A Witch’s Beating Heart

by Kasey Mackenzie

  I took a steadying breath and pulled energy through the familiar bond. Teal light swirled from my fingers down into the ceramic mug where I’d poured the potion. A small burst of magic flared brightly as the potion activated, and then the light vanished with a soft popping sound. My gaze flew back to Pixie, who twitched with a soft snort but remained asleep.

  My breath whooshed out in relief. The sun began to crest the horizon in full when I toasted the glowing orb, brought the mug to my lips, and chugged the bubbly potion while it was still refreshingly cold.

  Energy zapped along every nerve ending as the potion’s magic zoomed through my body faster than the actual liquid. I shivered as electrifying alertness chased away former fatigue. This particular formula of the Pep Up potion would ensure I had the physical energy of an Olympic athlete for the next 18 hours, at which point I would crash for at least 18 more hours. Magical balance at its finest.

  I made quick work of showering, dressing, and throwing my hair into two buns on each side of my head. A simple cosmetic job helped conceal the under-eye shadows the potion had done nothing to cure. Infernal magic would also be needed to affect my outward appearance.

  Once groomed to my liking, I stepped into the living room. Misty glanced up in surprise from where she was tapping away at her laptop. “Whoa. Didn’t you stay up like all night.”

  I winked and plopped down in front of my own laptop. “Guilty as charged, since someone kept me out too late again last night. I took like an hour nap and then spent all night reading for my Infernal Magic Lab.”

  She peeped into my eyes and frowned. “Don’t tell me you Pepped Up Your Step for a measly Lab.”

  “It wasn’t just for the Lab. I have my first date with Zane freaking Anders tonight.”

  Her judgmental expression softened as her eyes began to sparkle. “Oh yeah, that’s tonight! But damn, Crys. You’re gonna be out of commission all day tomorrow. You really think that’s worth it?”

  I woke my laptop from sleep mode, scanned in my ID, and opened up email. “Hell yeah I think our first date after over a year of being trapped in each other’s Friend Zone is worth it! Besides, he has other commitments tomorrow anyway. If anyone notices, I’m just going to play the I had a migraine card.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Which won’t be a lie based on the other two times you Pepped Up Your Step.”

  That reminder had me sighing morosely in memory. “Yeah, too true. But still worth it, Mom!”

  We cracked up at each other, since I was usually the cautious twin with the overactive maternal instincts.

  My eyes widened, and I leaned closer to the computer screen when the most recent message to my Eternal Academy email account popped up. “Dr. Wu wants me to come in to the library for an interview this afternoon.”

  Misty smiled. “Well there you go, I guess. A third good reason for casting that crazy-ass spell.”

  I tilted my head. “Did you get an invite, too?”

  She shook her head. “Nah. But that’s okay. I have a few other applications out.”

  “Really? I didn’t know that.”

  She shrugged. “Mama says you should never consider your charm cast till the magic pops, so I applied at multiple places. The campus bookstore, the rec center, and the Infernal Magic Lab actually. Something will come up. And it would probably be best if we’re not both tied to the same workplace, anyway.”

  That had me snickering. “Daddy would say something about improved job security if he were here.”

  “Yeah, exactly.” An alarm on her phone chimed, and she cursed. “I have to finish this last paragraph and email it to my Literature prof. Then I have to get to volleyball tryouts.”

  I blinked. “Wow. You’re trying out for the EA team?”

  She shrugged. “Steph talked me into it. You heard about that idiot who broke into a Restricted Area on the first day of class?”

  My eyebrows rose. “Don’t tell me she was on the volleyball team? Whoa. What an idiot indeed.”

  “Yes! It’s like she wanted to get kicked off the team. Her suspension means they have a spot to fill. There’s no guarantees, but...I was one of the stars at GHS.”

  She had been the star player on GHS’s volleyball team. And the softball team. And the track team. “I was honestly surprised Eternal Academy didn’t try to recruit you for the team.” That inspired a frown. “Wait. Why didn’t they or one of the other academies try to recruit you?”

  Her lips twisted. “Good question. I can only assume the other academies were scared off by Eternal Academy’s claiming us, as Mama put it. But why Eternal Academy didn’t scout me? Maybe I’ll find out at tryouts.”

  “Yeah, maybe.” We fell into silence as she finished her homework, and I emailed to confirm my afternoon interview. And then we went our separate ways until lunch.

  My success streak of avoiding the Bully Brothers came to a screeching halt when I walked into the cafeteria to grab a breakfast sandwich on my way to the Lab. Or at least it halfway did. Maxim, the slightly less obnoxious twin, was standing at the cashier when I approached to scan my ID. He noticed me after scanning his own and starting to walk off. Rather than shooting me a dirty look or saying something snide as I’d expected, he merely smiled.

  That unsettled me far more than the first two options would have. The cashier waved me on after my ID checked out, and I moved to walk as far around Maxim as I could without running into one of the indoor dining tables. Except everywhere I tried to walk, he moved to block me. All while still wearing his perfectly polite but still somehow menacing smile. One I found myself itching to smack off his face.

  And wow, that earlier run-in had really affected me. My thoughts typically didn’t jump straight to violence. Then again, as much teasing as I’d faced, nobody had ever really bullied me back in high school. And I hadn’t had to worry about potential spies for the Witch Queen.

  After the fourth time he blocked me from passing, I narrowed my eyes and glared. “Would you mind letting me by? Or must I record you on my phone so Professor Roseberry believes my excuse for showing up late to class?”

  He blinked and tilted his head. “You have her 9 am Lab today, too?”

  A sinking sensation hit my stomach. Labs could hold students from various levels, so a junior like him could share the same session as a lowly freshie like me. “I have her 9 am Lab today, yes. Now please let me by. I won’t ask so nicely a third time.”

  Maxim snickered as if I’d amused rather than offended him. Considering the sheer arrogance he and his brother oozed, that was probably true. And it would likely take someone other than me to take those two down a peg.

  “Why don’t we walk to the Lab together?”

  I gritted my teeth as I tried to figure out his angle. “Why under the Eternal Skies would we want to do that? We don’t have anything in common. Besides, why would I want to give your girlfriend another reason to verbally eviscerate me?”

  He shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “Brittany isn’t my girlfriend. She’s just someone I unfortunately know—even if she does wish to be more. And sure we have things in common. You’re a second-born twin; I’m a second-born twin. You were the valedictorian of your senior class; I’ve dated the valedictorian of my senior class.”

  I couldn’t help the burst of laughter that escaped. He grinned and nodded toward the exit. “Come on or we’re both gonna be late. At least give me a chance to make up for us getting off on the wrong foot.”

  A glance at the nearest clock revealed he was right. We were down to 15 minutes before class started, and it was at least a 5-minute walk. Arguing would only delay things. Even if Professor Roseberry were lenient toward late arrivals in her lecture sessions, Labs were another beast entirely. You had to actually be there to demonstrate you grasped the lessons.

  We’d just stepped onto the mood-changing sidewalk when a thought struck me. “You attended the same high school as Delvon and Cayenne Zamani, right?”

  He nodded, taking a bite of his own break
fast sandwich.

  “So you’re telling me that you and Delvon dated in high school?”

  Wariness shadowed his midnight blue eyes. “Yeah. What, you don’t think he’s good enough for me?”

  “No, the other way around,” I retorted.

  He snickered. “All right, I deserved that. For a second I was afraid…”

  My brow furrowed. “Afraid I’m one of the rare witchy homophobes?” The human world unfortunately crawled with those types of people. The witching world, however, embraced a much more fluid appreciation of gender identity, sexual orientation, and religious affiliation. Or lack thereof. Not to mention minding one’s own freaking business.

  “Nah. Thought you were like my parents and their xenophobic friends. Delvon and Cayenne’s family immigrated here from Nigeria just a few generations ago. To my parents, you’re not a true Gloamer unless your family traces back at least six generations. Their trashy views drive me insanely angry.”

  I blinked and thought back over the inflammatory statements Jackson had made and Maxim had laughed at earlier this week. And yet, here Maxim was saying he disagreed with his parents’ views entirely. And then it clicked.

  “You’re worried your parents have spies watching over you here? That’s why you and your brother say some of the things you do?”

  His expression sobered, and he took another bite while I did the same. Several moments passed before he murmured, “Things definitely aren’t always as they seem. Many of the things Jackson and I say in public are sarcastic in the extreme, but we both do dry voices very well. So sometimes people who don’t know us take it seriously. But it’s definitely safer for us both if we continue this conversation somewhere more private.”

  Wow, so Misty and I weren’t the only ones who had to worry about spies potentially being all around. That made me feel a sudden burst of kinship with him.

  We fell into a surprisingly companionable silence as we inhaled the rest of our sandwiches and finished walking toward the largest of the Restricted Areas, a building simply marked Center for the Infernal Arts. Maxim stopped at a sign marking a pathway that branched from the main walkway. Restricted Area: Approved Infernal Magic Lab Students Only. Next to the sign stood a scanning station and a smaller sign with all the fine-print warnings for students.

  I glanced toward the path ahead, surprised there wasn’t a locked gate or guard patrolling the area. Maxim noticed my interest and grinned. “There’s an invisible force-field surrounding each Restricted Area. Our older sister told us all about it. Anyone who tries to pass it once is repelled pretty gently with a verbal warning that plays loudly enough for anyone nearby to hear. Dumbasses who ignore that warning get a huge zap of magic that hurts like hell, freezes them in place, and alerts Security.”

  I swallowed at the thought of experiencing that pain and humiliation firsthand and then shoved it away. The mere thought of me trying to access a Restricted Area without approval was ludicrous. No way would I do anything to jeopardize my being here at Eternal Academy. The lives of both my sister and myself depended on our learning as much advanced magic as possible before our wicked stepmother found out we were still alive.

  “Man, they really don’t mess around with these Restricted Areas, do they?”

  Maxim lifted his wrist to the scanner and nodded. “You have no idea. What gets me is that students are still stupid enough to try to sneak in no matter that we all know nobody has ever managed to pull it off without getting caught.”

  I scanned my own ID and breathed a sigh of relief as a disembodied voice confirmed we both were authorized to proceed directly to Infernal Magic Lab #8. It also stated that accessing any other rooms besides our Lab or the restrooms without a faculty escort was strictly forbidden. The pathway ahead lit up with a green glow, an obvious signal for us to proceed.

  We stepped past the scanning station and an entry ward much like the one in Artemis House catalogued our magical signatures and IDs before letting us pass. One further layer of security. My skin broke out in goosebumps as we moved through the ward. Other than that slight shiver of awareness, however, I felt nothing.

  “Damn, that entry ward is amazing,” I marvelled and then couldn’t resist adding, “Also, how would we know if someone ever had snuck in without getting caught. I doubt someone smart enough to pull it off would be dumb enough to advertise that fact.”

  Maxim laughed, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. “That theory must be what keeps the less successful dumbasses trying.”

  “Hey, Crystal, wait up!” a voice called from behind.

  I recognized Penny’s voice and turned with a smile. She scanned her ID and then jogged to catch up. “Hey, Penny. Have you met Maxim?”

  She cast him a friendly smile. “I don’t think so.”

  He regarded Penny with a slightly puzzled expression. “You seem kind of familiar. Are you sure we haven’t met?”

  “Nope. I’m pretty sure I’d remember if we had. My name’s Penny Morgan.”

  “Maxim Beverly.”

  “As in those Beverlys?” She arched a brow but otherwise seemed unimpressed.

  “Yep. My twin Jackson and I have the distinct...something...of being their sons. Thankfully, though, our sister Nora has the pressure of being firstborn.”

  “Twins? My, that seems to be going around in Artemis House.”

  I shot her a confused expression. Hadn’t she just said she hadn’t met Maxim before? How did she know the Beverly Twins came from Artemis House? Then I shook my head. Obviously she’d seen them around without having been formally introduced. Man, I was really starting to get paranoid.

  Penny and I chatted about my upcoming interview as we walked, and Maxim listened with a neutral expression. I wondered whether he would find time to finish whatever he’d been about to tell me about his parents earlier. For now, he seemed content to listen while he tried to place how he recognized Penny. Or so I guessed by the curious looks he occasionally shot her.

  We trooped into Lab #8 with just five minutes to spare. A few dozen other students milled about the large room, which was split into several different areas. A third of the room was given over to lab tables with four stools surrounding each table, looking exactly like you’d expect to find in a mortal chemistry lab. Another third of the room held a collection of cabinets, herbal drying racks, and small altars dedicated to various deities. The final third of the room was obscured by a thick dome of charcoal gray smoke blocking any view of what lay beyond. A scanning station appeared to mark the entrance to that area, what I was willing to bet contained one of those slices of reality that simulated the Infernal Realm.

  And just like that, something finally clicked. Misty’s instructions on how to get help if our lives were ever in danger suddenly flashed into my mind. Approach a slice of the Infernal, scan your ID, and speak these words…

  That’s it! We just need to scan into one of these Infernal Realm simulation areas and speak those words.

  That seemed a much riskier method of getting help, since we’d have to sneak into a Restricted Area during off-hours. Then again, if one’s life was in enough mortal danger to need that help, the risk of suspension paled in comparison.

  I forced those scary thoughts aside and focused on the fact that I was finally going to get to start learning how to work Infernal magic. I couldn’t help the eager smile that touched my lips. I’d been waiting for the chance to learn the other half of my magical heritage for 18 long years. How could I be anything but excited?

  Excitement seemed to be contagious, because Penny all but bounced as we stepped into the room. Unlike with our first day of college, Professor Roseberry already stood behind a podium at the front of the lab tables. She caught sight of us and smiled.

  “Just grab any stool for now. We’ll break off into groups a little later. First, we have a few rules to go over, once the bell rings.”

  A few good-natured groans swept across the room, but I just laughed. We were about to embark on the most dangerous p
hase of our magical training. Of course there would be rules.

  Professor Roseberry waited for the last few students to straggle in and the 9 o’clock chimes to toll before launching in to a quick rundown of the Infernal Magic Laboratory Rules.

  One: Only students who passed an initial assessment would earn a designation in their files allowing them to scan into the Infernal Simulation Area on the far side of the room.

  Two: Students who entered the Sim Area must always be accompanied by a lab partner or a faculty member. No exceptions.

  Three: Students were never to attempt any spells beyond their current Witching Level.

  Four: No students could enter the Sim Area without first advising their supervising professor or TA.

  Five: All injuries sustained in the Sim Area must be immediately reported to the supervising professor or TA and campus security so they could send the appropriate response teams.

  On the one hand, I appreciated having a clear picture of just how dangerous this Lab could be. On the other, it was like the Academy was flashing a red cape at a bull. Of course reckless students who considered themselves immortal (witches weren’t; just incredibly long-lived) would take it as a challenge to bypass all these rules just for the thrill of it. We weren’t that far from mortals evolutionarily speaking.

  Professor Roseberry must have read my mind. “I know these rules aren’t going to keep at least one of you bright-eyed students from trying to sneak in when you think nobody is looking. To those fools I say: Someone is always looking. Enjoy your upcoming suspension—and potentially a bonus hospitalization.”

  Penny and I exchanged grins at that. Professor Roseberry’s no-nonsense humor really made me like her. She was hands-down my favorite instructor so far.

  “All right. Now we’re going to split up into what will be your assigned Lab partnerships for the entire semester. Each of you will get a partner of the same Infernal Witching Level, and each first-level pair will also be matched with a higher-level pair. You must be accompanied by your own partner any time you enter the Sim Area, and first levels must also have at least one student from their higher-level pair with them at all times. In a pinch, a faculty member or both high-level students when your partner is absent will suffice. Higher-level students whose partners are absent can team up with another pair of the same or higher level. Now, let’s pair off.”