Page 55 of Summertime Hexy
I turn—heart in my throat—and see them.
Three tiny silhouettes stumbling through the brush at the edge of the grove. Phoebe’s clutching her charm pouch like it’s a life preserver. Milo’s dragging Jax, who looks pale and very much like he might either scream or vomit.
No.
No, no, no.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I mutter.
I grab Derek’s arm. “There are kids. Behind the trees.”
His head snaps toward them, fangs flashing. “They shouldn’t be this close.”
“No shit, Sherlock.”
I move before he can stop me.
“Milo!” I shout, using my Camp Counselor Voice—the one that can cut through a pixie tantrum or a runaway spell explosion.
His head jerks up. “Hazel?!”
“Yeah, it’s me! Congratulations, you’ve found the one cursed part of the woods we specifically told you tonever enter!What the hell are you doing here?”
“Jax saw the sky glow,” Milo pants. “We thought it was fireworks!”
“It’s alwaysnotfireworks, you gremlin! Get your butts over here!”
Phoebe tugs at Jax’s sleeve, urging him forward, but he’s frozen. His lip’s wobbling. His eyes are glued to the tear in the veil still hissing like it’s hungry.
I move fast.
Drop to one knee, mud soaking into my pants.
“Jax,” I say, voice low now, all sugar and steel. “Hey. Look at me.”
He does. Barely.
“You know what this is?” I ask, even though I know he doesn’t.
He shakes his head.
“This is a test. And you know what I see when I look at you?”
Big eyes. Bigger tears.
“No,” he whispers.
“I see a kid who once hexed a swarm of bugs to spell the wordBUTTSin glowing runes across the mess hall. You did that with one matchstick wand and half a spell scroll. You’re powerful. You’re smart. You’re brave. And I need you right now.”
His mouth wobbles.
“Can you help me?”
A pause.
Then he nods.
Good.
