Page 77 of The Librarian’s Familiar

“You don’t need to sit with me,” Charlie said.

“Yeah, I do.” He sat on the ground next to him. He was not letting Charlie sit outside on his own while he slept inside the tent. Anything might happen to Charlie if he wasn’t paying attention to anything except for the magic.

As he watched Charlie, he became acutely aware of what the fated mates bond meant. The threat of them both dying wasn’t as theoretical as it had seemed yesterday. How did people live with the bond knowing that they, or their mate, might be killed in a random accident, leaving the other to pine away?

Perhaps Charlie was right, and it was something that they shouldn’t continue to play with. But if it reformed every time they kissed and grew stronger every time they had sex, that meant they couldn’t be together, and he couldn’t stomach the thought of that.

Overhead, the clouds eddied as if caught in an invisible tide. They reminded him a little of the way the northern lights moved, rippling across the sky in an almost unnatural manner. But while the northern lights were magical to watch and gave nothing but joy, these were clouds dragged together by magic, and any witch or shifter watching them would sense that they weren’t quite right.

He watched as the clouds changed as if sensing Charlie, and a tendril streaked across the sky toward them.

“I’ve got his interest now.” Charlie rearranged the pebbles, his gaze firmly on the sky.

“Is that a good thing?” Did he need more pebbles? Food or water?

“While he’s concentrating on me, he can’t build the storm.” Charlie’s lips curved into a small smile.

That meant all of the witch’s attention was now on Charlie, which didn’t seem safe or smart. “If he knows where you are, do you know where he is?”

“Not yet…but I am following the thread.”

August needed to do something, so he did everything. He got up and retrieved the map from the tent along with a sleeping bag to wrap around Charlie’s shoulders, some snacks, and water.

Even though it wasn’t him teasing out the strands of magic, Charlie’s tension and concentration reverberated through the bond and built at the base of his skull, spreading through his shoulders.

He couldn’t sit and wait and watch as the storm clouds gathered closer and closer and lower and lower like the magic was trying to get a better look at them. The hairs on his arms stood on end as it swept over his skin.

“Got him,” Charlie murmured.

The clouds thickened and angled toward them, too straight to be natural. “I think he’s got you too.” That couldn’t be a good thing. He unfolded the map in a hurry as Charlie and the other witch battled in the sky. Charlie dispersed the clouds as quickly as the other witch formed them, but there was a tremor in the bond that hadn’t been there before. It took him several seconds to work out what it meant—Charlie was tiring.

Magic used energy; that was why Charlie kept playing with the rocks he was creating order. They were mates, so he should be able to give Charlie some strength. He didn’t know how to do that. They hadn’t put much effort into learning how the bond worked between them.

He placed the map in front of Charlie. “Where is the other witch?”

Maybe, if he knew where the other witch was, he could do something about it. He didn’t know what, given that Charlie was the only Coven Agent in the area. But he had to try because if Charlie exhausted himself and passed out, the other witch would win by default and get away with whatever he was planning.

Charlie glanced at the map and placed his finger on a point. He kept his finger there and then lifted his gaze to the sky again. August peered at the map, noting the location. It wasn’t that far away, but then magic couldn’t be worked over large distances—especially not big magic like the storm that was now brewing far too close, as if they were now the primary targets.

Take out defense and get a clean shot at the goal.

He unwrapped and handed Charlie one of the high-calorie muesli bars that he’d packed. They came with fancy flavor names, but they were like eating a stack of cardboard. However, they were good in an emergency, and this counted as an emergency.

He paused to make sure that Charlie took a bite, then he grabbed his phone even though he hadn’t decided who he was calling yet. His parents wouldn’t be able to help, and they’d be busy helping the town prepare. That was, of course, assuming the town wasn’t already getting hit by wind and rain.

If Charlie weren’t so busy trying to unpack the storm, they’d be able to hike to the other witch’s location, though getting there would take a couple of hours at a pretty good pace. If he was with his brothers, they’d do it on four feet and much faster.

“Call the prison.” Charlie rattled off a number. “Tell him to send a fox or two. They don’t need to get near him, but they will dampen his magic and slow him down.” His voice was strained.

“How did you know?”

“I heard you thinking.” He repeated the phone number without being asked.

Charlie didn’t waste time with extra questions.

“Won’t the witch turn on the foxes?”

Charlie shrugged. “His attention is on us and his goal. A third thing might be too much. I know it’s too much for me.”