Wicked Wish (The Royals: Warlock Court Book 2)

by Megan Montero

  The professor began to walk around the room. “Now if you will, we are working on a love spell of sorts. Though magic cannot create real love, it can create infatuation, for a short time. In the warlock world this used to benefit many of our former great leaders. Like Cleopatra, who many men claimed to love. Or Helen of Troy. Some say she was a love witch, but others claim it was her power with this very potion that brought men to their knees.”

  I raised my hand and the professor pointed at me, giving me the floor. “If this spell enchants people beyond what their free will, will allow, then why let us make it?”

  She arched her eyebrow at me. “Can anyone answer Ms. Lockwood’s question?”

  With all the attitude she could muster, Kitty turned to me. “Because we’re warlocks, duh.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Not sure that’s an actual answer.”

  The professor chuckled and shook her head. “In short, no, that is not an answer. Because we as warlocks are inclined with the dark arts, what we do with them is entirely up to us. But this particular potion is very complicated to brew and I highly doubt any of you will master it. What I am looking for is your skill set.”

  She flicked her wrist and the cauldrons all appeared on each of our tables. Small fires flickered beneath them and I opened my book up to the right page. I pulled the ingredients out from under the desk and placed a multitude of vials on the table. “There is a lot to this potion.”

  Leo nodded. “I’m not going to help you out much . . .” He lowered his voice. “But enough so you’ll kill it and learn what the hell you’re doing.”

  “Nice.” I stood over the cauldron and read the first line. “Three quarters distilled water.”

  I rested my hand on the side of the cauldron and the water filled to the right point.

  Leo looked at me with wide eyes. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”

  “You better start.” I shoved my sleeves up to my elbows. “I plan on getting really good at it.”

  Leo nodded toward where Kitty was carrying her cauldron across the room all the while the water sloshed over the side of it, leaving drops on the floor behind her. “Right, and she’s the most powerful of the Lockwood House.”

  Kitty placed her cauldron over the small flames then bent down low and blew on them, forcing them to burn higher. “Better get started, losers. I have a good idea who I’m going to use my potion on, do you?”

  I rolled my eyes. “I don’t plan on using it on anyone. Why would I?”

  “Because no one would love you otherwise?” She batted her eyelashes at me.

  Professor Charles walked up the steps and stood between our two tables. “Astrid, I suggest you go get the water you need to get started. This potion will take the whole class period.”

  Leo pointed to the cauldron. “Oh, she did it”—he cracked his knuckles—“with her powers. You know how easy it is for the most powerful Lockwood to manifest things.”

  Such a pot stirrer.

  Kitty growled low in her throat yet said nothing.

  Professor Charles’ lip tugged up at the corner. “I’m not sure about most powerful, but I see great things for you, Ms. Lockwood. And good job with the water.”

  I turned my attention back to the cauldron. “Okay, what’s the next ingredient?”

  Leo read from the book. “Four drops of rose water according to the compass. Then stir opposed to the clocks, thrice times the points of a pentacle.”

  I snapped my head up. “Say what now? That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “You’re not baking a pie here, Astrid. This is potion making and some of these potions were written a long ass time ago. You have to translate the meanings.”

  I bit my bottom lip. “Okay, so four drops by the compass. Means four drops of rosewood oil, by the four points on a compass? North, south, east, and west?”

  “Precisely.”

  I grabbed up the eyedropper and dipped in into the oil then sucked up the liquid. I pulled my phone out and opened up the compass app. Then I held the dropper over the cauldron and placed one drop to north, south, east, and west.”

  The boiling water turned to a soft pink color and the smell of roses wafted up on the steam. I smiled at Leo. “Okay, what’s next?”

  “Shhh, look.” He didn’t look up from his book, but I knew what he was saying.

  From the corner of my eye I spotted Kitty copying my every move. Well, I’ll be damned. “Okay, I guess we’ll have to be slyer about how we do this.”

  He moved his chair around to the other side of the table to sit next to me. “At least this way when we talk your back will block her.”

  “Okay, next line.” I tapped the pages with my fingers.

  He turned to face Kitty and made a show of pushing his glasses up with a certain finger. “Try doing your own work.”

  “Come on, don’t engage. They’re not worth it. Let’s get this done.” I lifted a small dish with ground up snail shells and pinched the dust between my fingers. “It’s like sticky sand.”

  “Yeah, you don’t wanna know what makes that stick.”

  I dropped the crushed-up shells and turned my attention back to the spell.

  Leo continued, “Then stir opposed to the clocks, thrice times the points of a pentacle.”

  “Okay, so there’s five points in the pentacle, but three times that would be fifteen. And opposed to the clocks? Does that mean counterclockwise?”

  “You are getting the hang of this.” He handed me a large wooden spoon.

  I dipped it in the cauldron and stirred it counterclockwise fifteen times. Then I pointed at the book. “Okay, hit me.”

  “The diamond of the seas wrapped in the octopus’ grip does the result need a dip. By the clock and months in the year stir until the mother appears.”

  “For the love of the creator, Leo. That is not English.” I dropped the spoon down on the tabletop.

  “It is, you just have to break it down and listen. What is the diamond of the seas?”

  I glanced down at my supplies. “The pearl.”

  “Right, and what happens if it’s held too tight?”

  “It gets crushed?” I shook my head. “That can’t be right. You can’t crush a pearl.”

  Leo handed me a mortar and pestle. “Give it a go. But if it’s an octopus, how many pearls do you need?”

  “Eight. Thank God you’re my partner. I would not have been able to do this without you.” I dropped eight pearls into the cup and started grinding them up. They rolled around, making it difficult, but I did it.

  Leo slammed the book shut. “You know what, I am so tired of them getting away with everything.”

  “Just ignore them.” I dumped the powder into the pot.

  “You don’t know what it was like before you got here. The things they did to me, to everyone.” He leaned in closer. “I can’t believe I dated him. I was an idiot.”

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You can’t help who you love.” I stirred the cauldron and the liquid turned to a mother of pearl shimmering essence.

  “But you can damn well try and I just let him . . . ugh.” He looked away.

  I reached out and placed my hand over his. “Sometimes when things happen to us in our past, we need to think of them as separate events. They happened and now it’s over. That hurt can’t hurt you anymore unless you let it.”

  “Where you learn that from?”

  Too many years of being disappointed by my father. “I’ve just been there.”

  When I looked over at Kyle, he blew a kiss to Leo and snickered. Leo jumped to his feet, about to walk out. I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Do not give him the satisfaction . . . they’ll get what’s coming to them.”

  Kitty’s arm shot up. “Professor Charles, what happens when we finish it?”

  The professor walked up the stairs over to Kitty’s table and looked into the cauldron. “If you do finish it correctly, I will let you keep it. But I wouldn’t use it lightly.”


  My head snapped up and something in my gut told me to pay attention. “What would happen?”

  “Well, once the potion is consumed, whomever the victim is will be obsessed with love and the pursuit of it. It will be relentless, and it will be difficult to combat when that person decides who they want. And once the effect wears off, the poor victim will fall ill and show signs of withdrawal. Cold sweats, shivers, vomiting. In the extreme cases some of them need to be restrained.”

  “Why would you let us keep that?” I took a small step back from the cauldron.

  “Because, my dear, this is Warwick Academy, not Evermore. Survival of the fittest is practically our school moto.” She moved on to the next table.

  Kitty held up her wooden spoon dripping with potion. “I know exactly who mine will be for. Someone who needs to wake up and see the potential right in front of him.”

  In the pit of my stomach I knew she was going for Beckett. I just didn’t know when or how. But I would stop her.

  Chapter 19

  Astrid

  Class ended and of course Kitty and Kyle were the only other group besides Leo and me to get the potion right. Which just pissed me off. The cheaters had no right to that potion. I knew she would go for Beckett as soon as she got the chance. He may have only kissed me twice in the time I’d known him, but there was no way in hell he’d be anywhere near her against his will. I threw my backpack over my shoulder and marched toward the door. Kitty and Kyle had already made their way out and I was going to beat that potion away from them if I had to.

  “Ms. Lockwood. A word.” Professor Charles leaned against the desk at the front of the room.

  “I really have to—”

  She crooked her finger at me. I sucked in a deep breath, hoping Beckett hadn’t shown up outside my classroom like he’d done before. Leo waved to me as he exited the room.

  I waved back. “Later.”

  Professor Charles looked me up and down. “May I offer some advice?”

  “Yes, please.” And be quick about it.

  “Your powers are more than you know. Don’t hold them back. No matter what you think will happen. The only way you’re going to know their limits is if you test them.” She turned away from me and walked to sit behind her desk. “You are a warlock, not a mortal. There is no place for fear in this world.”

  “I-I understand.” I didn’t want to tell her I was worried about hurting someone or what my own powers would do to me. That didn’t seem like the warlock way. I felt the darkness in me, those desires to do whatever the hell I wanted, consequences be damned.

  “Practice with the Lockwood grimoire and then come to see me.” She waved me toward the door.

  I started to leave then I paused and looked at her over my shoulder. “How did you know about the grimoire?”

  She ran her hand through her pixie gray hair. “When you’re as old as I am and have no one around who shares your powers, research is imperative to learn your craft. I’d very much like to see that book, but I’ve waited this long and I will wait until you trust me enough to show it to me.”

  I gave her a single nod. “Okay.”

  What more could I say? All the adult warlocks I’d met in this world had been questionable at best, but there was something about Margarite Charles that I admired. I opened the door and stepped out into the crowded hallway. There was a traffic jam of students stopping and staring. I immediately knew who and what they were looking at. It happened whenever he came out on campus. To them he was famous. To me, he was . . . more. I pushed past the throng of students toward the little circle of people surrounding him.

  There he stood looking more delicious than ever in his dark blue jeans, white shirt, and leather jacket. He leaned up against the wall with one leg propped up behind him. Those tousled blond locks fell into his eyes and for a moment my heart skipped a beat. He gazed off down the hall and I wanted him to look at me with those ocean eyes of his.

  “Excuse me.” I moved past the last person blocking me from his view and stepped into the circle of people surrounding him.

  He smiled. “Astrid, hi.”

  “Hi. What are you doing here?”

  He shrugged. “I was in the building. Figured I’d stop by and maybe walk you to your next class.” He popped a piece of something into his mouth.

  I reached out and grabbed his hand, yanking it toward me. “What did you just eat?”

  “Oh, um, Kitty gave it to me.” He motioned to where she stood. “It’s really bitter for chocolate, though.”

  My anger spiked. The audacity of this bitch, to drug him in public. She snickered and winked at me. Beckett didn’t belong to her. He belonged to . . . never mind who he belongs too! “You witch.”

  Gold smoke drifted up from my shaking hands. “How dare you.”

  “It’s no big deal. Calm down.” Beckett shoved away from the wall to stand in front of me.

  Why do people always tell me to calm down when I’m in a rage? Like that helps!

  “Don’t tell me to calm down. She bespelled you.” I lifted my hand with my magic, picked him up, and put him down beside me.

  I stepped up to Kitty and came nose to nose with her. “Isn’t that right?”

  She shrugged. “Sometimes love needs a little push.”

  Beckett unleashed a violent curse then grabbed my shoulder and turned me to face him. “You need to look at me for the next ten seconds okay?”

  “What, why?” I tried to face Kitty, but he held me there.

  “Because I need to choose an object of obsession or everything will be it and I choose you. Not her.” He stared into my eyes for what seemed like long moments.

  “Ugh, Beckett. No!” Kitty protested from right beside me, yet his penetrating gaze didn’t waver. When she stomped her foot, her heel clicked on the wooden floors.

  I was sinking into his gaze and sinking fast. They flooded with so much desire it staggered me. I wanted him and for however long he was going to want me.

  He shook his head and backed away. “I’m so sorry. Just remember I had no choice.”

  “I know you didn’t.” I rounded on Kitty. “You did this to him! You selfish, spoiled ass!”

  “Astrid, we should go.” He wrapped his hand around my elbow, but I shrugged him off.

  I took another step toward her. I didn’t know why, but I felt more rage than I ever had before in all my life. He loved to boss me around and be an ass at times, but he was my piece of ass. Wait, no, not piece of ass, he was my ass to deal with. NO! He was mine. Also NO!

  I shook my head. “No, she has to pay first.”

  The students all plastered themselves to the walls of the hallway. Kitty rolled her eyes. “You think you have any power over me, think again. You’re a newbie. What can you possible do?”

  I lifted my hand and shot a bolt of power right at her chest. She flew up off the ground and slid ten feet down the hallway. “That.”

  I stomped forward and my power rose like a tsunami, the darkness overtaking me, and all I could focus on was how she wanted to hurt what was mine. Kitty staggered to her feet and held her hands up. She fired a shot of her light pink magic at me. With the wave of my hand, I deflected it into the wall. “Adorable.”

  My hair stood on end and my golden smoke filled my senses. “You know what? A good taste of your own medicine would do . . .” It tilted my head to the side. “Don’t you think?”

  She held her hand out in front of her. “You’re such a freak, Astrid!”

  “No, I’m a warlock.” I marched up to her and pushed her up against the wall and leaned in. “You will feel all the effects of the potion used on him. You will love everything you see. Your obsession will last as long as his does and when the withdrawals hit him, you will feel them.”

  “Y-you don’t have that power.”

  I snickered a deep dangerous laugh that sent goose bumps down my own spine. “Watch me.” I relished in the darkness I felt. It was euphoric, and I didn’t want it to end.

 
Beckett ran up to me and yanked me away from her. “Astrid, we need to leave now.”

  “Astrid Lockwood! My office now!” Ridge’s voice boomed down the hall and everyone’s heads snapped toward him but mine. I continued to stare down Kitty until she turned to the garbage can next to her and began to pet it . . . lovingly.

  I kept my feet planted watching what I’d done to her, watching my power take effect.

  Ridge yelled again, “Now!”

  Beckett dragged me down the hall toward Headmaster Ridge’s office. As I passed the other students, they all looked at me with wide eyes, dropped jaws, and . . . fear? Leo was the last one I made eye contact with. He gave me two thumbs up.

  Beckett pulled me against his chest and threw his arm over my shoulder then pressed his nose to my hair and inhaled. “Oh God, you smell so good, it tortures me.” He sighed. “Your lips taste like strawberries, did you know?”

  I jabbed my elbow into his ribs. “Beckett, focus. I think I got us in trouble here.”

  He shook his head and turned his eyes on the door we were about to walk through. “Right, yeah.”

  “Look, let’s just make sure I don’t get expelled then we can deal with this thing happening to you.” I followed Ridge through his door and into his office.

  The interior of the office was seeped in traditional style dark wood. The desk took up half the room, big and heavy with carvings in the front of it. Behind the desk stood wall to wall shelving littered with too many antiques to be stylish. Ridge took his place behind his desk and motioned for us to sit in the chairs facing him.

  I dropped down into the chair and folded my hands in my lap. This was bad, very, very bad. The council had just been in our house the day before and here I was making a scene. I wanted to feel bad about it, but strangely I didn’t.

  Beckett grabbed the other chair and pulled it right next to mine, so the armrests were touching. He dropped himself down into the chair and rested his arm against mine. The tips of his fingers brushed against my skin in little circles, sending goose bumps skittering over my skin. I pushed his arm back onto his side of the chair and faced Ridge.