If they were trying to bring the demon’s form through, the summoner’s circle would be tangential, not intersecting.”
“So, whoever did this was …” Wanda said.
“Consulting with a demon, not inviting them to drop by,” I said. “Or at least, they were trying to. When you’re successful in opening even a narrow portal like you need for a conjure, you get spiral patterns in the ash.”
“This was a failed casting?” Lucas asked. “I’d hate to see what a successful conjure feels like.”
“Yeah, you would,” I said. “So far, there’s nothing to worry about, but let’s tell Dr. C and we’ll look into it a little later on.” I headed back to the jogging trail, still concerned that someone was trying to call up demons in my city.
I kept a relaxed pace the rest of the way. Still, running a five-mile circuit, even at an easy pace, will take the wind out of you. We were all panting by the time we made it back to the bench and slowed to a walk.
“So,” Lucas said between breaths, “what are we all up to today?” He put his hands behind his head as we walked.
“I’m going shopping for a piece of wood,” I deadpanned.
“Just one?” Wanda asked with a grin.
“Yes, but it’s a magick piece of wood.”
“Are you buying a wand?” Lucas asked.
“No, just the magick wood for one, like I said.”
“Right, magick wood. Well, I’m going to be bored to tears at the lake with my folks. My dad’s insisting on ‘quality time’ as a family, so we’re going to go swim and frolic while Dad chars meat on a grill and calls it bar-be-que.”
“Let me guess,” Wanda said. “No books?”
“No books, no cell phones, just a deck of cards, a box of dominoes, and good old-fashioned, awkward-as-hell togetherness. What about you, Wanda? Please, give me something exciting to wish I was doing!”
“I … have a date,” Wanda blurted after a moment of hesitation. Her face turned almost as red as her tank top as she looked over her shoulder. “I’ve wanted to talk to you both about this for a while, but …”
“We kind of suspected,” I said as I waved Gage back. He frowned but his steps veered away.
“Really? Because we’ve been really low-key about it. We’ve both been trying to keep it quiet. Did you go through my phone or something?” Her expression hardened as she turned to face us.
“We didn’t have to,” Lucas said. “Every time you get a text, you get this big smile on your face, and it’s like we’re not even there. I don’t know about Chance, but I’ve been a little disappointed that you didn’t even tell us who it is.”
“I’ve just been insanely jealous because it wasn’t me,” I told her. “But seriously, when are you going to introduce us? I mean, we’re behind the curve here. We still have to threaten him if he breaks your heart.”
“And there’s all that silent judging we still need to do because he’s not good enough for you,” Lucas added.
Wanda turned and put a hand on each of our shoulders. Her eyes flicked back and forth between us as they welled up. “Please,” she said, her voice wavering.
“What’s wrong, Wanda?” Lucas asked.
“Promise me you won’t be upset with me,” she said.
“Sure, you know I won’t be,” he said, his voice low and laced with concern. “Are you okay?”
She turned the full force of her attention to me.
“I won’t be upset with you, whatever it is.” I put my hand over hers and the first tear slid down her cheek.
“It’s Giselle,” she said softly. Her wide-eyed gaze went back and forth between Lucas and me, and her breathing was shallow.
“The girl Damian was mind-fucking?” I asked. Wanda nodded and then looked to Lucas, her eyes searching his face.
“You’ve got good taste,” he said a little too casually.
“I don’t … this is important, Lucas. Please, can you take this seriously?”
“I’m sorry, Wanda,” Lucas said. “I’m trying to act like this is no big thing because
“So, whoever did this was …” Wanda said.
“Consulting with a demon, not inviting them to drop by,” I said. “Or at least, they were trying to. When you’re successful in opening even a narrow portal like you need for a conjure, you get spiral patterns in the ash.”
“This was a failed casting?” Lucas asked. “I’d hate to see what a successful conjure feels like.”
“Yeah, you would,” I said. “So far, there’s nothing to worry about, but let’s tell Dr. C and we’ll look into it a little later on.” I headed back to the jogging trail, still concerned that someone was trying to call up demons in my city.
I kept a relaxed pace the rest of the way. Still, running a five-mile circuit, even at an easy pace, will take the wind out of you. We were all panting by the time we made it back to the bench and slowed to a walk.
“So,” Lucas said between breaths, “what are we all up to today?” He put his hands behind his head as we walked.
“I’m going shopping for a piece of wood,” I deadpanned.
“Just one?” Wanda asked with a grin.
“Yes, but it’s a magick piece of wood.”
“Are you buying a wand?” Lucas asked.
“No, just the magick wood for one, like I said.”
“Right, magick wood. Well, I’m going to be bored to tears at the lake with my folks. My dad’s insisting on ‘quality time’ as a family, so we’re going to go swim and frolic while Dad chars meat on a grill and calls it bar-be-que.”
“Let me guess,” Wanda said. “No books?”
“No books, no cell phones, just a deck of cards, a box of dominoes, and good old-fashioned, awkward-as-hell togetherness. What about you, Wanda? Please, give me something exciting to wish I was doing!”
“I … have a date,” Wanda blurted after a moment of hesitation. Her face turned almost as red as her tank top as she looked over her shoulder. “I’ve wanted to talk to you both about this for a while, but …”
“We kind of suspected,” I said as I waved Gage back. He frowned but his steps veered away.
“Really? Because we’ve been really low-key about it. We’ve both been trying to keep it quiet. Did you go through my phone or something?” Her expression hardened as she turned to face us.
“We didn’t have to,” Lucas said. “Every time you get a text, you get this big smile on your face, and it’s like we’re not even there. I don’t know about Chance, but I’ve been a little disappointed that you didn’t even tell us who it is.”
“I’ve just been insanely jealous because it wasn’t me,” I told her. “But seriously, when are you going to introduce us? I mean, we’re behind the curve here. We still have to threaten him if he breaks your heart.”
“And there’s all that silent judging we still need to do because he’s not good enough for you,” Lucas added.
Wanda turned and put a hand on each of our shoulders. Her eyes flicked back and forth between us as they welled up. “Please,” she said, her voice wavering.
“What’s wrong, Wanda?” Lucas asked.
“Promise me you won’t be upset with me,” she said.
“Sure, you know I won’t be,” he said, his voice low and laced with concern. “Are you okay?”
She turned the full force of her attention to me.
“I won’t be upset with you, whatever it is.” I put my hand over hers and the first tear slid down her cheek.
“It’s Giselle,” she said softly. Her wide-eyed gaze went back and forth between Lucas and me, and her breathing was shallow.
“The girl Damian was mind-fucking?” I asked. Wanda nodded and then looked to Lucas, her eyes searching his face.
“You’ve got good taste,” he said a little too casually.
“I don’t … this is important, Lucas. Please, can you take this seriously?”
“I’m sorry, Wanda,” Lucas said. “I’m trying to act like this is no big thing because
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