by LJ Swallow
"To what?" he asks.
"The dance committee. Winter Ball."
"Are you freaking kidding me?" asks Andrei. "I don't attend your stupid dances. I'm not getting involved."
She gives a small shrug and hovers her pen over the paper. "Ashley?"
"Nope. Too many matches coming up."
She sighs. "No point asking Jamie, he'll be too busy. Amelia? You said you were interested in helping out.”
Amelia rubs her forehead. "Maybe. Can we talk later?"
"Sweetie, you promised you'd organise decorations for the ball, and help us decide on a colour scheme. You have so much artistic talent." Amelia blinks at the compliment, something rare from Katherine’s mouth. "I won't be happy if you've changed your mind."
“I’m not saying ‘no’, but I’m busy with my friends right now.”
Katherine tips her head. “Oh, are you having an interesting little meeting here? Planning anything fun? Maybe another sneaky night away from campus?”
Amelia's flushed cheeks and wide-eyes give us away before anybody can deny anything.
"I saw you.” She waves the pen at me. “Well, I saw Maeve. We had a chat." The confusion in the room grows and Katherine gives me a saccharin smile before switching her scrutiny to Andrei. “Tut, tut, are you defecting, Andrei? Is the witch blood luring you? You’d better be careful because that could really screw your life up.”
"Shut the hell up, Katherine,” he snaps back.
I'm right. This isn't a coincidence that Katherine decided to hold her Winter Ball committee meeting near us.
"Well, excuse me. I have important things to discuss. Do carry on.” She clears her throat and turns back to her silent companions. Do they need permission to speak or something?
My heart beats rapidly as I watch her tell the other girls what to do. She hasn’t created a committee, more like a dictatorship.
And I didn't miss Katherine’s deliberate snub, not asking me to join in. I don't care—the only thing that bothers me is that she knows all of us left campus, not only me. I watch Katherine. If Tobias chooses not to tell Theodora, I'm damn sure someone else will.
Chapter Three
MAEVE
Sunday passes, and nobody is summoned to Theodora's office. Tobias doesn’t contact us either. Admittedly, I don’t leave my room to avoid bumping into either of them. Amelia’s happy to bunker down in our room with ice-cream, crisps, and a Netflix binge of old movies for the day. As we watch, the hours pass, and the few who were allowed to leave for half-term trickle back into Walcott house. The building fills with life again after the quiet of last week.
We don't see Jamie or Ash all day either—Ash has rugby practice, and Jamie retreats to the library. I'd say my life’s headed back to normal, but I don't have a definition of normal anymore.
Monday brings lessons and a greater chance I’ll see Tobias again, although there’s no Mental Magic lesson until Tuesday. Why didn't he seek us out yesterday? Surely Tobias won't drop the issue and put this behind us without a word. My anxiety follows me around the academy as I wait for Theodora’s wrath.
The day begins with Magic Studies for all in Walcott house. The day I attended me first lesson, I imagined what magic I might learn, excited by the possibilities. Instead, like Potions, I found myself bogged down with books and theory again. Hopefully that changes now.
I'm surprised to discover I can learn other magic besides divination. All witches have a basic affinity with the elements and spirit, but each witch connects more strongly to one over the other. Jamie's natural empathy draws him towards spirit-based magic, and Amelia's family holds centuries-old skills in elemental magic—especially earth and water.
When will I meet my aunt for her to explain to me my lineage? Or anything.
The spell books confuse me—what if I mix the wrong ingredients? Pronounce the incantations wrong? I could damage property or hurt people. But I have to involve myself, because Professor Kendal’s stern demeanour scares me as she interprets my hesitancy as slacking.
I’m relieved Katherine doesn’t attend the witch-only class, although I face some rudeness from other witches. Some in Walcott remain suspicious of me and my gift, but that's understandable. I count myself lucky every day that I have a small circle of friends.
Amelia and two other witches head into the courtyard to practice their water spells, and I'm sent to the library with spirit witches. Jamie leads me and two others—Kailey and Dane—into the back of the vast room. We head down a level, past rows of bookshelves, and he takes a key from his pocket. I look around in confusion. The floor is packed with bookshelves, with no tables or chairs, let alone a door.
Or so I thought. Jamie ducks behind a set of shelves and we approach a scratched oak door with a curved black metal handle. He pulls out a ring with different sized and shaped keys attached and selects a large black one from between two small silver.
The key slides easily in the lock.
Intrigued, I follow Jamie down a small flight of grey stone steps into a cool, dark space. I adjust my eyes as he lights oil lamps on the walls and find myself in a narrow brick-walled hallway, standing on a floor tiled in teal and white.
Jamie shakes the flame from the long match.
"I know there's no electricity down here, but has the academy heard of LED lights? Battery-operated? Something less flammable or dangerous,” I say.
“Nothing like that works here," says Dane. "Magic interferes. Look at your phone."
I pull mine from my pocket. I'm unsurprised there's no signal, but the screen is blank. I never walk around without a fully-charged phone, so I switch it off and on. Nothing. "Oh."
Kailey pats my arm. "Don't look worried. We can survive without modern technology for an hour."
The two witches are friendly to me, at least. I’ve seen the muscular brown-haired guy and his curvy girlfriend together everywhere. They’re intense and rarely spend time interacting with others.
Jamie leads us along the hallway to another room, which he unlocks with the same key. This one resembles one of the professor's offices with comfortable chairs in burgundy leather and rows of bookshelves. A large rectangular table surrounded by four high-backed chairs takes up the majority of the room. I peer at scenic pictures framed on the walls. I don't recognise the views, apart from a local village nestled in the Yorkshire Dales.
Kailey lights the lantern this time and Jamie busies himself searching for a book.
"Why is this part of the academy locked?" I ask.
"Witches only," replies Dane. "We can't trust the other houses not to interfere."
"Oh. Okay."
"Don't sound shocked—each race has secret places within the academy,” he replies.
I immediately picture dungeons beneath Petrescu house, with victims shackled to the walls, but shake the image away.
Jamie studies a card Professor Kendal handed him, then selects a thick, leather-bound black book from one of the shelves spanning the wall opposite the window. He drops the book on the table and opens the pages to a place bookmarked by a leather strip. "This magic seems advanced for our year,” he says.
Dane cranes his head to look. "Yeah, but you're the star pupil. I'm sure you can translate the text."
"Translate?" I move to Jamie's side. The pages are thick parchment and inked with words I don't recognise. "Is this Latin?"
Kailey shakes her head. "A coded language once used by witches when they had to keep their secrets. The language looks Latin, and most witches lived amongst the uneducated, so this never aroused suspicion. The problem is, the ability to read the text was lost after the Trials when most books were burned, and those who knew the language were too.”
“This is one of five that still exist," explains Jamie. "The incantations are powerful but difficult to master."
I groan. "Please don't tell me we need to sit and copy what's written in the book."
Dane chuckles. "No, we practice the spells until we've memorised them. Jamie already learn
ed a few, but most of us still struggle."
"That's because some of us spend their time down here doing other things and not studying." Jamie gives Dane and Kailey a pointed look.
Kailey gives Dane a coy smile. "I don't know what you mean."
Jamie shakes his head. "Let's just say the sofa in the other study room is for sitting on. Not lying on.”
Dane grins. "I have no idea what you mean, either.”
I do. I fumble in my bag for a pen and paper.
"Come on, dude. There aren't many private places in the academy. We don't all have access to cottages. Man, you waste that opportunity,” Dane continues.
Jamie pulls a face. "Just go into the other room and ‘study’, but if you don't practice at least one spell, you'll fall behind and fail the end-of-term exams."
Dane salutes Jamie. “Sir.” The pair head out the door and the bang as it closes echoes in the stone hallway.
I startle, reminded of the gun shot two days ago. "Are you okay?" asks Jamie.
"Sure.” I force a smile. “Now fill me in on this secret spell book."
“This one isn’t a secret, Maeve. Everybody knows the academy has these, and all witches have access."
"No dangerous spells?" My mind fills with TV shows and movies yet again; something I need to stop using as a comparison.
"All spells are dangerous if used incorrectly. That's why we have magic studies. To learn to wield magic sensibly."
"Right. And these lessons are for everybody?"
"Every witch."
I lower my voice. "But there must be Dominion witches who have books like these and possess powerful spells. The guy who threw fireballs at me, for instance.”
Jamie leans over the book. “Yes. Of course, they have some of the ancient spell books, but not all. Which means the academy must teach us to be more powerful to stay safe.”
"Dane and Kailey don't seem to take this seriously." I incline my head to the door.
"Not everybody likes studying, Maeve.” He returns to his book. “Let me find something simple to show you in here.”
I sit too as he pores over the book, tracing his finger across the page and mouthing the words to himself. He's lost in concentration, fringe flopping into his eyes, and I stare at his profile, thinking about the couple in the next room. How do I feel about Jamie?
Confused.
I want to imagine my attraction to him is one linked to our spirit affinity, but as I watch him, I’m drawn to more than one thing about him. Like all of us, especially me, he has his faults, but I’m attracted to the package that makes up Jamie—his looks, his intuition, the kindness to others even if they’re unkind to him. When I’m alone with Jamie, the attraction intensifies and explains why his rejection a few weeks ago affected me as badly.
We're alone now. Do all couples who study down here alone spend time on more activities than reading books?
"Why are you staring at me?" Jamie lifts his head. "You're not having another vision, are you?"
“No. Don't mention the visions, in case—" I wave a hand. "You know."
"Sorry." He drags hair from his face. “I hope you’re not worrying about me again.”
I shake my head rather than lie.
“I told you, I can cope. We’ll fix this. I won’t die.”
I swallow hard at his word and the implications. “I know. I just wish Halloween had fixed the future.”
“I believe in you, Maeve.” He pauses then adds quietly. “I have to.”
I’m on the verge of reaching out and hugging Jamie again, but part of me worries how he’d interpret this as we’re in a place used by witch couples hooking up.
“Do you find it strange that Tobias hasn’t told anybody about Halloween yet?"
I relax at him changing the subject. "A little. Theodora was away this weekend, apparently. Perhaps Tobias hasn’t spoken to her yet.”
Jamie pulls on his bottom lip and nods. “What did Tobias want from you at the end of the evening?” His look grows intense, almost suspicious even though his tone is light. “We thought that was weird, when he took you away."
I blink. "He gave me another dressing down about my attitude.”
"Yes. But the others snuck out too. Why did he want to see you alone?”
"Maybe because I'm popular with the teachers. Y’know, my special gifts and everything," I joke.
"That's what worries me—his interest in you."
"I don't think he's interested in me, Jamie. He's a professor and—" I pause at his confused look and my cheeks heat. "Oh. You mean my gift?"
"Maeve," he whispers. "Don't go there. Don't get involved with a professor, especially not someone like him."
“Don’t be ridiculous. That isn’t what I meant, Jamie. You have this all wrong." The words come out quickly—too big a protest.
"Have I?" His mouth turns down. "You're not the first girl I've seen Tobias charm."
"You make him sound like a sleaze. That’s unfair. Tobias helped me.”
"Mmm." He chews on his lip and returns to the book.
"Jamie?"
He snaps the book closed. “If Tobias’s interest isn’t his attraction to you, then he must be attracted to your potential magic abilities. I don't trust vampires."
"I never expected you to be prejudiced, Jamie."
He doesn't reply. We lapse into silence for a few moments, where I grasp at what to say if he continues this conversation. The longer he goes without speaking, the more I squirm.
Jamie takes a deep breath. “We need to work. You have a lot to catch up on.”
“About nineteen years, apparently.”
He gives a small smile. “There's a particular type of vellum in the drawer over there." He points to a small chest of drawers in the corner of the windowless room. “For this lesson, we write out a spell we'd like to practice, write down what happened, and take the results to class."
Like a science experiment. I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear as I stare at the indecipherable words in the book. "But I don't know what any of the spells do."
Jamie smiles. “Don’t worry. I’ll teach you how to be a witch.”
Chapter Four
MAEVE
Jamie wanders over to the drawer and pulls out stiff, yellowing paper. "You missed out on an earlier magic education, which puts you at a disadvantage. Witches are taught this old language almost from the day they begin pre-school."
"Great," I mumble.
"Don't worry, you'll always have me to help out." Jamie speaks the words to the book, and I wish I could see his expression.
I sit beside him. “I appreciate everything you do for me."
"As long as you're not upset with me for last night. I didn’t mean for Tobias to find out you’d all left campus.”
“I don't understand why you worry what people think so much. You're always apologising when you’ve done nothing wrong.”
"But I want us to stay close." Jamie chews his lip. "I mean, the close connection that helps us with divination. We almost lost that," he adds hastily.
"Well, stop apologising to me all the time." I push the book back to him. "Recommend an easy spell."
He flicks through the pages. "What kind? A basic protection spell? Or maybe something to keep you healthy. They're they easiest."
"Huh. No love or money-making spells?" I joke.
Jamie stares at me in shock. "You want to cast a spell to make someone love you?”
"No. No, I was kidding. I can't help thinking witch clichés sometimes.” I cringe.
"You need to dance naked around a fire for the love spells," he says nonchalantly.
"Pardon?"
"Yes, and summon Cupid with flowers and chocolates."
I narrow my eyes as I spot him fighting a smile. "Ha ha."
He flinches as I lightly punch his arm. "But seriously, don't dabble in that kind of magic, however tempted you are in the future. You complained about mental magic, but love spells have consent issues. That’s as bad, if not w
orse."
My joke fell flatter than I expected, and I'm embarrassed by my stupidity.
"Plus, spells using darker magic are beyond the capabilities of most witches." He flicks through the book. "I think you should try a simple protection spell. Write the words on this page onto the vellum, and I'll help teach you some pronunciations."
"Will the spell protect me from blonde vampires whose names begin with K?" I ask.
"Has she bothered you again?" Jamie straightens. "Report her to Tobias."
"I'm avoiding them both." I take a pen from my bag and scratch an eyebrow as I attempt to read the cursive writing in the book. The spell is four lines long and shorter than most written, but I struggle to imitate the letters as if I were a child learning to write.
Jamie sits opposite me, writing too. I'm lost in concentration, which he breaks by chuckling at me. "That's cute, Maeve."
"What?" I ask.
"You're sticking your tongue out a little. Does that help you concentrate?" His eyes shine with amusement, and the stress of recent days drops from him.
I poke my tongue out further. "I didn't realise. I'm stuck—I’ve tried to write this word five times and it still looks wrong.”
"Why didn't you ask?" He pushes his work away and moves to look over my shoulder.
My pulse picks up at his proximity and I'm distracted from Jamie's instructions by his subtle woody scent as he bends over to look at the book. He leans closer to read the small script and his arm touches mine. I tense, anticipating a vision, but instead my reaction is what I'd expect. My closeness to Jamie, alone in a strange and secret room, sends a shiver through.
Is he as aware as I am?
I swallow. "How long do we have?"
"What do you mean?" I turn my head and he looks down at me.
"To finish. I need to leave the book here once I copy the words, right?” I stare at his mouth as I speak. How many witches sneak down here to make out?
"Once Dane and Kailey have..." He trails off. "Finished. Then we’ll leave.”
The charge between us intensifies as every word we say ramps up an intensity we struggle to break. "Won't they be in trouble for not studying?”
