Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
I’m pocketing my phone, not expecting a reply until later. There’s no cell service in the Covenstead, where Ruby resides since she’s a professor at Grim Gate Academy. But it’s summer and she’s only doing part time summer school and texts me back right away.
Ruby: No. It’s a bit of an unwritten rule in our coven not to have your familiar take the form of a wolf. We’re a tad protective of the Ley line and won’t allow any packs to settle here so it would be a little distasteful to have a wolf familiar.
Me: Oh, interesting, and that makes total sense. And thanks!
Ruby: I’m guessing there’s a reason you want to know? I don’t mean to pry, I’m just curious
.
I bite my lip, debating on what to tell her. Ruby has been nothing but exceptionally kind and helpful to the point where I consider her a friend. But she’s seemed distracted lately and I get the feeling that something is going on in her personal life. I don’t want to burden her any more than necessary.
Me: Just trying to work through another memory.
I feel bad for lying so I promise myself I’ll come clean if I need to. Though something nags at me, telling me this isn’t a total lie. Because there is something familiar about the wolf. The memory spell is pretty much totally lifted, but the mental confusion the High Priestess warned about is strong. I have dual memories of the same event: one memory of what actually happened and another of an alternate reality that Estelle carefully crafted to protect me. Most times, the real memories are obvious, but other times I have to really think back and can’t decide what was real or not real.
It’s not like I expect to remember everything that happened in perfect clarity throughout my childhood. Normal memories fade, and our perception shifts as we age, skewing how we look back on things. But I know I’ve seen that wolf before, and it’s like her name is on the tip of my tongue.
Familiars themselves are neither good nor bad, yet they pledge themselves to a witch or warlock and will follow them down whatever path they choose. If I wanted to embrace my villain era and watch the world burn, Hunter would supply the matches.
My phone vibrates and I look down to see Ruby sent me another text.
Ruby: We do have several families who have had various dog breeds as their familiars for centuries. I want to say the Jones have huskies. They’re smaller than wolves but look similar.
I can definitely see how I could mistake a husky for a wolf back when I was ten, but now that I’m in my twenties and have worked at a vet clinic for most of my adult life, I wouldn’t make the same mistake.
Me: Yeah, they do. Maybe that’s what I’m remembering. Thanks again. Sorry to bother you!
Ruby: It’s never a bother! Once things calm down, we still need to go on that lunch date.
Me: Def! Let me know! :-)
I let my hand fall to my side and go to the front door, waving my hand in front of me to open it with magic. My feet hit the hardwood and a memory washes over me.
“Go on upstairs,” Aunt Estelle tells Harrison, reaching into her robe pocket and pulling out a piece of chocolate. “Turn on a movie and eat this once you’re settled in bed.”
“Is that another sleeping potion?” I ask, holding a squirming cat in my arms. I’m already scratched and bleeding but I’m determined to make this cat mine so I can bring it home.
“Shhh,” Aunt Estelle tells me with a whisper. “It’s our secret” She smiles and winks. “Though this time I need you to go up and keep watch over him. You do that for me, and I promise tomorrow I’ll teach you a new spell.”
Smiling, I hold the cat tighter and nod before hurrying up the stairs after my brother. The cat scratches me and I lose my grip when we get to the landing. I turn, trying to catch her, right as a man with dark hair and dark eyes steps into the house. The door closes behind him, but not before I catch a glimpse of a beautiful gray wolf.
Chapter
Sixteen
“God, this is good.” Ethan closes his eyes and nods. “You sure you don’t want to try some?”
I wrinkle my nose in disgust and shake my head. “Eww. No, thank you.”
“You’re missing out.” He raises his eyebrows and takes another bite of his burger.
“It is good,” Rene agrees, stabbing her fork into her salad. “It’s usually what I get from here, but I need to lose ten pounds.”
“Girl,” Keith huffs and looks at me. “She’s crazy, isn’t she?”
“I wouldn’t say crazy, since I know where she’s coming from,” I start. “But you do not need to lose weight in order to fit into a dress you bought a size too small.”