Page 30 of How To Summon A Memory
It’s so good to hear your voice. I explain what I had Pike do and Wick grins.
“What if, and hear me out, what if Cordia rigged it soIhave to be the one to remove the pendant?”
“Hmmm, explain?”
“We can’t touch, right? And you don’t remember me. She would have had to use a bit of my essence to make such a strong charm. The chain may have been demon forged, and Pike couldn’t remove it because it didn’t register his energy. You can’t remove it because your magic doesn’t allow it. So, we have to find the break of the spell, then I should be able to remove it.”
“That’s the thing. I was hoping just to remove the pendant for everything to work.”
“It wouldn’t be that simple. She would have put a requirement on the pendant and it’d have to include me.”
“I know you’re right.” I sigh. “In other news, I think she’s going to remove the barrier that keeps me and Florence locked where she wants us. At least for my birthday. It’ll be a good time for me to search for your crossroads. Maybe we can just make a deal and then we won’t have to worry about anything.”
“That would be perfect.”
“Wouldn’t it?” I say as I tip my head to the blue sky. “What’s the first thing you want to do when you’re free?”
Wick snorts. “I don’t know. For the longest time, my only desires was to find you and be released from my crossroads. Maybe I can open up a bakery.”
“Your sugar cookies are some of the best I’ve ever tasted.”
“I’m glad to hear it. They were the ones I wanted to perfect the most. I really have fallen in love with baking. What do you plan to do when you’re free of your arranged marriage?”
“Dunno.” I shrug. “My life has been trying to figure out how to get out of it and hoping the demon in my dreams was real. I love being a teacher. Maybe we could travel.”
“I’d go anywhere with you, Ethan.”
I believe him, too.
“Wick, where’d you run off to?” Van’s voice shouts in the background.
Warwick laughs and leans towards the phone. “I’m supposed to be helping with the decorations for the party.”
“You should go help your friends. We’ll have our time, Wick. I promise.”
His smile lights up his face. “I… have friends. I really do.”
“Enjoy yourself, my demon.”
“See you soon, my little witch.”
My heart aches just a bit when we get off the phone, but I’m so happy for him. I have a feeling Wick doesn’t trust people easily, and he has few friends. But somehow, I made it past his wards and into his heart. I just wish I could remember.
It’s still hours upon hours before midnight, so I decide to plot my plan for Wick’s crossroads. He said they’re gravel and he could see my grandmother’s house from it. Should be easy enough to find. Hopefully.
My grandmother will be at Hex University for a while longer. She’s always there until late on the last day of the semester, so I sneak back into her house where Vi finds me.
“Hello my little love. Would you search my grandmother’s journals for anything on this pendant? The secret journals in her bedroom.”
Vi nods with her whole body and zips out.
“Thank you!” I rush to find the rolls of Hex, Indiana town maps I remember seeing as a kid. I’d sit around for hours in the study and memorize them. How I know that, but not the town anymore, I don’t know. I grind my teeth as I unroll the first map.
I find my grandmother’s mansion and lightly circle it with a pencil, then search for all the crossroads with Wick’s description.
Ethan: What part of my grandmother’s house can you see from your crossroads?
Wick: Front door.
