stop answering your invocation?”

“Well, it never appeared to begin with.” My cheeks heated. “I worked the summoning circle… uh… several times, and it didn’t seem to work. But during the attack, I saw a spell form and was able to cast. Apparently, it was pretty powerful.”

“I’ve truly never heard of anything like this,” he said, a small line appearing between his brows as he pondered. “I definitely want to look into it now.”

“Thanks for your help.” I offered a shaky smile, then sighed. “I took way too much food.”

Calamus glanced at my ravaged plate without comment and cleared his throat again. “May I ask you about something else?”

I nodded, curious, and moved my plate to the side.

“You seem close with Blackthorn,” he started.

My wariness rose. “We’ve always been friends, ever since we were little.”

Calamus raised his eyebrows. “That’s unusual. It doesn’t bother you that he’s Troubled?”

“Of course not!” I bristled. “He’s always been the best friend anyone could ask for.”

He let out a soft laugh at my reaction. “You’re so passionate and warmhearted.”

I blinked. I’d certainly never been accused of that before.

“Maybe you can give me some advice, then.” He leaned forward, bracing an arm on the table. “I had a guardian previously, but the security coordinator suggested that I pair with Blackthorn instead because we’re both high level.”

“You don’t agree?”

“Oh no, we’re well matched. My casting is very strong. With a skilled guardian like him, I can take point in angel exterminations. But I don’t think he likes me very much.” Calamus looked lost.

Yeah, I could see that. The polished look, the smiling, the studying—Calamus was the golden ideal of witch society. Costi wasn’t the envious type by nature, but Calamus was everything he would never be. I knew it would bother him.

“He’s wanted to be a guardian his whole life,” I said after a moment. “It wasn’t just a last resort for him. He takes it seriously. He won’t jeopardize that.”

Calamus nodded slowly.

“He doesn’t always talk a lot, or smile, but he’s a good man. The best.”

He regarded me evenly. “I see.” He smiled. “He’s lucky to have such a loyal friend.”

I tried to return the smile. “I need to get going,” I said, pushing back my chair.

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