Free Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

was there; the next, nothing but empty ocean. It’s my belief that it’s not really gone, but that the Casnoffs are cloaking it for some reason.”
    “You think that’s where they are?” I asked, once I’d found my voice again. I was remembering that feeling I’d had the day Cal, Jenna, and I had left Hex Hall. A premonition had come over me that we’d never go back. I shivered a little now remembering it.
    “It makes sense,” Dad said. “Graymalkin Island was where they were raising demons. It’s been Anastasia’s home for years. I can’t imagine they’d just abandon it. And…” Dad trailed off, rubbing his eyes again. He went to move back toward the couch but stumbled. Mom leaped up and caught his arm while Cal moved to his other side. Together, they lowered him back to a seated position.
    “The travel has wiped him out,” Cal said. “I’ve done protection spells on him, but he’s still pretty weak.”
    “Please don’t speak of me as though I weren’t here,” Dad said, but the exhaustion in his voice canceled out any snappishness.
    “That’s enough for tonight,” Mom said, and I noticed that she hadn’t taken her hand off Dad’s arm.
    Aislinn nodded. “I need to tell Finley what’s going on.” A muscle worked in her jaw, and she muttered, “And have a word with Torin. You two,” she said to Dad and Cal, “stay tonight. In the morning, we can decide where to go from here.”
    It cost her something to let them stay. I could see it in the tightness around her mouth. I think Dad saw it, too, because he gave a respectful nod. “Thank you, Aislinn.”
    “They can use the tents,” Aislinn told me. I’d forgotten about those—the weird canvas structures extra Brannicks had used, back when there had been extra Brannicks. I thought about mentioning the cots in the basement, but maybe Aislinn wasn’t down with too many Prodigium under her roof.
    Aislinn left the room then, Izzy trailing after her. As soon as they were gone, Dad leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes. “You should stay in here tonight,” Mom said to him. “Those tents are barely livable, and after all you’ve been through…” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, neither of you needs to brave the great outdoors tonight.”
    Dad just nodded without opening his eyes. But Cal shrugged and said, “I’m used to sleeping outside. Besides, you guys probably need, uh, family time.”
    He turned to go, but as he did, Dad said, “Sophie, why don’t you show Cal to his accommodations? I wanted to speak to your mother in private for a moment.”
    “Oh,” I said, shoving my hands in my pockets. “Okay. Right.” The last time I’d been alone with Cal, he’d kissed me. It had definitely been a kiss of the “We Might Die, So This Is Just Us Saying Good-Bye (Maybe)” variety, but still. He was, technically, my fiancé (you know, as if Prodigium aren’t weird enough, they also have arranged marriages). Being engaged brought a whole new level of weirdness to my and Cal’s friendship.
    Cal gave one quick glance back at me, and even though I couldn’t be sure, I thought his gaze fell on my mouth for just a second. I tried hard not to gulp, and when he left the room, I followed him.

CHAPTER 10

     
    C al and I made our way from the main house to the tents in silence. I’d stopped in the kitchen to grab one of the battery-operated lanterns the Brannicks apparently hoarded. My shadow and Cal’s stretched out in front of us, nearly entwined, even though we weren’t walking that close together. My thoughts were still so wrapped up with Archer that I didn’t even see the semicircle of structures surrounding the compound until we were practically on top of them.
    What the Brannicks called “tents” were actually pretty solid buildings. The roofs were made of heavy canvas, but instead of being on the ground, they were situated on wooden platforms. There were even stairs leading up into each one.
    “Wow,” I said as we came