My phone beeps the sound of the WNN and four alerts pop up. Four more demon attacks. Two in my region and two in the surrounding regions. All four resulted in death.
He scratches his head. “Why do you ask?”
I wave him off. “It’s nothing. A debate with a girl in my exams,” I say quickly. “Can I use the computer?”
Poncho nods and I move back to the computer. In the search bar, I try various keywords about pulling magic from another witch. Nothing comes up. No hits at all in the system. Annoying. How does my magic work like this if no one else in history has had this ability? Or curse. Or whatever it is.
Refocus. Demon. I type in Azsis’s name again, and move to the next item on the search list. Item number four of fifty-three. Item four is an article from a newspaper fifty years ago.
Rise in Demonic Activity Causes More Death
In an occurrence last night, three local families were slaughtered in their sleep. The Triad was not permitted to comment, but the council says the reports were demonic, all committed at the same time in various locations of town. The deaths do not seem to be related, but with the rise in demonic activity over the last two weeks, Enforcers are taking everything into account. The community is advised to take extra precaution in light of the dramatic increase in demonic activity.
Two of the families were Nons and the other an influential member of the community. The names are not available for release. Alfie Spencer reported the event in the night after he and his wife were awoken to screams from their neighbor. The community is on high alert until this newest attack can be explained.
Alfie Spencer. Spencer is a family name on Gran’s side; maybe he’s related to me. I search in the computer for that name. Nothing.
I redo the search for Azsis, but this time that article doesn’t come up. Now there are only fifty-two items. Weird.
I spend twenty minutes trying to find it, typing in keywords from the article, but there’s nothing.
If Alfie Spencer witnessed a demonic attack, at a time when demon attacks were increasing, what happened to him? To them? How did that article disappear? Demon attacks are increasing right now, just like before. Maybe there’s something I can learn from whatever happened with Alfie Spencer.
My phone has a missed call and a text from Ric. He’s done with his test and he passed too. Good. Now, all we have to do is pass the magic test tomorrow. Tomorrow. Do or die day. I shiver when I step outside the Nucleus House. It’s not cold, but that thought is intense.
“You shouldn’t walk and text,” Carter’s voice calls. I look up from my phone and right into his green, green eyes. “I hear that’s dangerous.”
I cross my arms and slide my phone back into my pocket. “I don’t really want to talk you. Like, ever.”
Ric is waiting in his car for me so I move past Carter because I so do not want to deal with this, but he grabs my arm. His touch against my skin stirs the magic inside me and I really want to blow something up. I yank my arm away from him and take a step.
“Pen, I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? For what exactly? Do you even know what you did?” What are you?
He sighs, putting his hands into his coat. “You’re not a thing. I was just confused.”
I cross my arms and don’t even try to hide my annoyance. “You aren’t alone there, but you don’t see me reacting that way.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I wouldn’t do that. I’m not that guy.”“I don’t even know you.”
His face lights up. “What are you doing now?”
“What?”
“Right now. You’re leaving. Where are you going?”
“Home.”
“Come with me instead. You want to know me? Come spend the afternoon with me,” he says.
I bite my lip and glance over at Ric’s car. Something is wrong with my brain that I’m even considering this. But he knows things about me—the most important thing—and there’s got to be a reason our powers are connected. This could help me learn something.
Carter leans in over my shoulder. “I promise I will get you home in one piece.”
“What do you do with your afternoons?”
He smiles. Annoying as it, he really does have a nice smile. “I can’t ruin the surprise.”
I’m going to regret this. “One hour.”
“Two hours,” he says. “One isn’t enough.”
“Fine. Two hours. That’s all. Not a minute more.”
“Great, that’s when I turn back into a frog anyway. I would hate for you to see that. It’s not pretty,” he says.
I laugh because corny as it was, it was kind of cute. Don’t start thinking he’s cute, Penelope.
But for the record, he is.
I go to Ric’s car and can hear the music from outside. I knock on his window. He rolls it down quickly and lowers the volume. “Are you waiting for an invitation? Come on.”
“I’m not going with you,” I say.
“You’re sure?” he asks.
No, I’m not sure, but at this point, Carter knows too much and there’s a lot to lose.
I nod.
“How will you get home?”
“Connie can come get me. I just need to decompress. See you in the morning.”
Ric shrugs and rolls his window up. Another great thing about him is that he doesn’t ask too many questions. I watch him pull out and then rejoin Carter on the sidewalk. He looks up from his phone at me.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
Thirty minutes later Carter parks his car in the woods on one of the scenic outlook trails just outside DC. “Let’s go,” he says.
“Go where?” There’re only cars and trees around us.
“Just come on.”
I sigh and leave the car. Carter waits for me in front and leads me across the parking lot, past some Nons running on the nearby trail with their dogs. On one side of us is the interstate, on the other is water, and ahead is the city. “I feel like we’re not allowed over here,” I say as he jumps over a guardrail toward the water.
“Are you always such a stickler for the rules?” he asks.
“No,” I say, but yes. Yes, I am, and I know them all.
Carter holds out a hand to me. “Just come on. Unless you’re scared. I understand how being around me could be intimidating.”
Jerk. I jump the guardrail too, not taking his hand. I don’t need his help. An amused look spreads on his face, and now I just want to get this over with.
He moves in front of me, leading us around the small strip of water and up over the hill through the trees. I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never done this. I’ve been on the trails but there are no trails here and it looks like most sane people don’t go walking through here, but Carter seems to know where he’s going.
The view from behind him isn’t too shabby. He looks good in his jeans.
Stop thinking about his pants.
Carter turns to me and I’m a little too focused on his butt, so that it startles me. There’s a smile playing on his lips, but he doesn’t say anything. I was totally busted though.
“Ready?”
“For what?”
He nods his head and takes my hand. My skin immediately tingles. My stomach is fluttering around in my body. How does that happen to someone? Calm down! I let him lead me a little farther before he drops my hand. My body still tingles and I know that it wasn’t only the magic. It was something else that I don’t want to focus on.
“Look,” Carter says.
He turns me around the direction we just climbed, and I can see everything for miles. It’s like the whole city is underneath me. People and cars look like ants. Buildings, Arlington Cemetery, the Washington Monument—all the things that make this city unique sit below me. My jaw drops. This is totally better than any scenic overlook with trails. I walk around the small open space, taking it all in.