Single Witch's Survival Guide Read Online Free PDF Page A

welcoming place for promising new witches. And strangers or not, Raven and Emma had been sent by my mother.
    Clara might drive me mad. She might infuriate me with her blasé attitude and her crazy take on the occult. But in her heart, she knew me, the magical me, the witch I’d become over the past three years. We had successfully worked spells together, under pressure, with all the odds against us. If Clara said Raven and Emma should be students at the Madison Academy, I had to believe she was right.
    “Enough,” I said, including everyone with the gesture that dispersed the last ripples of control from my Word of Power. “We can discuss other Academy rules later, after some dinner. Let’s go inside, where it’s cool.”
    Our visitors sorted themselves out quickly. Tony leaped to Raven’s side and made a show of studying her wrist as the red-headed familiar looked on in purse-lipped concern.
    “Caleb Weston,” Emma’s warder introduced himself as he stepped onto the porch. I welcomed him in Hecate’s name, then nodded as the familiars offered up their own greetings. The man in grey was Kopek. The red-haired man was Hani.
    Formulaic responses given and received, I led the way into the house, automatically brushing my fingers against the door jamb. I didn’t whisper any spell to the marble stone, though. I wasn’t ready to spill a drop of power—not without a bit of grounding first, some food and drink to restore the prodigious amount of energy I’d spent.
    David’s concern was tangible as I passed in front of him, even though he didn’t say anything. Subtly, he brushed his palm against the small of my back, lending a touch of physical support before he stepped back to let our guests follow me inside.
    Spot stayed between me and the newcomers, as if he were under specific orders from David. No matter how he might have begged for a meaty second supper earlier in the evening, he understood his true role now—he was my protector, my guardian. He provided a service as important as any offered by my warder.
    I leaned against my loyal canine companion as I opened the cupboards. It took more concentration than I was willing to admit to count out additional plates. I jumped when Emma whispered up to my side and said, “Well, that went a bit pear-shaped, didn’t it? May I help?”
    Before I could answer, she handed off the dishes to Caleb. “Here,” she said to him. “Lend a hand.” There was a smile behind her clipped words.
    I pointed Emma toward the silverware, on my way to retrieving wine- and water glasses. We were definitely going to need more than the single bottle of pinot noir. In fact, we might want to break out the hard stuff, to restore everyone’s shattered nerves. Right. As if David would let a sip of alcohol mar his reflexes now, with strangers in the house.
    I couldn’t help but notice that half those strangers—Raven, her warder, and her familiar—were hanging back in the doorway to the kitchen. Their unease was infectious. Spot eyed them warily from his place by my side, and I felt more than heard the growl deep in his throat.
    “Spot,” I warned, reluctantly pointing toward his bed. He obeyed, but only after glancing at David for confirmation. Canine traitor! So much for my believing I had any actual power over the beast.
    It turned out that the dog was smarter than I was. I actually swayed without his support against my knees. I needed food. Food, and something to drink. And a chair. A chair would be wonderful. A chair would be heaven on earth.
    I stared across the chasm of the kitchen, trying to calculate whether I could reach the table without fainting. I needed David now .
    He reacted as if I’d shouted, taking three quick strides into the kitchen and pushing past Caleb as if the husky man were nothing more than a cardboard cutout. Darkness surged along the edges of my vision, roiling, pulling me down.
    Before I could fall, though, the back door crashed open, and I was assaulted by a