“There’s a binding incantation in the appendix of your textbook,” she said, sounding tired. “You were supposed to use that one.” It wasn’t the pentagrams she was worried about, and a cold feeling slid through me as she turned around. The wrinkles in her face looked harsh in the fluorescent light. “Tell me exactly what you did.”

At Nick’s encouraging nod, I said, “Uh, first I made the transfer medium. Then I closed the circle.”

“Modified to summon and protect,” Nick interrupted. “And I was inside it with her.”

“Wait a moment,” Dr. Anders said. “Just how big was your circle?”

I tucked my hair back, glad she wasn’t barking at me anymore. “Maybe six feet?”

“Around?”

“Across.”

She took a breath and sat down, motioning me to continue.

“Um, then I stood on my scrying mirror and pushed off my aura.”

“What was that like?” she whispered, elbows on her desk as she stared out the window.

“Damn—uh—darn uncomfortable. I got the mirror into the transfer medium without touching the surface. My aura precipitated out into the media, and then I put Bob into it.”

“Into the transfer medium?”

I nodded, though she wasn’t looking at me. “I figured that was the only way to anoint a fish. Then I said the incantation.”

“Actually,” Nick interrupted. “I said the incantation first in Latin, then translated it for her, giving her an alternate interpretation on the last part.”

“That’s right,” I admitted. “I said it, and then the demon showed up.” I glanced at Nick, but it didn’t bother him as much as it bothered me. “Then I knocked over Bob’s bowl. My aura was all over him. I was afraid he might break the circle if my aura touched it.”

“It would have.” Dr. Anders was staring at the parking lot again.

“Is that why some of my aura is missing?” I asked. “Did I throw it away with the paper towels?”

Dr. Anders brought her gaze to mine. “No. I think you made Nick your familiar.”

My jaw dropped. I spun in my chair and looked up at Nick. His hand had fallen from my shoulder and he took a wide-eyed step back. “What?” I exclaimed.

“You can do that?” Nick asked.

“No. You can’t,” Dr. Anders said. “Sentient beings with free will can’t be bound to another by incantation. But you mixed earth magic with ley line magic. I’ve never heard of binding a familiar like that. Where did you get that book?”

“My attic,” I whispered. I looked up at Nick. “Oh, Nick,” I said, embarrassed. “I’m really sorry. You must have picked up my aura when you were trying to catch Bob.”

Nick looked confused. “I’m your familiar?” he whispered, his long face quizzical.