Page 90 of Strike It Witch

“Alpha Floyd, do you want this book?”

“You know I do,” he said.

“Then put your coven on a leash and let me get to work.”

“Leave her alone, Margaux,” he commanded, using a bit of alpha power in his voice. Showing off, as usual. “I need that book.”

After checking that my circles were unbroken one more time, I went to my knees and chanted over each bowl, over both circles, and over myself. I spent the most time on this part, because if I didn’t protect myself, I would be of no use to anyone.

Secure your own oxygen mask before your kid’s, so to speak.

When I felt as good about it as I possibly could, given the enormous risk of summoning anything from the otherworlds, I snapped my fingers and brought a silver flame to my palm.

All witches could conjure up a flame if they chose to, not only fire witches. Only a fire witch could manipulate the flame into a fireball and incinerate a target without a spell, though. Being an earth witch, I needed a strong spell to throw even a small amount of fire.

I chanted the only one I knew, blew on my tiny flame, and sent it wafting to the bowl containing the candle. It was less like a fireball than a fire-feather, but it did the trick.

The wick ignited, and my flame winked out.

The dirt Joon had rubbed on my forearms tingled painfully.

Focus.

The atmosphere thinned, and a slit formed in the air above the circle. Smoke bled through the opening, filling the inside of the circle until I couldn’t see the ground anymore.

The smoke swirled, taking the shape of a human male. It looked like shadow people I’d seen lurking around historical sites, spirits who appeared to the living world as colorless, humanoid shapes.

“Youdaresummon me?” His voice carried the booming theatrics of a slow-played bass drum.

Geez, Gnath was laying it on thick.

“Yep.” I picked at my fingernails. I desperately needed a manicure. If I survived tonight, I’d be able to afford one. “I dare.”

“Lilibet Betty Lennox. The last Lennox witch. Your reputation precedes you.” Gnath looked down his smoky nose at me. “I should say the reputation of your family precedes you. Yours is hardly worth talking about.”

“Not cool. I’ve worked hard to ruin my reputation onallplanes of existence, thank you very much. My senior yearbook quote was “Get Ur Freak On”—Missy Elliott, for gods’ sakes. The girl in the photo next to mine quoted boring Socrates. So, maybe don’t be so dismissive.”

Lightning flashed inside the smoke figure. A show of anger. I hadn’t been aware Gnath could do that. He was putting on quite a performance.

“Uh, Betty?” Ida stepped up behind me.

I waved her back.

“Demon, I have a proposition for you,” I said, and stepped into the outer of the two circles.

Lightning flashed again, scorching the soil along the perimeter of the inner circle.

“Betty?” Ida tapped my shoulder. She remained on the outside of the circles and had to stand on her toes and bend over to reach me.

“Ida, don’t distract me,” I murmured out of the side of my mouth. “I’m trying to make this look good.”

“I thought you said you were summoning that punk highway demon,” she murmured back.

“I am—did.”

She shook her head. “That’s not Gnath.”

“He’s just putting on a show."

---