opened and twisted to form a perfect ten-pointed star. But without the candle, that was all it did.
“There it is!” Hodin said in disgust, the sleeve to his spelling robe shifting as he pointed at it. “It’s got to be something to do with the blood, not the candle. The double-star twist isn’t working when there’s blood involved, and that’s the entire point.”
The cushions shifted and, sash bells jingling, I pushed forward to the edge of the couch when I began to slump toward him. “We’re missing something is all. I think we can go back to the cotton cord if you want. Maybe we’re asking too much. Demon curses are always so . . . spare.”
Hodin rubbed his chalk-stained fingers together. “Because most of the hard work is predone and stored in the collective,” he said. “But perhaps you’re right.” He leaned to clean off the glyph to start over, and we both jumped when his knee bumped mine. Again. “We need a bigger space,” he muttered, eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the pool table.
“Don’t think so,” Jenks said from atop the nearby light. “No touchy or Ivy get bitey.”
I shook my head as well, and Hodin frowned. “Fine. We continue at the kiddie table.” Clearly miffed, he pulled his notes to him, pen tip ticking our tried modifications. “The problem isn’t with the wick, or the herbs carrying intent within the wax, or the wax itself,” he said. “We’ve changed all of that to no effect. It’s the presence of the blood, and I don’t understand why. Something basic in the glyph is blocking the transition of power once the blood is added. Perhaps the modification should be in the glyph itself.”
“I don’t know.” Elbows on my knees, I leaned over to study it. We’d added words of power to attract the points, bits of our own hair to carry out intent. I even tapped directly into the collective for an energy boost, but nothing worked. “Maybe?” But the glyph was the only thing that felt right.
Hodin’s fitfully moving fingers stilled. “It opened and turned fine before we added auratic samples. We both saw it.” He took up my All candle and frowned at it. “Why would the addition of the substrate itself block it when it worked before?”
Hodin’s attitude had shifted dramatically over the last two hours, going from annoyed instructor to puzzled peer. It was gratifying that he thought my knowledge of earth magic was valid, but I was tapped out. “Perhaps it’s the twist,” I said.
“I don’t think so. That piece of innovation was inspired.” Hodin leaned over the table, my candle in hand. “I thought of another placement word. Hang on.”
Jenks snorted from the light fixture, a silver dust spilling down just shy of my elbow.
“Explicatio,” Hodin intoned as he set the candle where all the lines connected, fingers opening to show a new flame.
I started, grinning as my eyes found his. There was a new power rising in the glyph. It wasn’t unpleasant, and by his eager smile, I could tell Hodin felt it, too. It was the best connection we’d had since sitting down, and his silk robe shifted in excitement. “Try it,” I said, and Jenks poked his head over the light fixture.
“Obscurum per obscuris,” Hodin said boldly. “Wee-keh Wehr-sah.”
“Look out!” Jenks shrilled as Hodin clapped his hands, the pixy inking blue dust as he shot halfway across the sanctuary.
A surge flared in the line, singeing my thoughts. Yelping, I ducked, snapping a protection circle in place around me as a sodden thump of air and a clap of thunder hit me simultaneously.
“Way to go, Home Slice,” Jenks said snarkily, back again and hovering over the power-smeared glyph.
“You okay?” I let my circle fall, and Hodin grimaced and let his own larger circle drop. It had encompassed me as well, which left me not knowing what to think.
“I guess that’s a no.” Mood bad, Hodin pulled his notes to him, flipping back a few pages before adding to the tried-and-failed word list. “I need a moment,” he added, and I jumped when the sketchbook hit the table and he stood.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“Front steps. I need to sit in the sun and remind myself how good I have it. Besides, I think someone left a sugar confection out there.”
“Okay.” I uncurled my legs and set my feet back on the floor. “Thanks for the circle.”
“You didn’t need it,” Hodin muttered, skirting the hole in the floor as he