Jeez. I pull out my usual chair and lower myself onto the seat before resting my forearms on the table and staring into space. Theodora wanted us to attend lessons to divert suspicion, but I can't concentrate on anything.
We shouldn't be here waiting for Confederacy to get their backsides into gear. We should be out there searching, not learning how to create a Frostbound Potion. Used for manipulating water, this potion enhances an elemental witch's skills and to be honest seems pretty pointless for the rest of us. But we all need to create one to prove our mixology skills.
Even Jamie stares ahead, pale-faced, when he'd usually sit with his notebook open and ready to go. Andrei's scowl couldn't get any deeper.
If anybody tells us where Maeve is, I won't hang around the academy—I'm damn sure the guys beside me won't, either.
The class begins as I continue to stare across the room, not registering anything as Jamie performs his usual task of collecting all the ingredients and carefully measuring. Andrei slumps forward and rests his head on the desk, again nothing unusual, but nobody comments.
"Where is Maeve?" I blink back to reality as Professor Turlington looks down at me.
"Maeve went home for a few days," says Jamie as he focuses on measuring a white powder in small silver scales. "She'll be back soon."
He cocks his head. "Is she unwell?"
"Stressed," I say. "Things have been tough for her."
Professor Turlington's eyes move to Andrei then back to me. "I hope she's well soon."
Arms folded behind his back, the balding professor continues his circuit of the classroom, pausing occasionally to criticise by pointing out the potion colour is the wrong shade of blue, or ask a question. He can be tough, but since we're dealing with ingredients that could create unknown results if incorrectly mixed, Professor Turlington needs to be firm.
Katherine raises her arm. "Professor Turlington," she says in her sickliest tone. "I left my Potions book in the History of Magic classroom. May I retrieve it?" Pulling a helpless face, Katherine lifts the vial and measuring spoon up. "I'd like to ensure I'm creating this perfectly."
I snort to myself and go back to my work.
"Ms. Edelston, I am not a fool. If you walk from this room, you won't return to finish the lesson."
"I will," she protests. "Please, I need that book. I made so many notes last week and I don't want to screw up this week."
"You can borrow mine," says the brown-haired friend beside her and Katherine flashes her an unimpressed look.
"No. I need that one." She stands. "I'll only take a few minutes."
Professor Turlington shakes his head. "Sit. I'll fetch your book."
Pouting, Katherine does as he says. "Fine. I left the book on a desk at the back of the room. My name is on the cover."
"I'll be a couple of minutes," says the professor, eyeing everybody sternly. "I expect you to stay focused on your lesson. Anybody who causes disruption while I'm gone will find themselves in detention."
"I'll keep an eye on everybody," pipes up Katherine.
Yvette whispers something to the small blonde-haired girl beside her and they both scoff.
"I'm warning you," he says. "Please remember you are mature individuals and not silly children, otherwise I will treat you like one."
Leaving his warning echoing round the class, Professor Turlington slips from the room and leaves the door ajar. To my surprise, everybody puts their heads down and continues working in their groups. Are tensions between the houses calming after all?
“Three... Two... One...,” counts down Andrei.
“What?” I ask.
“Aw, c’mon. Yvette and Katherine are about to kick off.”
Jamie glances up. “I don’t think so. They ignore each other now.”
“Huh.” Andrei sounds disappointed as he slumps back and pulls out his phone.
A handful of students switch to talking or are also on their phones, and the air in the room is boredom, not conflict. Jamie is right. Katherine and Yvette continue to pretend that the other doesn’t exist.
I rub my nose and return to my thoughts about our next move. I understand we can’t take on the Blackwoods without help, but even one day of waiting frustrates the hell out of me. Thoughts that Maeve could be hurt run through my mind, and the scales on my back heat as anger at her situation grows. Jamie checked before and the patch hasn’t grown, but the scales aren’t disappearing. The anger Vince injected into me infected by mind as well as my body. How close did I come to shifting that night?
Clive approaches the bench at the front of the room, ready to add his attempt at the Frostbound potion to the row waiting for inspection. Has he shifted? Partially? Something’s different about him.
I watch absentmindedly and a girl sitting with Katherine stands and makes her way across to the bench too. As she reaches Clive, the girl stumbles and the bright blue potion splashes across his back and drips from his shirt.
"What the fuck?" he shouts and grabs at his shirt.
A Frostbound potion isn't dangerous if spilled, nor does the liquid stain badly, but the Frostbloom petals make the mix intensely cold as the ingredient absorbs body heat.
“Who threw a potion at me?” Clive snaps, turning around from the bench, eyes narrowing.
Chapter Eleven
ASH
Katherine’s friend clutches the empty potion vial in her hand. “I’m so sorry. I tripped.”
He stares back at the pretty vampire, whose face is a mask of innocence.
“Here we go,” says Andrei, and he drops his phone to the desk, face lighting up with glee. “Time for the fun to begin.”
“You’ve soaked my shirt!” Clive roughly unbuttons his shirt before dragging it over his head. A couple of the rugby team groupies whisper to each other as he reveals his impressively muscular torso. I frown. Yeah, this guy is bigger than he was a couple of weeks ago.
He wipes his back with a hand and pulls a face at the sticky blue liquid on his palm and mutters under his breath.
“Clive.” Katherine’s voice interrupts the scene and she jumps down from her seat before moving towards him. “Look. The potion is all over your trousers too.”
Her voice has a seductive lilt I recognise, and she captures his attention with her wide eyes.
Clive’s shoulders drop and he blinks at Katherine. "Yeah?"
Jamie straightens. “Shit. She’s using mental magic on him. Look at his face.”
I rub my temples. Katherine knows her strong mental magic works on shifters within seconds; she's no doubt used this on him in the past. Clive's expression switches from anger to glazed eyes and compliance in a heartbeat. She has him caught in her sights and this won't end well—or help with the tension between Petrescu and Gilgamesh.
"Katherine. Stop," I warn. "This isn't allowed."
Her perfect mouth twitches into a smile and she strokes his cheek. “I bet you're really uncomfortable soaked in the potion,” she purrs. "You should take off your trousers."
Clive's brow tugs down in confusion. "Yeah?" he repeats.