by LJ Swallow
"Theodora told us not to go."
"And you agree with her?" I ask.
Both guys gawk at me. "Alone? Yeah, that could be dangerous."
I heave in a breath and pick at the moss on the wall. "Does she want the Confederacy involved?"
"Maybe it's time they were." Ash pulls himself from the wall. "We need to be prepared for what happens if and when Vince returns."
"No way. He wouldn't," Jamie retorts.
My mouth parches at the idea of involving the Confederacy, who I swear are behind my stint at Ravenhold.
"Yeah. Maeve's life could be in danger, Andrei. This is one thing I don't think we can do alone." The defeat in Ash’s slumped stance hurts us all.
My heart beats faster as Ash walks back into the building. Jamie silently follows. I know they're right, but with truth and lies blurring more daily, Confederacy involvement scares me.
No. Maeve is the most important person here. Hell, the Confederacy would do anything to keep her safe.
Chapter Ten
ASH
I didn't spend time around Gilgamesh today, too busy talking to Theodora or sitting helplessly with Jamie not knowing what the fuck to do. Now I understand how Maeve felt when Andrei's life was threatened.
We wait outside Potions, the three of us silent, and half-watch Clive and the rest of Vince's little gang.
I may not remember much, but I'm positive the place is a base for Vince's army, which we now suspect has been created by Dominion.
How big is Vince's army?
Are any of them Mids?
Theodora takes the full story about Vince with her usual calmness and informs us Tobias mentioned his suspicions, although I caught her frustration that we'd hidden some truth from her. She'll tell the Confederacy of course, but I hope she realises this is a delicate matter, considering this will shake the unity with shifters. She'll be diplomatic, but what will happen?
Distracted by my thoughts, I don't realise I'm now staring at Clive. The powerful shifter jerks his head to indicate I should move to the wall and sidesteps the group. Do I go to him? I pause then head over.
Since I've avoided him for a few days, I've not noticed he's taller than me now and his blazer is tighter across his shoulders. Crap. I study his face—at least his features haven't changed.
"You seen Vince?" he asks.
I pull a noncommittal face. "Nah."
"We were supposed to meet up with him this morning for training." His heavy brow furrows.
"Rugby training? I didn't know we had practice today."
Clive scratches his nose. "Not rugby training."
"Oh?"
"Yeah." His mouth thins. "Where is he, Ash?"
"Did you try his rooms in the staff quarters?" I ask, knowing he isn't there. I already checked.
"Yeah. Called him too. No answer.” As he speaks, he scrutinises my face, as if I have the answers he needs. “Where d’you go last night? You were late back.”
“My parents.”
His eyes narrow. “You drove there and back in one night?”
“My mum’s birthday,” I lie. “As if I need to account to you.”
Clive perks up. “So, Vince was there?”
Shit. “I saw him briefly last night.” Not quite a lie. “Maybe he had a few too many beers and he’ll be back later?”
“It’s ten.”
I cross my arms. “Why the interrogation, Clive? I’m sure Vince will be back with his favourite boys soon.”
“You taking the piss?”
I gesture at him. “You been working out?”
“Yeah.” He grins and flexes his bicep.
Even with a more regular workout, Clive wouldn’t look like this in a couple of days. “Where was the training if it wasn’t rugby?”
“The moors behind the school. Endurance instead of practice with a ball.” I try to hold his gaze, but he shifts his eyes. The moors. The truth still draws a line between us. We both know what happened the night Vince took us to the farmhouse. How did Vince convince them to lie about what really happened?
“The night at the cottage—” I begin.
Clive blinks and turns away. “Remi. Ash hasn’t seen him either.”
The burly guy heads back to his mates. Last year, the group excluding me would’ve hit my pride and made me fight harder for the top dog spot. A lot in Clive's attitude reminds me the direction I could’ve headed. Yeah, I was the nice guy who charmed people rather than held court with my ego, but I know I would've taken on Clive if he'd tried to take over Gilgamesh.
If Vince doesn’t return, will I need to?
I turn back to Jamie and Andrei and catch sight of Katherine. She’s surrounded by friends as usual, but her attention is wholly focused on Clive. If she were capable, Katherine would burn a hole into the back of his head, judging by her expression.
Her eyes flick to me and judge me with the same disgust. Doesn't she remember that I stood up for her against Clive's arsehole behaviour? Irritation rises with the idea she'd tar me with the same brush.
The students file into the Potions classroom and the atmosphere isn't any different to last time—the animosity in the air is thick and the houses are tight in their groups. Andrei sits beside me and links his hands behind his head as he leans back, either oblivious to—or ignoring—Yvette glowering at him.
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.
"Yes," she whispers.
As Clive’s fingers go to his belt buckle, a ripple of amusement moves through the classroom.
“Clive! Dude!” Remi rushes over and shoves at his friend. “Stop.”
My mouth drops open as Clive halts and looks around in bewilderment. The others told me how powerful Katherine is, but this amount of control is crazy.
Clive’s belt jingles as it drops it to the floor.
The witches nearby chuckle as Clive continues his impromptu striptease, eyes on Katherine's as she whispers to him. How far can she persuade Clive to go?
Two of Katherine’s friends appear at either shoulder—a row of girls in solidarity against the guy who humiliated their friend. Several other shifters stand to join Remi and Clive, but the vampires catch their attention first.
"Sit," says Katherine.
Remi and the others sit back down when told, like primary school kids scolded by a teacher.
“Katherine can’t do this,” I say. “She’ll get herself into more trouble.”
“I don’t think she cares,” says Andrei as his eyes sparkle with amusement. “Reckon she can get Clive naked?”
Naked.
“Whoa. Is she doing this for revenge?” I ask.
“Duh,” replies Andrei, and I grit my teeth.
Clive’s grey uniform trousers drop to the floor and pool around his ankles, revealing bright red boxer briefs. A Petrescu kid shouts a laugh. “Nice undies, dude.”
“Oh, Clive,” Katherine says with a sigh. “Can’t you feel the potion soaking through those too? Take them off.”
A scintillated gasp replaces the earlier amused ripple. I’m not Clive’s biggest fan currently, but I don’t agree with public humiliation. “Katherine.”
She blinks round at me. “Yes?”
“Don’t do this.”
“Do what?” She purses her lips innocently and tosses Clive’s trousers to her friend.
“Don't get yourself suspended or expelled.”
She moistens her lips then looks away from me. Clive gazes around the classroom but it's as if he isn't here; his eyes focus back on Katherine's as soon as she says his name. The other guys shout out to him, but he's oblivious.
Biting her lip in amusement, Katherine closes the gap between them and leans into his ear. Her hair falls forward and brushes his cheek as she whispers something.
The classroom erupts into laughter as Clive turns away, toward his friends, and drops his briefs. At the same moment, the girl who spilt the potion pulls out a phone and points it at his backside.
"That's enough!" I shout and shove my way towards him.
"Clive! Turn around!" calls Katherine.
"Holy crap. I do not want to see his junk," mutters Andrei.
Clive slowly begins to turn, and a hushed class waits.
"Katherine!" I grab my blazer and stand between them. "Don't lower yourself to their level."
"What in the stars' name is happening here?" Professor Turlington's horrified voice booms into the room. "Clive Hudson, dress immediately. Is this your idea of a joke?"
"The vampire bitch did this," snarls Remi. "She used mental magic on Clive."
Katherine sighs and clicks her fingers at Clive, whose expression switches from zoned out to freaked out. His hands go to his crotch as he covers his junk, then he grabs my blazer to tie around his waist by the sleeves, his face paling.
"Is that true, Katherine?" asks the professor.
She tips her chin and makes her way back to her seat, refusing to answer.
"Shifters are easy to control," says h
er friend with a smirk. "All brawn and no brains. Took seconds."
"So you did this?' asks the professor.
"All three of them," barks Remi. "They humiliated Clive."
"Like he did with his pictures of me?" asks Katherine.
"That wasn't me, I told you." Clive pulls up his briefs from around his ankles. "You'll regret this, Katherine."
"Oh? Are you threatening me, wolf boy?"
"What did you call me?" he growls.
"Well, you definitely have more hair on that arse since the last time I saw it."
The speechless Jamie breaks his silence. "Is Clive usually that hairy, Ash?"
I open my mouth to protest that I don't look at Clive's backside on a regular basis when Andrei nudges me. "C'mon. You're rugby boys. You've seen his arse at least once."
"I dunno," I mutter. "Maybe."
Yvette claps her hands together. "See what I mean, guys? Shifters can't trust the vamps either. Who knows what magic they'd use on you next?"
"This happened because we don't get to train in mental magic," says Clive, parroting Vince. "We're excluded because we're 'dumb shifters'."
Professor Turlington looks away. "Clive. Use my office to dress. Katherine. Stay where you are until the rest of the class leave and I will fetch Professor Whitlock to deal with you."
Katherine runs her tongue across her teeth. "But, Professor, Professor Whitlock isn't teaching today. His class is cancelled because he's unavailable."
"You don't escape your punishment that easily. I'll go to his quarters."
"I heard he isn't at the academy," pipes up the girl beside her.
"Hmm. How strange that Tobias is missing along with his favourite pupil." Katherine cocks her head and arches a brow in her direction.
"Don't be ridiculous," retorts Jamie. "Maeve went home."
But the seed of doubt is planted by Katherine's words and the murmuring begins again, the focus switching from Katherine and Clive's performance.
Katherine, as ever, dug deep into her repertoire to cause as much trouble as she can. Won't she ever learn the consequences of her actions?