Page 145 of Sigils & Spells

“Well, first of all,” Natalie said, “that’s kind of the point of having a familiar. Most familiars become incredibly attached to their witch and will follow him or her wherever they go. So it’s not really about you having to carry the kitten because he’ll get really good at keeping up with you.

“And secondly, the stronger your bond with Hocus Purrcus, the better your control will be, whether he’s with you or not. Basically, think of the kitten as an extension of your well.”

“So another receptacle for her power?” Morana asked.

“Not so much a receptacle as a source,” Natalie said. “An effective familiar can help a witch tap into the full range of his or her power.”

*.*.*.*.*

“Hold it right there!”

Jared glared at the stair he stood on.

He’d almost made it.

He’d managed to slip by the door to the pack dining room where there were sure to be many pack members eating dinner.

He’d made it past the entrance to the kitchen where more pack members were probably gathered, chatting and cooking.

He’d made it almost all the way up the stairs.

Three more steps and he would have been on the second floor of the packhouse, mere steps from his own quarters, where he could have let Chester out to explore in peace.

Instead, he now had to deal withher.

Which meant he’d probably have to deal with all of them.

He dragged in a deep breath for courage, then turned slowly on his heel and descended the steps toward the scariest sight in the world: his mother, arms crossed, hip cocked and a calculating look on her face.

“Yes, Mother?”

“What exactly are you carrying up those stairs? Because I can smell it from all the way over here, yet cannot imagine whymyson, the alpha of the newly relocated Wildfire Pack, could possibly be sneaking acatinto a wolf den.” She raised an eyebrow at him.

Jared heaved a long sigh. “Corwin called you, didn’t he?”

She grinned at him. “He did. I thought he was kidding, of course, and laughed like a loon, then hung up on him.” She shook her head. “Now get down here and show me this poor cat you’re thinking to raise among wolves.” She turned and stalked back into the kitchen.

Jared swallowed a groan and followed his mother to his doom.

*.*.*.*.*

“So,Hocus Purrcus, what do you think of your new digs?” Pippa watched as the kitten bounced around her room, sniffing at everything.

“Apparently, we’re supposed to work on fusing our magic or something like that. I’m not even sure what that means, but Natalie seems convinced we’ve already started the process.”

Hocus Purrcus didn’t seem that interested as he was busy exploring the tree Jo had grown in the corner of Pippa’s room. “Because Hocus Purrcus needs a place to climb,” she’d said.

Pippa hadn’t protested because she’d assumed the tree would be growing inside the giant planter Jo had dragged into the room.

That had not been the case.

Oh, it had probably been Jo’sintentionto grow the tree inside the planter, but what actually happened was the tree grew through the floor and out the roof and now Pippa had a giant tree in the corner of her bedroom and an unexpected skylight in the ceiling.

As long as Hocus Purrcus didn’t climb all the way up and out onto the roof and as long as it didn’t rain before they managed to cast a spell sealing everything tight, Pippa didn’t really mind the tree.

She loved the way its branches had spread across the ceiling and formed a canopy over the entire room. It was almost like sleeping outside, but with all the comforts of her own bed.

“So what do you think, H.P. Would you like to practice some magic?”

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