Raelynn Lawson’s cabin was on the outskirts of town, at the end of a dirt driveway, hidden among thick pine trees. It hadn’t been difficult to find her address. After showing Callum how to use a cell phone, he made one quick call to the university and managed to charm Raelynn’s address out of them within ten minutes.
It was a little unnerving how very human he could sound when he wanted to.
Despite him sensing no one on our approach, I stood in the shadows of the trees as Callum searched the yard and the interior of the cabin. Not that I could see very much of him. Even under normal circumstances, he moved too fast. But when he was trying to be sneaky, as he was now, he was all but invisible. A flitting shadow.
After several tense minutes of waiting, Callum teleported beside me with a tiny pop that made me jump.
“Another demon has been here,” he said, instantly moving to stand far too close to me. Too close, or not close enough. He put one arm possessively around me, claws pricking dangerously through my denim jacket. “Smells like your father’s captive hellion.”
“Leon? He’s been here?” At Callum’s nod, I shook my head in disbelief. “I thought he would have gone straight back to Hell.”
“He escaped your father?” I briefly explained what had happened. “Perhaps he’s taken a liking to the woman. All the better for us if he chooses to pursue her. Having a demon keeping an eye on her might dissuade the Libiri from attempting to capture her.”
“It buys us time,” I said grimly.
He’d broken the cabin’s sliding glass door to allow me access inside, leaving shattered glass upon the deck. Stepping inside, I froze at the disapproving glare of the house’s current inhabitant. A fluffy calico cat stared at me with bright yellow eyes, before giving a loud meow and jumping down from its perch on the kitchen counter to rub around Callum’s legs.
“I see you’re already on good terms with the guard,” I said. Callum smirked as he picked up the feline, using a claw to scratch beneath his chin.
“Cats are everywhere in Hell,” he said. “Although they live longer there, and therefore, become much cleverer. Dangerous little beasts.”
As Callum made friends with the cat, I headed straight for the bedroom to rifle through Raelynn’s things. But my search was fruitless. There was no sign of the grimoire anywhere.
“Crap, it isn’t here,” I called.
Callum appeared in the doorway; the cat was still rubbing around his ankles. “Calm your mind. You sensed the grimoire before; perhaps you can do it again. Let your magic aid you.”
It was difficult to reach for the very thing I’d been taught to avoid, but I tried. Returning to the cabin’s main room, I closed my eyes. I allowed my limbs to slacken, rolling my head to stretch my neck. I’d never been good at relaxing, but I needed to clear my head.
“There’s magic here,” Callum said, his voice close behind me. “It’s faint, but I keep getting whiffs of it. Human magic smells sweet, like honey or sugar.” His chest pressed against my back, one hand wrapping beneath my chin and tipping it upward. “Deep breaths. Do you smell it?”
I could scarcely think of anything other than the touch of his hand. The way he held just a little too tightly, fingers digging into my skin, body looming over mine. All I could smell was the warm, rich aroma of him.
Callum laughed softly. His lips brushed against my cheek as he said, “So easily distracted.”
He stepped away, and I was left breathless. But he was right. A sugary sweet scent was in the air, and when I opened my eyes, I swore I saw something like shimmering gold smoke around a bookshelf.
I knelt before the shelf, rifling through the mess of books and papers stacked upon it. Finally, I grasped a small leather-bound book.
The world seemed to stop as I drew it out, brushing my hand across that familiar cover. My fingers tingled as I opened it. Grand Mistress Sybil’s handwriting filled the pages in elegant Latin text, her drawings and diagrams rendered with elaborate attention to detail.
Dad had complained multiple times that carrying the grimoire felt like holding a sheet of ice. But as I held it close, I swore the book pulsed in time with my heart.
As if it was happy to be found.
I was already flipping through the grimoire as I followed Callum out of the house. My Latin was a little rusty, so I read slowly, but eagerly. Everything I’d wanted so desperately to learn was right there in my hands.
I paused as I stepped off the porch. Callum only made it a few paces before he noticed my hesitation and turned. “What’s wrong?”
“There’s a protective enchantment in here,” I said, reading slowly as I mentally translated the Latin text. “A ward, meant to discourage the presence or entrance of beings with ill intentions.” After carefully reading the spell several times, I faced the cabin. “I’m going to cast it. Or try to…”
I’d never cast a true spell in my life, but there was no better time to try. Even though my last attempt at using magic had been agonizing, I didn’t feel afraid as I spread my arms, concentrating upon the spell’s intended purpose.
Protect this house. Protect its inhabitants. Prevent anyone who would cause harm to its inhabitants from entering here.
“Lanua cunctis hostibus clausa est,” I said. My pronunciation was far from perfect. While the words were important, they weren’t nearly as important as the intent behind them. “Hostes huc intrare non possunt.”
A sense of relief flooded through me, and my hands steadied. The air around my outstretched fingers shimmered slightly.
There was no visible change to the cabin, but it felt different. Tucking the grimoire into my bag, I said, “I have no idea if that worked, but maybe it will help her.”
When I turned around, Callum was staring at me.
“How did it feel, my lady?” he said. “To cast your first spell?”
Pride filled me, so thick and sweet that my eyes stung. The rush of emotions was unexpected, and I lowered my head so he wouldn’t see it on my face.
“Like breathing for the first time,” I said. It felt like nothing I’d ever experienced before, and yet it felt familiar too. Like a sensation from my dreams, manifesting in reality.
Callum gave me a sharp-toothed smile. “Then let’s cast a few more, shall we?”
