Page 33 of How To Summon A Memory
I shake my head, hoping it’s not something tragic.
“He renounced his magic and left Hex.”
“But he lives, right?”
“Yes. But he said we repressed him too much. Said we put too much expectations on the coven heirs. We just want what’s best for everyone. Florence or Ethan should have married my boy to show him the joys of magic. Instead, the spoiled brats keep pushing off their wedding. Soon it’s not going to matter.” The man cackles manically. “Soon, Ethan will go BOOM! And Hex’ll be covered in the strongest magic she’ll ever experience. There’s no way we won’t all absorb it. So, of course, I’ll tell you how to remove the pendant that keeps him stable.”
“Don’t you dare!” Cordia screams from inside. “I had no idea how you felt about all this, Trever. Had I known, I never would have recruited you to help.” She can’t get the door open fast enough.
Trever leans in. “True love’s kiss breaks the spell. Then any demon can remove the pendant.”
“You! You!” Cordia points to Trever, and he disappears. “That should teach you, you damn gnat!”
I stumble back and trip, falling to my bottom as she stomps towards me. The raccoon pounces on me and sits on my chest, growling at her.
“You betray me too, Rosco?”
He chitters something, and she fists her hands. “Then so be it.” She snaps, making Rosco go limp against me when she turns on her heel. “You’re nothing to me anymore, creature.”
I clutch the raccoon to my chest as he regains consciousness. “I’m so sorry, little guy,” I whisper. “So sorry.” Pushing to my feet, I do my best not to jostle him too much. I’m not sure what she did to him other than sever whatever bond they had. I know witches and their familiars usually have a lifetime together, so I hope she didn’t just give him a death sentence.
The lights go out in Cordia’s house. I want to rip the door open and retrieve Ethan to take him away from this woman. What’s holding me back? Nothing! I stomp to the front door, but the moment I step on the porch, magic pushes me back with each trial until I’m standing on the road outside the barrier.
Wick: True love’s kiss breaks the spell.
How the hell can we kiss and not touch at the same time?
Chapter 16
Ethan
I ragein my locked room. Florence paces beside me.
They thread their fingers through their long hair. “She kidnapped me after finals yesterday. She wants to move the wedding to this afternoon,” they say. “I keep telling her no. That we have to have therightfull moon for the stupid ritual to work and bond us, but she saw right through that lie. What the fuck are we going to do?”
My phone vibrates.
Wick: True love’s kiss breaks the spell.
“Kiss me.”
“What?! Why would we?”
I show them the text. “True love’s kiss. Doesn’t necessarily need to be romantic love. You and I love each other, right? That’s true love, too.”
“It is.”
“Then kiss me. We’ll break out of here. Find Wick. I’ll bond to him and you’ll be free. Then I’ll find his fucking crossroads and free him.”
“There’s a hitch in that plan I think,” Florence hesitates.
“Which is?”
“Wick is already bound to his crossroads. You need to destroy them first, then bind him.”
“I don’t have time before—” I collapse onto my bed. “All this for power. I just want to live my life. I want you to live your life. Everyone to be happy. Is that too much to ask?”
“Apparently,” Florence grins and settles down next to me and squeezes my hand. “You know, I could give up my magic. I don’t need it for hedge witchery. I don’t want to teach.” They snort. “Fuck. That’s my answer. I need to give up my magic, then no one will want to marry me.”
