“And you have magic with Carter?”
I nod.
“Wow,” he says. Ric paces around his living room.
“I know,” I say. I take another drink of my coffee, but it’s empty.
Ric runs a hand through his short hair. “I can’t believe it. And the Enforcer stuff—that could’ve seriously screwed you forever. Why do you even want to do that?”
“My magic,” I say. He looks at me funny. “I want my magic back.”
He scoffs. “You can’t. That’s impossible.”
“I’m alive and that’s impossible.”
“How?” he asks, falling back into the couch next to me.
I don’t want to tell him the next part, but I feel like I have to. He’s handled everything else so far. “I have to find that demon that killed my family. There’s a ritual I can perform to get back my magic, but I need the demon.”
Ric holds up a hand. “A ritual with a demon? Isn’t that a story, a myth?”
“All stories come from truth—and I know some of the details.” I pause and words from the books and pictures all flash through my head. “But without my demon it doesn’t matter. I have to find it first.”
Ric’s brows are all bunched up, like he’s about to say something.
“No one can know, okay? I have to pass the finals first, and then I have to find the demon.”
He doesn’t yell. That’s surprising. I expected a lecture or some kind of questioning of my mental health. “You find the demon and do the ritual and ta-da. Magic?”
“So it seems,” I say. He grows quiet. “I’m looking, but I haven’t found anything solid yet. Demons are good at hiding.”
“How long will you look?”
“As long as it takes,” I say.
Ric leans forward, resting his hands on his thigh. “We’re all looking for our own demon. I think of Sean’s every day. Maybe all Enforcers start with that on their hearts,” Ric says. His face gets a far-off look and then he focuses in on me. “I want to help you.”
I shake my head. “There’s nothing to help with yet.”
“It doesn’t matter. When there is, we have to have each other’s back. No lies. I know you have Carter now and I’m sure he’s a bucket of abs, but I’m forever.”
I smile and take his hand. “So we’re okay?”
“We were always okay, darlin’,” he says. I hug him.
“Let’s never fight again.”
“Done. I’m too young for stress lines,” Ric says, parting from our hug. He puts his feet up on the coffee table and leans back into the couch. “Now, tell me about the Carter kiss.”
I spend the whole morning there, catching Ric up on what he’s missed.
9 September 1841
I fear I am a lame daughter and more so a lame witch. My brothers and sisters are far superior to me and I will never be what they are. I am not powerless, yet this world is changing and I fear my power is not enough to withstand condemnation. I am not as advanced as others, as my siblings who lead as our parents do. It exceedingly depresses my poor mother, who was married with three children by my age. I don’t know if I want that life—marriage and children. I’m becoming an old maid and who would be imposed to take on such a wife? A wife of mediocre powers and old age?
My phone beeps, and with Emmaline’s journal open in front of me, I look down. It’s Carter, finally. Be there in twenty and we’ll go practice.
Practice what?
Anything. Everything.
I’m almost absolutely positive I’m blushing. I text him back quickly with just a smile because I think that says enough. I look back at the journal, but I can’t read any more of Emmaline’s frustration with her siblings, her family, her lack of ability, or her worthlessness. I get it. But today, today I am happy. I sort of just want to be happy.
I slide the journal under my mattress, put on some shoes, and go downstairs so I can be ready when Carter comes.
Gran’s and Pop’s voices trail into the foyer from the kitchen. Connie’s follows and she walks past me with an armful of food.
“Going somewhere?” Gran asks me, right behind Connie. Pop stops behind her. They all stare at me. “We’re about to have lunch.”
“Carter and I are going to train with Ellore. Only four more days, so we want to be ready,” I say. Connie beams at me. Gran looks from my face to Connie’s.
“Why is she smiling like that?” Gran asks.
I do not want to have this conversation right now. “No reason.”
“You’re blushing. Why are you blushing?”
Leave it to Gran. “I’m not,” I say.
The doorbell rings, and all four of us move at the same time toward the door. I’m the closest, but I barely beat Pop there. The door opens and Carter’s eyes are wide, staring at all four of us in the doorway.
“Hello,” he says, flashing his smile. Gran isn’t going to like that smile. “I’m Carter Prescott.”
Pop passes me the dish in his hands. I start to protest, but he raises an eyebrow at me. “I’m Frank Warren. Penelope’s grandpa.” Gran clears her throat. “That’s my wife, Deborah.”
Carter holds out his hand, and Pop shakes it. “I’ve heard a lot about you both,” Carter says.
“You should stay for lunch,” Gran says. “You kids have been working hard lately. You deserve a break.”
I start to protest but Carter says he’d love to at the same time. Gran tells Connie to get another place setting and they all disperse into their different directions. Carter steps into our house.
“This is a bad idea. Gran isn’t going to like this.”
“What, me?”
“She didn’t even want me to be an Enforcer, Carter. Dating one? I think this is all her biggest nightmare.”
“Ah, but I’m not just any Enforcer. She didn’t want you to become one because of the magic, right? I’m the perfect ingredient: since you can use my magic, she won’t object to me.”
I bit my lip. “She doesn’t know about that. I didn’t tell her—about anything,” I say.
Carter’s brow furrows, like he wants to ask something, but it passes. “I guess I will win her over with charm.”
“This is a bad idea. We should get out of here as quickly as possi—”
Carter kisses me quickly and the protest falls out of my thoughts.
“Hi,” he says, still very close to me.
I smile back. “Hi.”
He kisses me again, this time a little longer. “I spent all day thinking about you.”
“Me too,” I say.
From the back of the house, Gran calls my name. With a sigh I slip my hand into Carter’s. “Be brave,” I say.
“Your grandpa doesn’t seem too scary.”
“He’s not the one you should worry about,” I say.
I hold Carter’s hand under the table all through lunch, and everyone is really good with Carter. He and Pop spend a lot of the meal talking about fishing, which I didn’t even know Carter did. By the time we finish eating, they have more fishing dates planned than I can keep track of.
“We should go soon,” I say to Carter. He nods and checks his watch.
“Help me clear the table first,” Gran says to me. She tosses her napkin onto her plate.
“The blueberry pie was delicious, Mrs. Warren.”
Gran looks surprised for a moment. “Thank you. Old family recipe.”
Carter nods. “I think the Granny Smith apple really gives it wonderful texture and kick of flavor.”
I raise my eyebrow. Connie sends me a look, too. Is it weird that the fact that he knows about adding apples is sort of cute?
“You have good taste buds, Mr. Prescott. No one ever knows the secret,” Gran says. She stands from the table, and I follow her as we gather plates and carry them to the kitchen.
Once we’re away from everyone else, I place the dishes in the sink. Gran is there when I turn around. “I like him,” she says.
She likes him!
“Me too,” I say.
“I could tell,” Gran says. “And the boy knows food.”
“He’s a baker,” I tell her.
Gran nods her approval. “You better get going,” Gran says. I kiss her cheek and go to save Carter from more fishing trips with Pop.
The door closes behind us and Carter kisses me again. That will never get old.
“They’re fun,” he says.
That’s not the phrase I’d use, but I love them. I’m glad everything went well.
Carter opens his car door for me and I’m about to get in when Ric yells my name. We are never getting out of here. Ric waves his hands, and I notice that Maple is with him.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
Ric nods. “I just wanted to say hi.”
Carter holds out his hand. “Ric Norris, right? I remember you from testing. You were great.”
Ric shakes his hand back with a nod. “This is Maple.”
“Ric is my best friend,” I tell Carter.
“Since we were seven. I know everything about her,” Ric says. Carter sends me a look and I smile innocently but I wonder what he’s thinking.
Carter nods. “I love meeting Pen’s friends.”
“Pen?” Ric repeats, sending me a look. A smile plays on his face, but I shake my head. No one else is calling me that. It will not be a thing.
“We were just on our way to go do some training,” I say.
Carter steps back toward me and the car. “You two should join us sometime. We could probably all use the extra challenge.”
“That’d be cool,” Ric says. Carter walks back to his side of the car and I close my door. We’re going to be late for practice with Ellore.
The car starts up and I hear Ric yell, “See you later, Pen.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“You need to counter it better,” Carter says as he flips me over his shoulder and into one of the mats across the floor. I let out a groan. “Your feet were too far apart. Pay attention. The final is in two days, and Ellore said we need this move.”
I groan again. He’s enjoying this way too much. For two hours he’s been beating the crap out of me—and telling me what I’m not doing right. Over and over again.
He reaches out a hand to help me up, and I don’t take it.
“I thought you were supposed to be helping me with this move,” I snap.
“I am,” he says, a smirk planted on his face.
I snort. “More like a torture session. I can see how you would get those confused.”
Carter latches onto my arm and yanks me toward him, wrapping his hands around my waist. He lowers his face to mine, smile still beaming, eyes mischievous. “Maybe it’s a form of foreplay.”
His lips press against mine. It’s almost like I meld into him, like my body fits with his and this is all I need to be happy. It’s hard to think for a moment, to even remember my own name. He pulls me tighter against him. His hands are on my hips, on my waist, trailing up my back. Chills trickle down my body. I’m pretty sure that Penelope Grey dies and is reborn in the same instant.
At least something like that must happen. Because the boy I sort of love is kissing me and then, as if it’s not even me doing it, my leg twists around his and I’m pinning him to the floor in triumph. He groans at the impact of his head against our makeshift hideaway.
“I think that’s match?” I say.
Carter stares up at me, completely confused. “You tripped me. That wasn’t fair—using your feminine wiles to distract me.”
“I believe you were the one using the wiles.”
“Men don’t have wiles, Pen. We have charisma.”
I grunt. “Well you were using it first. And besides,” I say, moving to my feet, “foreplay, remember?”
Carter laughs and the sound makes me smile as I turn away from him. That was apparently the wrong move, though. His hand grips my ankle and before I can move, he pulls me down again and rolls on top of me, smiling.
“That was a cheap shot, William Carter Prescott.”
He grins. “So punish me.” Then his lips are on mine again and with them, all the things that make me feel like someone new and beautiful and completely unlike myself. I love every second of his touch.
“Everyone decent in there?” Ric yells from the doorway.
“I’m sure they’re decent,” Maple says.
Ric mutters something to her and she laughs.
“I have snacks!” Maple yells. This is the third time he’s come over with her since Carter suggested it. Maple is nice, and I mistakenly thought she was quiet; now she likes to talk, quickly, and she and Ric have bonded over Anime.
“May not be as good as whatever you’re doing though,” Ric says.
I roll my eyes and steal another kiss from Carter. “Come in!”
He kisses me again quickly.
“Are you sure? We can come back when you’re finished.”
Carter pulls me up to my feet.
“Get in here, Norris,” Carter calls.
Ric’s got this huge, cheesy grin on his face when he comes inside. I’m pretty sure he’s never been prouder of me for kissing a boy, which is weird, but it’s reassuring that he approves.
Ric hands me an iced tea. “You look flushed,” he says. I smack his shoulder and take the tea out of his hand. He’s so subtle.
Maple pulls her hair up. “What are we starting with?”
Carter takes a swig of his soda and then sets it on the floor in the far corner. “Let’s just start where we stopped yesterday,” he says.
The four of us take a position on the mats, facing one another in a square. Yesterday—well, for the last two days—we worked on basic defense maneuvers. The Triad prepares us to fight two-on-one or one-on-one, but it hadn’t accounted for groups of demons. Aside from our first day, where all the Pairs get to have a group lesson on basic partner maneuvers, we never interact as a larger unit. Ric and I had the idea for a group session. Ellore approved, and came to the first session with Ric and Maple’s mentor. They helped us get set up, but it all has to happen in our extra time. Even though none of us are demons, the group setting has been helpful because we have to be aware of what’s going on in three directions.
That’s not a type of training the Enforcers usually get. And in the past, it’s never been an issue, but it’s not enough anymore. The Triad has kept everything quiet about what happened to me in the woods, but I know what I saw. I know what happened. The demons keep taking out our people—two witches have died since then, one each day—and that doesn’t include the number of thwarted attempts. They’re getting restless, and restless means dangerous, and the Triad isn’t doing anything.
Ric rushes toward me, swinging a fist at my head. I duck under the punch and kick, taking his legs out. I toss a smirk down at him that’s cut short when Carter moves in on my right. I block just in time to avoid his knuckles’ meeting my mouth. Maple’s somewhere on the other side with Ric. I see him trip her from the corner of my eye. Ric jumps up and charges toward me. He doesn’t make it. Carter lands a hard kick at Ric’s stomach, sending the Ric to the ground. Maple jumps in on the pile, trying to separate the boys.
I take advantage—every man for himself—and try to dash across the mats. Carter’s too quick again. He grabs my leg and yanks me toward him. I tumble to the ground and he pulls me closer, a smile on his face. I twist in his grip, but he grabs my arms and pins me down. I squirm even though I know it’s useless. He holds my arms down, my legs locked between his knees as he hovers over me. Damn him.
“You’re hot when you’re feisty,” Carter says with a cocky grin.
I raise my eyebrows as he leans closer to me. And then Carter is gone, jerked away by Ric. I’m about to let my foot become very well acquainted with Ric’s ankle for taking Carter away, but he darts off, chasing down Carter.
“No googly eyes during training,” Ric yells.
I hear Carter laugh and then Ric groans as Carter gets the advantage again. Maple
attacks from behind. She’s good with those sneak attacks. Nothing’s off-limits (except guy parts and googly eyes, as Ric so eloquently said), so while they spar with each other, I conjure up my magic.
It’s a lot easier to call up now, like it’s more in tune with me. I make sure to picture it, and then send a wall of magic toward the boys and Maple. It shoots them across the floor in opposite directions. I move my hand and pin both boys against the wall where they land. Maple comes at me, and I pin her too. Their groans echo one another.
I walk slowly by Ric, enjoying my win.
“This is low, Penelope Grey. I know where you live.”
“You’re just mad because you didn’t think of it,” I say.
“Maybe,” he says.
“Let me down,” Maple says.
I shake my head and move toward Carter. His eyes have been following me across the room since I pinned him. “So, you think you’ve won?”
I cross my arms. “Oh, that’s pretty clear.”
“Magic is a low move in a spar,” Carter says softly.
“There were no rules about magic,” I say. I walk to him and stand up on my tiptoes so I’m in his face. “Besides, I like magic.”
“I like you,” he whispers, his lips touching mine. Across the room, I hear Ric gagging. I turn away from Carter and tighten my magical hold on Ric until he coughs. Then I let him go and he falls to the floor with a thud. I let Maple go with him.
I love magic. I can’t believe I didn’t have it for so long.
“You okay?” I call out to Ric, not looking over. He responds with a moan.
“You win. Make your googly eyes now. We’ll be somewhere else.”
I don’t look away from Carter, but I hear Ric’s footsteps and their muttering fades as he and Maple leave the room. Carter stares at me, his lips only seconds from mine.
“You gonna let me go now?”
I shake my head and lean into the space between us, pressing my mouth to his. All he can do is tilt his face to meet mine as I stretch up on my tiptoes. But with his lips on mine, I can’t focus on the magic. His feet touch the ground, firmly planted now, and his hands run through my hair.
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