Page 8 of Bewitched by the Wicked Witch (The Bewitching Hour #4)

Four

Sage

A few hours later, I was still hunched over my computer in the underground lair, cross-referencing missing persons reports across three states, when the elevator dinged and Cosmo sauntered out.

"How's Paige?" I asked without looking up from my screen.

"She arrived at school safely," he replied, jumping onto my desk and immediately knocking over my coffee mug. "Though I must say, trudging through that arctic wasteland you call 'outside' has left my delicate paws practically frostbitten. I'm basically a cat-sicle."

"Good. Everything go smoothly?"

"I followed her exactly as instructed. Despite the fact that my magnificent coat is now damp and my paws are frozen solid. I may never recover from this trauma."

Something in his tone made me glance up. "That's not what I asked. "

Cosmo began grooming his paw with deliberate focus. "You asked if everything went smoothly. Following her went quite smoothly. Much smoother than your hair looks right now, actually."

"Cosmo." My voice carried a warning.

"What? I'm simply making an observation. When's the last time you looked in a mirror? Or brushed that mane?"

"Did anything happen to Paige on the way to school?"

"Ah, now that's a better question." His star-flecked eyes met mine with smug satisfaction. "Three boys cornered her outside the main building. Called her some rather unpleasant names about mixed-bloods. She told them off quite fiercely. Quite impressive vocabulary for someone so young."

"And you didn't think to mention this?" My voice rose.

Cosmo tilted his head with infuriating innocence.

"You asked how Paige was and if everything went smoothly.

She's fine—apparently tougher than you give her credit for—and my following her went smoothly.

You didn't ask what happened to her. Perhaps if you spent less time staring at computer screens and more time learning proper interrogation techniques. .."

I rubbed my temples. "Next time?—"

"Next time, ask the right questions," he interrupted with a dramatic swish of his tail.

"It's really quite simple. I'm a highly intelligent, sophisticated superior being, not a mind reader.

Well, technically I am a mind reader, but only for you, and frankly, most of your thoughts aren't worth reading.

" He paused to clean his other paw. " Speaking of things worth reading, I saw something quite interesting at the newsstand. .."

His mouth gripped a rolled-up magazine. Cosmo spat it out and gasped, rolling onto his hind legs and pawing at the glossy pages.

"I saw this at the newsstand and thought of those nights you and Callum decided to drive me up a wall with your.

.. enthusiastic reunions," he panted, shaking his head.

"Maybe if you studied some techniques, it would be over faster and I could get some sleep.

You really need to invest in some cat-size earplugs.

" He lifted a paw to clean it as if the magazine had disturbed him, then proceeded to hack as if dislodging a hairball.

"I wonder if I can find them on Amazon."

"The day you figure out how to order on Amazon is the day I turn you into my new frog friend," I grumbled, snatching the magazine from his grasp. My eyes widened as I read the title: The Yearly Warlock Spread Fundraising Magazine . "This is... interesting."

Flipping through the pages, I found him. Callum, posing on a giant pumpkin with a strategically placed spell book and a snake draped around his shoulders. My mouth watered despite myself.

"Lucky spell book," Cosmo chuckled, having moved to peer over my shoulder.

"Where did you even find this?" I asked, my eyes scanning the body I'd once known so well. That old ache flared in my chest as warmth spread through my body.

"I knew this would be the perfect addition to your late night.

.. sessions," he said, purring as if he'd done me the biggest favor in the world.

He was misunderstanding the ache that grew as I looked at my ex.

I turned the page to another picture. The look Callum gave the cameraman was less bedroom eyes and more ‘I have to be here, let's get this over with,’ but it didn't matter. He was still mouthwateringly hot.

There was a brief article discussing his role in the High Council's task force. He'd joined around the time he'd broken up with me. I scanned the text, my attention snagging on a part that made me pause.

Interviewer: Is there a lucky lady out there that has snagged your heart?

Callum: I have only ever loved one woman.

Interviewer: So, is it safe to say you're taken?

Callum: I think it's safe to say that I will always love only her. So, in a way, yes, I'm taken.

Interviewer: Wow, she is a lucky lady indeed. Are there wedding bells in both your futures?

Callum: Are we done here?

I glared down at the article and wanted to burn it, even as I flipped back to the spread.

Clearly he'd forgotten about me and had moved on, hell, perhaps it was someone else he'd loved, still loved.

That seemed the most obvious answer, because if you love someone you don't break up with them.

The reality that he may have never truly loved me slammed into me, a weight crushing my chest as my heart splintered all over again.

"Oh, Cosmo," I sighed, glaring at him over my shoulder. "You should not have brought me this. "

Cosmo rolled his star-flecked eyes. "Don't lie, you itchy witch. This is exactly what you wanted and you know it. That article could very well be about you," he said, swishing his tail. "Besides, would you rather old lady Caroline keep it and lust for him?"

"Caroline had it?" My mouth dropped open. "And it's definitely not about me. It's been years. He's clearly gotten over me." A twinge of guilt gnawed at me as I thought of the curse I'd given him in parting anger.

"You clearly aren't over him years later, but we'll ignore that," Cosmo snarked. "Oh, she had it open on his two-page spread and was drooling all over the pages." Cosmo chuckled darkly. "I'm pretty sure she could have burned a hole through that spell book with how hard she was... staring."

I shook my head. "Perverted old lady indeed."

"Look who's talking, witch," Cosmo sneered, his lips curling into a taunting grin. "I think you have some drool of your own."

"Shut up!" I threw the magazine and it clattered across the room, landing in a heap of pages.

The magazine left me feeling raw, exposed. I needed air, distraction—anything but sitting here dwelling on what I'd lost. Plus, Cosmo was giving me that look that said he had information but was going to make me work for it.

"Fine, let's go get you a cheese danish," I muttered, hoping by this time Cate would be gone or there would be someone else in the shop I could deal with. "You can tell me whatever's bothering you on the way."

Cosmo perked up and jumped up to wrap his enormous body around my shoulders. His warmth was a comfort as we left the safe confines of our home.

As we ascended the elevator and stepped into the chilly bite of early winter, an uneasiness settled in the pit of my stomach. I felt something brewing, something just on the horizon, and the undeniable sensation that change was coming, whether for good or bad.

"Today, if you would," Cosmo muttered as we walked. "I bet if I was your special... what is it you called it... mechanical boyfriend? You'd move quicker."

"If you were my mechanical boyfriend, I'd like you more, too," I growled and stalked forward, cursing the fates for giving me such a wretched familiar.