Page 15 of Summertime Hexy
She ruffles his hair. The gesture is so light, so easy, it makes my throat feel like it’s trying to close.
She doesn’t notice me watching.
She doesn’t see how steady her magic is in this moment—calm, warm, unforced. It wraps around the boy like a blanket. No sigils. No sparks. Just intention.
Andgods, she’s radiant in it.
I turn away before she can catch me staring.
But I can’t stop the feeling rising in my chest.
Whatever it is, it terrifies me.
CHAPTER 7
HAZEL
There are a lot of things I expect from tonight’s patrol: misbehaving sprites, maybe another raccoon revolution, definitely at least one injury involving glitter glue.
What Idon’texpect?
Accidentally performing a borderline ancient energy exchange ritual with a vampire who glares like it’s his job and somehow makes brooding look sexy.
But here we are.
It starts with the ley-stone near the Grove path. Derek and I are doing our usual patrol circuit—me, bouncing ahead, poking at glowing mushrooms with a stick; him, trailing behind like a vampire-shaped thundercloud.
“I wouldn’t touch that,” he says, voice low and gravelly as ever.
“It’s a mushroom,” I say, poking harder. “It’s squishy. And glowing. And therefore needs to be examined thoroughly by science.”
“You’re not a scientist.”
“I dabble.”
He exhales like I’m shortening his lifespan, which, given the whole immortal thing, is impressive.
That’s when the mushroomshudders.
And the ground trembles.
“Oh, that’s new,” I mutter. The ley-stone under our feet lights up like a fairy rave. My wand pulses against my hip, a low buzz vibrating through the tether that still connects us because mylife is a joke.
Derek steps toward me fast. “Hazel?—”
“I didn’t do anything!” I shout, which is probably a lie.
There’s a suddencrack, a pulse of magic like lightning turned inward, and then—boom—everythingblinks.
Not explodes. Not shatters.
Just…blinks.
Like reality hiccups.
I stumble, dizzy, and reach out blindly—right into Derek’s chest. His hand clamps around my wrist at the same time, sharp and steady. There’s a jolt.
Then everything stops.
