The Spell Caster: A Witchy Paranormal Romance (Spell Caster's Familiar Book 1) by Tamsin Hawthorn

Author:Tamsin Hawthorn [Hawthorn, Tamsin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Moss & Cypress
Published: 2024-08-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

LAYLA

Iwoke up sooner than I expected, feeling groggy. I sat up gently, looking Costi over in the muted light filtering through the shades. He was sleeping soundly without any sign of pain or discomfort. My eyes lingered a moment on his tattoos, an artistic tangle of designs that spilled over his chest and upper arm. I wondered what they meant to him—the swirling waves, leaves, a flying owl. The roses blooming over his heart. It was beautiful. He was beautiful, even covered in grime and bandages with his clothes destroyed.

I quietly pulled out something to wear and headed to the bathroom to shower and change. When I came out, I found Oliver, uncharacteristically without Datura attached to him, layering peanut butter onto a piece of toast.

“Layla’s got a lover,” he sang loudly, waving the knife around.

I shushed him urgently, shoving down a misplaced surge of approval. “It’s Costi. The mission went horribly wrong last night. He’s hurt.”

Oliver straightened, his face shifting to uncharacteristic concern. “What happened? Is everyone okay?”

I swallowed. “I don’t know. I don’t… think so. I heard… someone died. Costi’s in pretty bad shape.”

“Fate,” Oliver said faintly.

I nodded, biting the inside of my lip. I filled a glass of water from the tap.

“Do you need… um… any help?”

I needed so much help at this point. “Does our coven have a mentor?”

“Ah, yeah. I’m sure he wanted to come by and meet you, but he’s been caught up in getting the Northern Sea folks settled. I’ll text you his number.” He brightened, seeming to feel better now that he had a task.

“Thanks,” I said.

Returning to my room, I left the water on the nightstand in case Costi woke up. Then I stole his phone.

In my defense, it had fallen out of his pocket, and he didn’t keep it locked. The screen was badly cracked, but it lit up. I cringed, seeing dozens of missed calls. I pulled up his contacts, found Ash’s number, and entered it into my own phone.

The call rang through as I was walking away from the apartment. I hadn’t expected Ash to answer an unknown caller, but the line picked up.

“Hello?” came a wary voice.

“Hey, Ash, it’s Layla. Costi’s friend.”

“Is he with you?” they asked urgently.

“He’s at my apartment, sleeping.”

They sighed loudly. “Why is he like this?”

“I don’t know. He says it’s not trauma.”

Ash’s startled laugh filtered through the phone.

I joined the crowded main walkway and looked around for signs. “Were you with the team last night?”

“No, but all the guardians heard what happened. One of the others came back from the infirmary and said Costi was all right, but no one’s heard from him.”

“He’s injured, but he’s okay,” I said. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Anything,” they said.

“Can you grab some of Costi’s clothes?” I asked as I reached the medical center.

“Meet me outside the barracks,” they said, then ended the call.

I stared at the phone. Was being abrupt a guardian thing, or was it the shared interest Costi and Ash based their friendship on?

The medical center was a large building of glass and natural stone.

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