Chapter 42

“How long will I be able to track him?”

“Perhaps as long as three days.”

“And after?” Dale asked.

“Then that method will no longer work.”

“If I can’t find him, I’ll be back.”

“Okay.”

* * * *

Dale spent several long hours contemplating where to start the search. Archimedes hardly seemed the type to put himself out much to meet with a potential student, which was how Dale had billed himself originally. They had met at a restaurant in Philadelphia. Chances were reasonable that the mage lived within an hour or two of that location.

Bullet safely stowed in a Ziploc in his pocket, 9mm under the car seat for easy retrieval when he got to Philly, and pickled demon in its jar in the trunk, Dale drove.

Aunt Mildred’s grimoire contained a spell that involved using one of those pickled monstrosities to place a curse. Dale wasn’t entirely sure he could pull off the spell, but it seemed like the best backup plan if the 9mm didn’t work. 4