Page 41 of How To Summon A Memory
“You should,” Wick hisses.
“Wicky,” I whisper laugh.
“I wanted you to have everything I never did. And to do that, you needed power. I married your grandfather at eighteen. He was already thirty-two. We didn’t love each other, but he thought I was pretty and the Spellers needed heirs. Then he left me with two small boys to raise when he died a decade into marriage. Your father was my firstborn, and he waspowerful. Then he arranged a ridiculous marriage with a witch outside our covens and you were born. They didn’t even love each other. Your mother died in childbirth because of me. She wasn’t strong enough to handle you.” Grandmother wipes at her eyes. “I stilldon’t know who killed your father, and I’m sorry. I wish he was still here. Your uncle wasn’t such a bad guy. At least not until he tethered his soul to that poor Fae boy.”
“Lark isn’t a boy anymore,” Wick snarks.
“Yes, I know. I’ve talked to him and tried to give him compensation for his time in Drake’s care, but he wouldn’t have it. I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t want anything to do with me, either.” My grandmother huffs. “What I’m trying to say is I’m sorry. I fucked up and should have let nature run its course. Perhaps your father would have chosen a different path had I not pushed him into coven leadership and he felt he had to produce an heir. Perhaps you and Florence would have chosen different paths had I not pushed you into your current life. I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do to take any of it back. All I can do is beg for forgiveness and do better.”
“How do we know you’ll try?” Wick asks the question on my lips before I get the chance.
“Because I’ve already started the proceedings to change the leadership in Hex.”
“Really?” I say.
“Yes. We’ll have a council that represents all citizens of Hex and not just the witches. The first vote is in the new year to give everyone time to adjust to the idea. So far, no one’s fought me on it.”
“Did you turn Trever back into a human?” Wick asks.
“I did. And I paid him severance for his suffering.”
I wiggle away from Wick to sit on the edge of my bed. My grandmother’s eyes dart to my chest and I finally take the time to examine the mark Wick made on me. A heart over my heart. The edges are a little jagged, but I love it nonetheless.
“You won’t interfere anymore?” I ask.
“Never. I’ll be the doting grandma.” She crosses a finger over her heart and holds out her hand. “Pinky promise.”
“You believe her?” Wick says, trying to pull me back.
“I’m choosing to believe in her potential.” I lock my pinky with my grandmother’s and we shake on it.
Chapter 20
Warwick
Once Cordia leaves,I can’t stop kissing Ethan’s face, and he giggles beneath me. That sound lights me up and I want to bathe in it. I fight off the dark thoughts that want to come. The ones that say he almost died.
As I scratched the heart into his chest, I swear his skin cracked and he almost split apart before my eyes. I got to him in time, though. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be responsible to my response. I’ve waited too long to find him again for him to be lost to me already. Now I’ll always know where he is at all times.
“Wick.” Ethan’s voice is thick and I want to nibble on his scruffy jaw.
I let the next thought win and lick him from said jaw to cheek bone, drawing another laugh from my little witch.
“Licked you, so you’re mine.Allmine.”
“No one else can have me. Except?—”
I growl, and he cocks a brow.
“Florence gets time with me.”
“Of course. Of course. I’d never keep you away from them.” I nuzzle his throat.
“I like this possessive side of you.” He pulls me down for another kiss, his hand always sinks into my hair and I love it but…
“You can use my horns if you want.” My face heats telling him that.
“Aren’t they sensitive?”
