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“And go where?” Anywhere I tried to hide, Celestine could track me to. If not with that lock of hair in her cabinet, then only slightly more slowly with a piece of my clothing, a cup I’d drunk from—there was no way to wipe my essence from this house completely. And the very fact that I’d gone into hiding would tell her that I knew enough to be athreat.
“I can’t beat her or escape her right now,” I said. “Not while she has full use of her magic and I don’t. The second she realizes I know what’s going on, I’mscrewed.”
“What about those official type people who were here before?” Philomena said. “The marriage interrogators. Can’t they do anything aboutit?”
“When I can get them involved, they can. They won’t trust just a photograph. They’d need to see the actual contract before they took action against the current Lady Hallowell.” I could make a run for Seattle to present it to the Assembly… but what were the chances I’d make it there before Celestine caught up? She’d bring all her power to bear to stop me. Her whole life, her power, would be atstake.
I knew how desperate that idea could make a personfeel.
No. It was safest to wait. “When Dad is here, he’ll know how to handle it,” I said. “She’s got contractual obligations tohim. She can’t use her magic against him. Once he’s seen what I have, she won’t be able to cover itup.”
In the meantime… An impulse propelled me off the bed. I nudged the base of my bookcase and fished out myphone.
Nope, no new messages. The last one, from Damon, floated there on my screen. My lips curled into a real smile as I looked at that silly little heart. How much had it cost his pride to sendthat?
I hoped he’d get his head on straight. I wasn’t looking forward to any repeats of the emotional whiplash he’d given me last night. But when he let down his guard… Now that was its own kind ofmagic.
The flutter in my chest turned into an ache as I brought my thumb to the delete button. But I had rules. Nothing that would lead the way back to myboys.
With everything I knew now, that precaution no longer seemed likeparanoia.
“Well, there,” Philomena said, teasing her imaginary fingers over my hair. “You’re not alone evennow.”
A lump rose in my throat. No, I wasn’t, was I? Not completely. Maybe not at all. If only Iknew…
I’d been going to ask Meredith to help me investigate the records, but I had other options. I had the contacts I’d worked with while I was digitizing records. There was that whole database of witching historical aficionados I had access to for cross-referencing facts asneeded.
But if I was going to ask about a historical fact so obscure and in defiance of everything taught by today’s witching society… I was going to need anoddball.
I opened my laptop up my desk and dug into the file the historical society had sent me. This was perfect. On the off chance anyone was monitoring my computer usage, they’d assume I was just looking up people for a job or for mybook.
Most of the listings were esteemed academics or professionals like lawyers and doctors who dabbled in witching history in their spare time. But down toward the bottom of the database I found exactly what I was lookingfor.
Margo Elands. A witch living out on Staten Island who ran a literal New Age shop while also collecting supposed “historical artifacts” as an avid hobby. The database’s notes said,Elands may contactyouhoping to acquire information on your projects or offering her own insights. Our recommendation is to disengage. Many of her sources are questionable, and her enthusiasm outweighs hercare.
That was code forShe believes a bunch of wacko things we’d rather you didn’t hear aboutif I’d ever heard it. But it would be an awfully big coincidence if she’d just happened to hear about the wacko things I could say unquestionably were going on in my life right now, wouldn’t it? A coincidence too big not to give some credenceto.
The database, of course, didn’t give any contact information for Ms. Elands. We weren’t meant to be seeking out her advice. But it wasn’t hard to look her up via her shop on theinternet.
Wouldn’t Kyler be impressed if he saw me now? Well, no, probably not, given that Google was pretty basic compared to hacking into banks. But I was impressed with myself. So there. I even wiped my browser’s history just incase.
I wrote out a quick message to Ms. Elands on my secret phone, pausing over every second word to consider my phrasing.I am one of the sparked. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more than that right now. I’ve heard that you’ve investigated areas of witching history beyond what our community might consider appropriate. Could you tell me if you’ve come across any mention of unusual practices when it comes to taking consorts? With humblethanks.
I grimaced reading it over, but I could live with it. Breath held, I sent itoff.
My computer dinged with an email alert before I could close it. I blinked at it, my first thought behind to wonder how Margo had managed to reply quite that quickly. Then I remembered that she wouldn’t have been replying on mylaptop.
It was an email from the Consorting Advisership at the Assembly. From the woman who’d come to interview me and Derek, I thought, from how familiar her name looked. I maybe hadn’t been paying quite as much attention to that meeting as I shouldhave.
Ms. Hallowell, the email read.Thank you again for your time answering our questions last week. This is a standard letter, but rest assured that if you have any questions, you may reach out to our advisers at any time. The transition a young witch faces when claiming her spark is a time of high emotion, and a little confusion is almost to beexpected.
We like to remind witches on the verge of consorting of three keypoints:
-Any spark you gain before your initial consorting ceremony will be only a pale version of what you will experience afterward. If you have engaged in some physical intimacy with your consort-to-be, don’t let that limited taste of magic worry you. This is exactly why we discourage much intimacy among young witching couples prior to becoming officialconsorts.
Yeah, I would have been awfully worried if my only experience had been with Derek. That was, no effect on my spark atall.
The email went on:-The most important factors in a good partnership with your consort are developing a strong emotional and physical bond with trust, respect, and mutual regard. In the time leading up to your consorting ceremony and afterward, approach your partner with open and positive intentions, even if tensions arise. This will ensure harmony and the strength of yourspark.
