Handing me the beer, he stood back and put his hands on his hips. I watched him as he rested his fingers. They were shaking slightly as he tried to appear relaxed.
“Is everything okay with you?” I said, flicking off the lid of the beer with my finger before taking a swig.
His short laugh was forced. “Perfectly fi-” He stopped talking when I raised an eyebrow.
“Have you forgotten that I’m an Illusionist witch, too? You don’t have to pretend with me.”
“You’re a student, a kid,” he said, shaking his head roughly. “I can’t talk to you.”
Thrusting away, he went over to the counter and poured himself a gin and tonic. Considering he said that he didn’t drink, he had been knocking them back more often. I had noticed on some of my evening shifts that he’d sneaked a drink or two.
“Who do you have to talk to? Plus, I’m eighteen, not fourteen. Those four years make a huge difference in a person’s maturity, just think-”
“Okay, okay!” he said, smiling gently as he put up a hand.
Sitting on the stool on the other side of the bar, he ran his fingers through his thinning hair. I waited for him to speak, desperate for a distraction from my own problems. My aunt’s call had been a reminder of why I was here, but I had to be careful with my steps going forward.
“My friend died.” Frankie’s blunt words made my heart squeeze.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Death was such a bizarre thing to me. One minute, the person you knew and loved was there, the next, they were gone. Forever. As much as I tried to stay positive, – well, you know, as positive as little ol’ me could be – it was something that haunted me before I slept.
Taking a swig of beer, I gulped it down.
“I killed him.” His words were quiet, but I spat my beer regardless, spraying it all over the counter.
“You what?”
My insides quivered as he put his head in his hands and took a deep breath. “He was letting us take too much magic. We didn’t realise we were draining him.”
“We?”
Nodding, he swiped a finger under his eyes. “Selling his magic became his business, he made a fortune. We only realised that he’d been giving it away several times a day after he’d died.”
“You didn’t kill him. He had a choice to do what he did, he should have known that he was being depleted.”
I couldn’t help the shake of my hand as I placed my beer on the bar. Had it really become so desperate for Illusionist witches that normal witches could make a living off of them?
“I know it was his choice, of course, but I can’t help but feel responsible. If it wasn’t for us, he would still be here.” Frankie downed his drink as he blinked away his tears.
Leaning forward, I took hold of the hand that rested on the bar, squeezing the top of it. “Listen to me. You need to get clean. Now is the perfect opportunity.”
Shuddering, he took his hand away. “It’s easy for you to say, I can tell you don’t have trouble getting magic. Just… be careful. It can be addictive and you could end up like me.”
If there was a chance to save another Illusionist witch, maybe it would be the right thing to do. And yet, I paused, unable to utter the words. Seeing how badly it was effecting Frankie made me grateful that my father had helped me become independent of stealing magic from other witches.
“What if I told you that something is in the pipeline? A solution for us to be able to get our own magic without it coming from another witch.”
His laugh was followed by a snort that ejected a snot bubble from his nose. He quickly covered it, his cheeks burning bright red as I laughed, shaking my head in amusement. For a split second, his mood lifted. He might have been a miserable old dude, but we understood each other.
“That sounds like a beautiful dream.” He sighed as he put his glass in the washer at the same time as gesturing at the door. “It’s time for me to close up.”
I took the hint, downing my beer as I stood from my seat. The bar closed for a couple of hours between the lunch and evening rush. Not that there’d been much of a rush today.
“I mean it, Frankie, I’ve seen it. Just keep hope that something is coming.”
Turning, I flung my backpack over my shoulder. Just before I reached the door, my boss called out to me.
“What about you? That phone call seemed pretty intense.”
Smiling as I flicked my hair over my shoulder, I gave him a thumbs up. “It was just a reminder of why I’m here. Today, I start my own private investigation.”
Chapter Four
The echo of my boots slapping on the stone floor made me clench my fists. I didn't trust Dracian Dread. In fact, he had somehow managed to worm his way into our little group. That had to be stopped.
On the way back from the bar, I had replayed the image of him standing outside our window, watching my parents die. He had killed them, and I had to find evidence. Now.
My feet led me to the dorm rooms on the second floor. Bypassing my own door, I reached into my pocket and pressed my magic inducer. The electricity shot through me, making me jerk as I marched on. It was quiet here, the students all studying in the grounds. Dracian was bound to have stayed with the others, asking what the hell was wrong with me.
I had managed to stay hidden on the way back into the academy, stepping behind trees so the group on the grass didn’t spot me. They were laughing and joking, having a nice time. It had made me even more determined to expose him for who he really was.
Whispering an unlocking spell, I approached Dracian's door and smiled when the click of the lock sounded. Trying the handle, I pushed it open, smiling to myself when I stepped into his room and closed the door behind me. The strong scent of him slipped up my nose, making me shudder. Why did he have to smell so damn manly?
“There must be something here,” I muttered, scanning the room.
There were two beds, one on either side. Dracian's roommate was James Seaton-Hinley. It was obvious what side he slept on from the big academy crest above his bed. Not only that, he had a football shirt framed on the wall with his surname on it. Ugh, my estimation of the boy went right downhill. Football fanatics were a whole different breed.
Moving to Dracian's side, I studied the simple navy blue bed covers. A picture of his family stood on his bedside table, the silver frame shaped in a love heart. Had he framed it himself or had his mother chosen the feminine style for him?
Picking it up, I studied his parents. His father grinned broadly, his smile lighting his whole face. Seeing the friendliness radiating from the picture, I could get a sense of why Dracian struggled when his father went to prison.
A sound out in the hallway made me suck in a breath and freeze. Footsteps moved past, the muttering of voices barely audible. When they were gone, I pushed out the air from my lungs. What the hell was I doing? I should have at least planned to raid his room when they were out at the bar or something.
Shaking myself, I got to work. Opening his drawers, I skimmed over his underwear, completely grossed out by what I was doing. How would I feel if someone riffled through my underwear? Yeah, that drawer could go unsearched. Shutting it gently, I looked under his pillow and gasped. At first, the soft leather felt like something that could be a bit kinky, but when my fingers grazed against a ridge, I pulled it out.
“A journal,” I whispered, not quite sure how I had managed to get so lucky.
Feeling into my bag, I pulled out one of my Magic Spells books and tapped it three times, filtering my magic into it. Putting it against the journal, I whispered a spell that turned my spell book into an exact replica of Dracian’s journal.
A sound in the corridor made me shove the original journal back under the pillow and the copy into my bag, tapping it again to make it look like my study book.
“What are you doing?” a voice demanded as the door slammed open.
Dracian stood there, his gaze boring into me. The only tell-tale sign that he was s
hocked was the brief lift of his eyebrows.
Opening my mouth, I stammered without actually speaking. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him as he eyed me. His back was straight, his dark hair a little tousled. I couldn’t help but stare at his deep dark eyes. Why did he make me paralysed?
“Well?”
Coming closer, he cast his eyes towards his pillow before he looked at me again. I swallowed hard, not moving, even when he came and stood right in front of me, his gaze searing into mine.
“I… I… have a confession.”
My brain was racing. How could I come up with an excuse that was acceptable? I had been caught red-bloody-handed. He would be a fool to believe the drivel about to fall from my lips.
“Go on.”
His arms hung by his side, his energy consuming me as I looked up at him. A shudder moved my body before I could stop it, betraying me and making the corner of his lip lift into his cheek in a smirk.
“I’m drawn to you in ways I…” I almost vomited on the floor. Seriously? Was I going to blame a fake – yes, fake – attraction to him to get me out of the stupid pickle I’d got myself into? “…I hate feeling this way about you, I don’t trust anyone.”
Frowning, Dracian reached out a hand. I looked at it, completely baffled as to why he would be offering me his hand. Did he think I was going to get into bed with him or something? No way, I would never do that. Not in this lifetime, anyway. Maybe another, when he wasn’t a killer.
“Give me your bag.”
Huh? Oh right, he wanted my bag. Giving it to him, I tried not to smile to myself. My magic didn’t leave a trace, so when he checked the contents of my bag, he found nothing out of the ordinary.
When he had finished, he dropped it on the floor and came closer still. My whole body froze when his fingers came up and stroked my cheek. Oh crap, what had I gotten myself into?
“I understand what it’s like not to trust anyone.”
“You do?” That wasn’t the response I was expecting.
Not that I really had any clue what I was expecting after my bizarre mostly made-up confession. The witch must think I was a crazy person.
Nodding, Dracian sighed as he backed off. “Ever since my dad was arrested, I’ve had to look over my shoulder. The institute didn’t like his work, and of course, he shared a lot of it with me.”
“He did?”
Okay, now I was sounding like I had completely lost my mind. When would I start stringing a sentence together?
“He trusted me with his work. Every time he came up with a new idea, he let me know the basics. He’s an incredible inventor. He really knows his stuff. Not just with magic but with science too.”
I wanted to hum and look agreeable in all the right places so I didn’t blow my cover, but I actually just needed to go back to my room and read his journal.
“I miss my father,” I blurted in an attempt to make him feel guilty.
A sad smile crossed his face before he sat on the bed, patting it to invite me to sit with him. Shaking my head, I started towards the door. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to go, I-”
His hand shot out, trapping my wrist. “Alishia, I understand.”
“You don’t. I’m messed up, Dracian, I shouldn’t be here.”
Ripping away from him, I thrust towards the door, but when I went to open it, he clicked his fingers, locking it.
Looking at him, I narrowed my gaze. “You need to let me leave.”
“I will… in a moment.”
As he got to his feet and came closer, I swallowed hard, regretting my decision to come to his room. I was getting in deeper and deeper.
“You need to know that I’m not your enemy.” His breath fanned my face as he looked down at me. “I understand you more than you know. My dad might not be dead, but he was taken away from me, just like yours was.”
Clenching his jaw, he reached out an arm. I blinked, unable to stop him from stroking a finger down my nose. Yes, my nose. It was a strange intimate act that made me shudder.
“I need to go,” I squeaked, turning and gripping the handle.
A sigh came from Dracian as the door unlocked. Yanking it open, I rushed out, my feet propelling me away from my embarrassment. What had possessed me to start down the spiral of lies and deceit?
Drumming a finger against my bag as I trotted down the stairs, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I had found what I needed. Dracian’s journal would surely say something about the death of my parents. No matter how long it took, I would find the evidence before I called him out on it… in front of the whole academy.
Chapter Five
My fingers trembled as I shut the journal. It hadn’t been the writing of Dracian Dread, but of his father, Nicholas. An avid secretary of his coven, he had been living a double life. One of normalcy within the coven, and one of invention and mystic away from them.
“Are you ready?” Isabel asked, her sudden appearance making me jump.
I had been hiding in a small alcove near the big double doors of the ballroom. Professor Seaton had called another assembly to update us on the investigation.
My eyes stung as I followed my friends into the hall. I had been reading Nicholas Dread’s journal all night. There had been several interesting snippets in the witch’s journal, but I had read three entries over and over. They referenced myself and my father. The contraption in my pocket had been invented by him alone.
“You look like you’ve been up all night,” Helissa said.
About to lie, I paused when she held up her phone. A picture of Damian flashed on the app we had signed up to.
“That’s him.” Taking her phone when she offered it, I looked closer to double check. “Yep, without a doubt.”
His first name was under his picture, giving us the confirmation we needed. I almost squealed as I handed back the phone and quickly took a seat next to Isabel, who crossed her legs and flicked her hair. We were all on edge, ready to message the man who had been harming the students.
They had apologised when I’d seen them last night, especially when I explained how sensitive our investigation was right now.
“So?” Izzy said as the other students funnelled into the room. “What shall we do next?”
“Have you matched with him?” I asked Helissa as she plonked on the seat next to me, ducking her head when James Seaton-Hinley walked past and winked in her direction.
Oh yeah, was there a little something something going on between the two high profile students?
“No, I wanted to wait for you. I’m not sure I want to do it.”
Seeing James sit with Dracian, I lowered my head and took out my phone. When the boys looked over their shoulders, they would see the top of my hair and nothing else. Helissa was doing the same, fiddling in her bag with nothing in particular. It was only Isabel who smiled and waved at them. It was alright for her, she hadn’t completely embarrassed herself like a fool.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Professor Seaton called for attention as he moved to stand in front of the altar.
His hair was in disarray, his Bon Jovi T-shirt untucked from his jeans. I couldn’t help but feel a little pang of pity for the head teacher. Apparently, he was struggling with the investigation. Considering it was a school of teachers who were ex-agents, something was seriously wrong.
“We’ve had two new students who have lost their magic. Both of them are alive, as is Lucy Bevington, the girl who was seriously injured in the fire. However, we’re slowly closing in on the culprit, so please don’t panic.”
The whispers around the hall built as Mrs Hinley cleared her throat. Her shoulders were slumped as she waited for the professor to go on. I had not seen her so downcast. Was the investigation getting to her too?
“We want you to return to your classes, but please, be on your guard at all times. We ask that you stay in the academy grounds until further notice.”
“He knows it’s an outside threat,” Izzy whispered as the students moaned.
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Being stuck inside campus would be difficult for everyone, including me. We were eighteen, not thirteen, which meant most of us had jobs outside the academy.
“I know, it’s a big ask, but it won’t be for long, I promise.” Seaton held up his hands, demanding silence.
The students quietened, waiting for a better explanation. So far, we hadn’t been given any proof that they were on track to finding the culprit. Surely, we deserved to know what they knew.
“They must have asked the same questions as me,” I told Isabel. “If they think it’s from the outside, they have to know it’s this Damian guy.”
Nodding, Isabel tapped my leg. “Dracian keeps staring over at you. Maybe he knows something?”
“No, I doubt it,” I muttered back. “I have an idea.”
Putting my finger to my mouth, I indicated that Izzy be quiet as Professor Seaton went on.
“The academy will cover any money lost from your jobs in the time that you’re unable to leave. Please give proof of shifts to the treasurer at the end of the week. We will reconvene in two days with an update.” Clicking his fingers, he opened the doors with a spell. “Classes start right away.”
Mumbling, the students slowly left the hall, their whining loud in my ears. I understood, it would be hard staying in the grounds without any freedom. I was meant to work for Frankie tonight, but I would have to get my shift covered somehow.
“What’s your idea?” Isabel asked as we filed out of the ballroom.
Taking both their hands, I dragged them into the teaching wing. Instead of heading for the classrooms, I ducked down the office corridor. Ahead, Seaton and Mrs Hinley were entering his office.
“We tell them what we know,” I said before calling out for the teachers.
Mrs Hinley paused on the threshold of the dark office. Her lips pressed together as we approached, her eyes surveying each of us.
“What is it?” Her words were sharp as she gestured for us to go into the room.
Doing as she requested, we filtered in and made our way to the centre of the carpet. Professor Seaton moved around his desk and took a seat, raising his eyebrows when his gaze landed on us.
Undercover Witch Academy Box Set Page 17