Page 115 of A Witch-ish Guide to Protectors and Pendulums

“I think your grandmother heard you.”

“I’m sure she did.” Then I looked to the ceiling as if she hovered above me—ridiculous, I know. “I didn’t say I was quitting. I just said it’s a lot of trouble for a little book.”

More words appeared on the page. My grandmother, it seemed, had a flair for the dramatic. “‘With your family you will overcome, without them, evil will overrun,’” I read to Connor. Then I looked up to the ceiling again. “I got it the first time. Your little rhymes don’t make me like it any better.”

“Simone,” Connor replied in his gentle voice. Yes, hisgentlevoice.

“What? I don’t like being pressured. I know I have the entire fate of the world in my hands. She could’ve killed Adam years ago and been done with the man. Instead, she drops this on me and I’m supposed to be happy about it? I’m tired, Connor. I’m tired and people die when I make mistakes. I feel old—like I’ve aged five hundred years in the last week.” I slapped the book shut, swiping it from my lap to land on the bed next to me.

“We’re not going anywhere right now. You need to rest.”

“Connor, that’s not?—”

“I know what you meant. But you still need to rest and this way, you can try to contact Sim.”

My shoulders slumped. “Okay.”

“Babe?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m here. You can’t carry it all—give some to me. My shoulders are strong. Let me do some heavy lifting for you.”

Stupid, hot tears leaked from my eyes. “You are so getting laid when this is done. Spectacularly. Spectacularly laid, Connor Baghest.”

He leaned in to kiss me, snatching the grimoire from the bed as his lips pressed to mine. He dropped the book into the backpack without missing a beat. After pulling back, he helped me lie back onto the bed. Connor still kept one arm looped through the backpack straps as he held me.

With his warmth to my back and his arms protecting me, I let myself succumb to the sleep weighing my eyes closed. I started to dream of Connor and me back home packing to go on a beach vacation. I had no idea if Luc would allow Connor to take a vacation, but we deserved one and I could be pretty convincing when I needed to be. But as we packed the last bag into my Jeep, I felt myself lifting up from the ground and I realized thatthe astral projection just started separating me from my body without me even trying.

The door appeared, floating in front of me. It opened the moment I approached and I glided through. Wherever they were, it appeared to be night. The entire room cloaked in blackness.

“Sim?” I whispered, which yes, I know—ridiculous. Madigan wouldn’t hear me if I spoke in regular tones. I couldn’t help it, though. Whispering seemed somehow more respectful. Whatever. Moving on.

His eyes opened and he sighed, pushing up from his body to join me hovering over the bed. “Hey, sis. Are you okay?”

“I’m ready for this to be over.”

“Before you showed, I was dreaming about Madi and me packing for a beach vacation. How great would that be?”

I startled. “Packing for a beach vacation?”

“Yeah…” He drew the word out. “You don’t like the beach?”

“I—yeah, I love the beach—it’s just, I was having the same dream. Packing up my car for Connor and me to take a beach vacation.”

“That’s odd. We’re fraternal, so we can’t really chalk it up to being a twin thing.”

“No. Maybe it’s a reward for a job well done?”

“I’m down with that.”

“Where are you now?”

“Back in Michigan. Northern part of the mitten. I grew up about three hours south of here. I had a foster dad who wanted all the kids to learn how to hunt. He’d bring us here. Seemed safe.”

“You grew up in Michigan, too?”

“Too? You mean Lilith placed us that close to each other and we never met. Damn. I can’t believe my sister was so close yet we both had to grow up alone.” He shook his head. I got that.

---