“Do you think Mr. McKenzie was trying to hurt one person in particular, or everyone in the dining hall?”
“You knew all billionaires were bad, but did you ever think he’d tried to murder innocent people at his own institute?”
“Can you confirm that Mr. McKenzie has been using his status to get ahead with the staff? Is he sleeping with the professors?”
“Remy Townsend, can you confirm your old boss is an arsonist?”
The reporters have been at it nonstop for a week. Hounding any student who dares walk into the courtyard. Remy ignored them but it was publicly known that Rylan and she worked on projects together. So, she was asked more directly when we unfortunately had no other route.
Headmaster Sprucian tried to ban them from the school grounds, but the governments agreed they wanted the reporters here for transparency. The world should know how dangerous those with powers were.
A dark narrative was being spun about the newly magical. One I wasn’t sure we’d recover from.
“How’s he doing?” Remy asked.
I scrolled through my phone, checking for any new updates from Rylan, but he hadn’t texted in the last six hours.
“The staff is voting whether or not to kick him out of his own school. Some of the students complained that things are safer without him around. Stating that he’s either the bad guy or a target and we’re all in danger. Strict Susan told the staff that we were in the potions room having sex, so they know he didn’t blow up the dining hall, but still.”
“So, not well.”
I shook my head and shoved my phone into my back pocket.
“Not well at all. On the outside, he looks calm and in control, but on the inside he’s a mess.”
Remy was right when she told me he is a genuinely good man and does care to improve the world for everyone. Which is why I think this is hitting him so hard.
No matter what he does, some will always see him as the villain.
“He doesn’t want to clear his name by having the staff confirm you two were together?” she asked.
I’d asked him the same thing. He said no. He wouldn’t put a target on my back like that, and the best outcome, albeit the hardest was to let things play out. The real bad guy would be revealed soon. He said he saw someone being put into a police car in the near future, but he still couldn’t see who.
“Right. So how do we help him?”
I stopped at the door to my first class and tilted my head at Remy.
“What do you mean?” I heard the words, but something didn’t process right.
She rolled her eyes and smiled.
“I mean between you, me, and Imogene. We can figure out who the bad guy is and clear Rylan’s name. We’ll talk more about later.” She placed a hand on my shoulder with a triumphant expression. I doubted talking meant I’d be talking her out of this plan. She meant drawing up plans on how to help the billionaire no matter how crazy it sounded.
I strode into class with my thoughts swirling. How could I help? I didn’t have the money or power that they did. My magic skills were okay, but there were better classmates than me. My potion skills were pretty great, but it would take some time to figure out how to utilize that knowledge. By no means was I a pro.
My thoughts came to a screeching halt as I sat at my desk, and an annoying voice followed me. “Who would have thought Rylan was a such a naughty man.” Delanie Templeton hopped her ass onto Rylan’s empty side of the desk. “He’ll need someone with a good standing reputation to help him get out of this one. Wonder who that’ll be?” She smirked my way, then looked at her nails. My face grew hot as I stared her down.
“In case you’re too dumb to understand,” she continued. “That meant me,notyou. I’m a beauty queen. My family is rich and has standing in the Kentucky communities. Unlike you.” She pointed a finger at me and moved it up and down. Magic slithered beneath my skin, and I tried taking deep breaths to keep it from making a mess
“You’re like what… a mom. HA! A single mom at that. You couldn’t even keep the guy you fucked your vagina up for with his kid.” She hopped off the desk, faking laughs, bouncing around the class as she stomped her foot like a child. Then, she snapped her fingers at me. “He’s mine.”
I’m not ashamed of what my magic did next, and if that made me a monster then so be it. Accidents happened at a school full of semi-trained magic students.
“Youwere wike soooo dum.” Delanie kept talking and didn’t realize she was shrinking.
“Oh, my word,” someone shouted but I didn’t see who. My attention was wholly on the mini version of Delanie stomping her wittle feet. The magic inside me thought she was acting like a toddler too and took action. It also could have been the little swish of my wand underneath the desk that changed her, but who’s to say?
“I may bejust a mom, but you know who gets shit done better than anyone?Momsdo. I’m gonna find out the truth, and clear Rylan’s name. There’s no better sleuth than a mom.”
