by Logan Jacobs
“I love it,” I said, and I glanced down to see a bit of my pearly seed already making a trail down her inner thighs. Of course, I was looking for it, but I doubted anyone else would be staring at Nyx’s legs and looking for my jizz.
We left the blue drug-filled bedroom and headed toward the small flight of stairs, and when we reached the bottom, all heads turned to us. The coven was already seated around the fireplace, and none of them looked surprised when they saw us. In fact, each witch appeared to be too busy with their breakfasts to ask why I wasn’t coming down from my quarters.
“Good morning,” Nyx hummed with a lazy smile. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I had an incredible night.”
“We know,” Akira chuckled. “In fact, I think the entire castle knows.”
“Oh… was I that loud?” Nyx questioned with a raised blue eyebrow.
“Yes,” the coven answered in unison.
“Oops,” Nyx muttered before she shrugged. “My bad.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I snickered as I neared the other women.
They’d nearly cleaned off their plates, and a part of me was disappointed I’d missed breakfast, but then again, it was absolutely worth it, and when I glanced at the smirking and satisfied blue-skinned Nyx, and as she crossed her legs and winked at me, I knew she thought the same thing.
“Well, we’d better get a move on,” Morgana sighed before she dusted the crumbs off her blouse. “This morning is our first lesson with Professor Olivia… and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m thrilled.”
“When aren’t you thrilled by the prospect of class?” Akira muttered as she rolled her black eyes.
“Whatever,” Morgana huffed before she grabbed her bag from the floor.
“I’m excited, too,” Penelope remarked with wide, chestnut brown eyes. “Part of me still can’t believe we’re combining potions and charms.”
“Let’s just hope Professor Olivia is a decent professor,” Akira said with pinched black eyebrows. “I still can’t forgive her for sending Cole out into that pit when we first arrived at the High Court.”
“She wasn’t the one who gave the order, Akira,” Morgana reminded her in a sharp tone. “That was Madame Mara Soulton.”
“Regardless,” Akira snapped. “She was willing to let him die… so in my book, she’s no better than the rest of them.”
“As much as I admire your heated devotion, Akira,” I said with a small smile, “I think it’s safe to say it’s water under the bridge. I don’t hold any ill will toward her, and neither should you. How about we simply let bygones be bygones?”
“Yes, master,” the black-eyed witch sighed after a short pause. “You’re right, as always.”
“Anyway,” I said as I regarded each witch. “We’d better get going. We don’t want to be late, do we?”
The others nodded as they stood up and grabbed their belongings, and when we left the common room, the halls were crowded with whispering wide-eyed witches. Everyone seemed to be as excited as Morgana and Penelope about the new class and professor, and I briefly wondered what today’s lesson would have in store for us.
“It should be the classroom at the very end of this hall,” Morgana said as we followed the crowd of students.
“How do you know?” Nyx asked and blinked at the brunette.
“You mean aside from the crowd walking in that direction?” the bookish brunette sighed. “There was also a letter on the coffee table this morning before you and Cole woke up, and it explained where the new classroom would be.”
“Oh.” The blue-skinned witch shrugged. “Cool.”
“You’re going to be way more excited when you see what we’ll be doing,” Morgana said in a confident voice. “You love herbs, don’t you?”
“Yeahhhh…” Nyx drawled and pursed her lips. “So, what?”
“So, charms and potions require plenty of herbs,” Morgana responded in a patient tone. “Just wait, you’ll be a natural. You and Penelope.”
“Thanks, Morgana,” the orange-haired witch said, and her cheeks flushed a pleased, rosy pink.
“Of course,” the brunette responded with a supportive smile.
When we came to a stop, students swarmed inside the massive classroom, but there was still a crowd at the threshold.
“Everyone, take your seats,” Olivia’s voice called out. “Hurry up now! No dawdling! We have a lot to cover this morning.”
“Why are people being so fucking slow?” Akira hissed under her breath. “Come on, move it!”
“I bet everyone wants a seat close to Professor Olivia’s desk,” Morgana said in an excited voice. “I know I would.”
“Well, I wouldn’t hold your breath,” Penelope sighed. “I’ll bet you three frog legs and a newt eye that all the seats by the front of the room are taken.”
Sure enough, Penelope was right. When the students finally took their seats, there were no empty tables near Olivia’s desk. The classroom was glorious, though, and quite expansive. Marble statues were situated in every corner of the room, and a massive gold and silver chandelier dangled from a black, shimmering ceiling. Hundreds, or possibly thousands, of books sat in a grand black bookcase pressed against the purple velvet wall, and elegant paintings of the High Court hung all around the classroom.
When I turned to look at the front of the room, I saw Professor Olivia seated at a giant, midnight black desk with a row of owl heads carved into the wood. A large black cauldron sat on the top of her desk, and a plain wooden spoon stuck out of it.
The new professor wore a deep green satin gown that clung to her slender but curvaceous frame, and her sleek, shimmering silver hair was loose and hung like a pin-straight curtain around her heart-shaped face. Her nails were painted black, and her pale, slender fingers were adorned with silver and purple rings.
As I continued to marvel at her appearance, she must have sensed my gaze because, in moments, her teal tinted eyes darted over to me, and she smiled.
For a moment, I was lost in her vibrant eyes and the shimmering gems permanently embedded into her porcelain skin, and as I stared at her unwavering beauty, I felt relieved to see she was fully recovered after her possession.
“Over here!” a familiar voice cried out. “Cole!”
The sudden sound broke me away from my trance, and when I searched the room, I spotted Circe near the back of the classroom seated next to the reserved and oddly quiet Beatrix, who was wearing chains of odd-looking necklaces around her creamy neck. A smile broke across my face as I neared the duo, and when we took a seat at their desk, Beatrix began to tug at her long, light-brown fringe.
“So…” she began. “Are you guys… erm, excited?”
“Yes.” Morgana politely nodded.
“So am I,” Beatrix chuckled, but her eyes kept darting to me and away. “I mean… I kind of have a thing for charms. It’s a hobby of mine… not that it’s anything to brag about… it’s actually kind of weird, I guess… huh?”
“Not at all.” Penelope shook her head. “I love potions. It’s my hobby, so I’m super excited as well.”
“Oh, yeah,” Beatrix replied as her face lit up. “I remember.”
“Well, I remember when this class was pulled from the curriculum,” Circe commented as her serpentine eyes wandered around the classroom. “If memory serves correctly, I still remember a few brews and ancient charms.”
“Then it’s a good thing we have you at the table.” Akira grinned. “Easy fucking A.”
“You’re basically a full-fledged Wicca,” I said as I narrowed my eyes at Circe. “Can I ask why you’ve decided to join our classes since you’ve probably obtained far more knowledge than us?”
“Err, well… my skills are somewhat rusty.” The blonde witch shrugged. “I have been dead for quite some time, you know. You forget a thing or two when you’re buried six feet under and maggots are crawling through your eye sockets and other intrusive areas.”
“Wait, so you won’t be able t
o help us cheat?” Akira pouted. “Lame.”
“Don’t be rude, Akira,” Morgana snapped.
“Don’t be nosy, Morgana,” Akira replied as she mocked the beautiful brunette’s voice.
“She’s not just here to benefit us,” Morgana hissed. “She’s probably struggling to adjust to this new era… aren’t you, Circe?”
“A bit,” the blonde witch said with a small shrug, “but to be honest, it’s not too different.”
“How old are you, though?” Vesta asked with wide, silver eyes. “If you don’t mind me asking.”
“I believe I am in my late twenties…” Circe responded as she placed a finger against her lips. “Or perhaps my mid-twenties… I cannot be sure. I honestly don’t remember.”
“We shouldn’t be prying anyway,” Faye said in an apologetic tone. “Guys, let’s leave her alone.”
“It’s quite alright.” Circe smiled. “I don’t mind.”
“Well, anyway,” I said before any of the others could overwhelm her with more questions. “I think Professor Olivia is about to say something… look at her.”
The table went quiet as we focused on the silver-haired professor. She was on her feet now, with her hands folded in front of her. She observed the classroom with a small smile on her face, but before she could say a word, there was an unusual sound at the door.
When I averted my eyes, I spotted a giant, black swan hovering in the air by the threshold. Its feathers were dark as night, and its eyes were the same shade of blue-green as Olivia’s.
“Ah,” Professor Olivia purred. “There you are, Jezebel.”
The swan bowed her head before she soared toward the professor’s desk and perched on her chair.
“Jezebel likes to be my extra pair of eyes,” Professor Olivia explained, even though no one asked. “She has a terrible temper, so be sure to be on your best behavior.”
“Yes, Professor,” the class echoed.
“Excellent,” the silver-haired witch said. “Now, everyone, please take out a fresh piece of parchment and a quill. You will be taking extensive notes in my lesson… and I want to see those hands scribbling away as I speak, understood?”
“Yes, Professor,” the class repeated.
“Lovely,” Professor Olivia cooed before she reached over to pet her swan’s head. “Now… who can tell me what a radix viridi is?”
As predicted, Morgana’s hand shot up into the air and wildly waved in case the professor couldn’t see her.
“Oooooh, pick me,” the bookish brunette pleaded under her breath. “Please, pick me!”
“Sweet baby Satan, Morgana,” Akira grunted. “You’re the only one with your hand up…”
“Yes, dear?” Professor Olivia smiled when she looked at Morgana.
“A radix viridi is a form of rare root…” the bookish witch began to explain. “It normally grows in humid conditions… like the Fero Jungle in the south outlander realm of Conitiko.”
“Precisely!” Professor Olivia exclaimed, and for a moment, her eyes narrowed at Morgana like she suddenly recognized her. “Well done… not many students your age would know the answer to that.”
“I read a lot,” Morgana said with a proud smile.
“I’m surprised you didn’t know the answer, Circe,” Penelope remarked quietly.
“Oh, I did,” the older, golden-haired witch replied with a small smile, “but she seemed so desperate to answer, so I chose not to say anything.”
“Ha!” Akira giggled as a deep blush crept across Morgana’s face. “Looks like you’re not the only one who’s a know-it-all.”
“Shut up,” Morgana muttered before she leaned back in her seat.
“Now, today we will be brewing a special potion that will give us temporary elder wings,” Professor Olivia explained with wide, teal-colored eyes. “It’s a useful brew that can fool even the cleverest of elders.”
The class burst into excited whispers until the silver-haired professor raised her hands up into the air.
“Now, now, now,” she said in a sing-song voice. “I know it’s all terribly exciting, but before we carry on, you must all write down each ingredient. The order and overall process are highly crucial components of the spell, and if the brew is not prepared correctly… then the consequences can be severe, if not deadly.”
“No surprise there,” Penelope whispered into my ear.
“Now, as you can imagine, the first ingredient shall be the radix viridi root,” Olivia explained before she opened one of her desk drawers and pulled out a long eggplant shaped green root with thick orange veins and small yellow buds. She then retrieved a pale wooden wand from her desk and aimed it at the root. “You will set the root down and then cut it into four equal parts, like so… secare.”
The professor proceeded to cut the root into four equal sections, and when she was finished, she glanced up at the class to make sure everyone was taking notes. She then took the four pieces of root and tossed it into her cauldron.
I furiously scribbled away, and the rest of the table also had their heads bowed low as we noted the first step. When I finished writing, I noticed the professor was holding a jar of shimmering dark herbs in her pale hands.
“Next, you will need a jar of hibil herbs…” Professor Olivia continued. “Who can tell me what hibil herbs do?”
“Fuck, I know this one!” Nyx gasped with excitement.
This time, Morgana smiled and let the blue-skinned witch raise her hand. Nyx stretched her entire long body upward as she tried to get the professor’s attention, and she nearly fell out of her seat while doing so.
“Oh, yes… you over there.” The silver-haired witch grinned. “I’m sorry, I could barely see you.”
“It’s a growth herb!” Nyx shouted like her life depended on having the correct answer.
Akira nearly burst out into laughter while the rest of us simply smiled. I’d never seen Nyx so eager to answer a question before in her life, but it was quite endearing.
“Yes,” Professor Olivia chuckled. “That is correct… my, you are full of energy, aren’t you?”
“Thanks.” Nyx grinned as she brought her hand back down. “I can’t believe I knew the answer.”
“I told you!” Morgana whispered with a wide smile.
“Now,” the silver-haired witch continued. “We shall take a jar of these herbs and sprinkle them into the cauldron… like so.”
The beautiful and poised witch gently opened the glass jar by twisting the lid open and placing it on her desk. Then she carefully retrieved a pinch of herbs and began to sprinkle them inside the cauldron. The little specs glittered even from afar, and as I watched them fall into the cauldron, I made sure to take another note.
“Once this step has been completed,” she continued before she snatched her wand and aimed it at the cauldron. “You need to be sure to light the two ingredients on fire… and wait three minutes for it to simmer. Illuminana.”
The cauldron glowed, and instantly, the smell of lavender and wilted roses filled the air. We all wrote down the next step, and as I did so, I could feel myself growing lightheaded as the smoke clouded the classroom.
“I know,” the professor said after a long moment. “The smell can be overwhelming, but I promise it only lasts for a while.”
When the three minutes passed, the professor opened up another one of her drawers and retrieved a small vial of bright, red, glittering liquid.
“Now, this is the final ingredient…” the teal-eyed professor said. “Does anyone know what this is? If not… that’s perfectly fine. It’s quite a rare ingredient--”
“Mediocris Sanguinis,” Penelope whispered, but her voice still managed to carry across the room.
“I’m sorry,” Professor Olivia said as she looked around in confusion. “Who said that?”
“Louder, Penelope,” Morgana urged in a fierce whisper. “Come on, don’t be shy!”
“Umm,” the bright-haired witch said as she raised her hand up into the air. “It�
�s fairy blood… or rather, its formal name is Mediocris Sanguinis.”
“Brilliant!” Professor Olivia clapped. “Now, can you tell me what this blood does?”
“It gives you the ability to fly,” the orange-haired witch answered with her chin raised. “At least temporarily.”
“Correct again!” The silver-haired witch smiled. “That table near the back is doing excellent. Keep it up!”
“Satan, she’s perky,” Akira muttered. “It’s a dead giveaway she’s never taught before… soon the bitterness will creep in, and she’ll turn into Vanessa.”
“Shhh!” Morgana hissed.
“Now,” the professor continued with bright eyes. “You shall spill ten drops into the mixture… like so.”
Professor Olivia proceeded to drop exactly ten shimmering red dewdrops into the black cauldron, and as she did so, puffs of red smoke erupted out from the pot.
In seconds, an overwhelming smell of floral spices wafted through the classroom, and a light pink smoke drifted through the air.
“Now that the brew is complete, we shall stir the contents until we reach a lovely consistency,” the silver-haired witch explained as she used her wand to move the wooden spoon in circular motions. “Make sure there are no clumps when you mix.”
After a minute or two, Professor Olivia took a small step back and pulled open another drawer, and when she found whatever she was looking for, she closed it and then stared at the class.
“You will only want to take a vial amount’s worth of this brew,” she said as she raised a small glass container into the air. “Any more than that, and well… it can kill you. So, don’t be greedy with it.”
Next, the professor carefully leaned over the cauldron and placed the vial inside, and then she scooped up just enough to fill the glass container to the brim. Without a moment of hesitation, she quickly tossed back her head and drank the bright orange potion before she made a sour face and wildly shook her head.
“Satan,” the professor coughed. “Fair warning… this stuff doesn’t taste pleasant. Now, the effects should take a minute or two… and the process is fairly painful, but it will pass.”
