Page 81 of The Spell Caster

None of our roommates were home. We weren’t sure what to do about Ewan. This business with Grey was wrong. Costi had told me to stay clear of him until they had a chat. I needed to talk to Datura about him, too.

He gave a menacing laugh. “The Hell you do.” He was freshly showered and shaved, his damp hair curling appealingly.

“He’s going to try another circle spell for me tomorrow,” I said.

“I’m coming with you. Last time, he pulled a demon. He’s gonna accidentally summon a nest of angels.”

“Yeah, knowing my luck. This one is supposed to trap my familiar.”

“Good. Let’s catch the little bastard.” Costi picked up a brush to scrub his empty plate, but I took it from him.

“I’ll do it. You have to go.” I looked down and bit back a smile. We were being domestic, and I liked it. Eating together in the kitchen was innocent enough. We were friends. Just… really good friends who didn’t date anyone else.

Costi brushed his fingers over my hand. “See you later.”

***

I didn’t think this circle spell was going to work. Nothing else had so far, and I couldn’t imagine anything changing. But I wasn’t upset anymore. I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from me.

It was time to give it up and do something else. I wanted to protect my Circle, but that didn’t mean I had to be a spell caster.

I could pull magic, so maybe a circlewright? Maybe I could try some of the old spells Hazel had dug up. I didn’t have a lot of patience for tracing, though, especially after working the summoning circle so many times. Lately I had found I really enjoyed feeding people—I was sure I could find a place in the kitchens to try it out. I wondered if I had what it took to become a guardian. Fate, I could try anything.

I could have Costi.

If I weren’t a spell caster, no one would care. The knowledge sparkled inside me, and for the first time in a long time, I stopped dreading the future.

When I got to the circle casting room Calamus had reserved, the door was open, and he had already gotten started with the tracing. “This one doesn’t take much effort to hold,” he said.

“Thanks again for trying,” I said. I wiggled my hands around. My limbs felt full of nervous energy. I could see the circle taking shape—Calamus traced the runic form of my name into place, personalizing the spell to me.

Costi joined us moments later, and Calamus sighed without glancing up. “What are you doing here?”

“Making sure you don’t screw up. Is there a fire extinguisher?”

Calamus didn’t dignify that with a response. Calamus was the more mature man, but Costi was hilarious, so I mentally handed him the point, biting my lip to keep from laughing.

I watched quietly while Calamus traced. Costi had pulled out his phone and was scrolling without comment, being good for my sake. Magic brushed my senses as the circle rose. “It’s working,” I whispered.

“Get ready,” Calamus said.

Several things happened at once. Calamus stepped back from the circle as it caught, swirling with loops and whorls of bright magic. I felt a sharp, alarming tug deep inside me and gasped out loud, clasping my chest.

Costi reached for me.

“What the f—” he started, then vanished.

Chapter 16

LAYLA

My ears were ringing. I couldn’t form words as Calamus strode over to the place where Costi had been standing.

“Did you see that?” His words were like ice picks, too loud. I felt raw and strange.

“Wh-What did you do?” I forced out through numb lips.

Calamus looked back at the circle, now a stable, glowing ring in the center of the burned-out tracing. “The spell is working,” he said with a frown.

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