Professor Hayes frowns. “So some say, yes. Which is why blood magic has been outlawed. Blood is indeed, a powerful magical amplifier, but it isn’t the only amplifier. Miss Bowen, another amplifier?”
“Words of power?”
“Quite right. Beyond blood and words of power, there are all kinds of things that can amplify magic: plants, symbols, tools like crystals…” He turns to me with a grin. “You’re probably tiring after casting for so long, but I promise it’s for a reason.” He snatches a faceted crystal orb off his desk and holds it in the stream of my magic and I startle when I feel my magic crackle back along itself like a live wire. “Ah, you felt that one, didn’t you?”
Magic buzzes in the air around me, catching in my hair like static electricity. It sparks along my skin just like it did before my father locked it away, potent and powerful, sending a shiver skittering up my spine.
That’s when the whispers start. Whispers only I can hear. Awe and envy from my classmates. Covetous rage and slurs from Kel where he slouches in his seat at the back of the class. I hear his voice, laced with disgust, in my mind.
Fucking cunt. Rad should have—
A sharp knock comes at the classroom door and Headmaster Langford steps in, followed by an all-too-familiar mage inspector.
And that’s when I understand.
Senior Mage Inspector Mattis, here to question me in connection to Luca.
“Miss Rose, I’m afraid I’ll have to steal you away from your studies. Professor Hayes, you have my apologies. Apparently,” the headmaster says, his usually jolly face set in a stern glare, “this couldn’t wait.”
Anders’ whore,I hear in Kel’s disdainful voice.Finally getting what’s coming to her.
My magic snaps back into my body, sparks burning the tips of my fingers, and I stagger, kept from falling only by Marcus appearing at my side, my bag in one hand.
There’s no way she had anything to do with it…I look up at Professor Hayes, but his words went unspoken.
Just as Mattis’ do when I meet his glare with one of my own.Spoiled omega cunt.
Just as Rad’s did when he swore to dominate, degrade, and defile me.
CHAPTER2
Mattis taps a stack of photographs against the polished top of Headmaster Langford’s stately, carved wooden desk. Disdain pours off him and I shy away as he tosses one of the photographs down onto the desk.
“Do you know this alpha?”
I pick up the picture with shaking hands, already knowing it’ll be Luca’s pale green eyes staring back at me.
He’s gaunt under the too-bright lights of the police station, dark bags under his eyes, and has a hardness to him I’ve seen only a few times before—when he swore he’d protect me and, like the naive omega I am, I believed him.
“Yes, I know this alpha. Luca and I were friends.”
“Just friends?” Mattis shoots me a pointed look and I notch my chin up, glaring back at him. The mage inspector wants to see me suffer. He wants to bring me low and shame me.
But I’ve already been brought lower than I thought possible.
And the only shame I feel is for falling so completely, so naively, for a lie. “I fail to see how that’s of any importance. I told you I know him. What other questions do you have for me?”
“Where were you on Sunday afternoon, between the hours of one to five-thirty?”
My heart skips a beat, kicking in my chest. “I was at St. Matilda’s diner with a group of friends, including Luca, until around two. I was with Luca for the rest of the afternoon after that.”
“Where?”
“We were in his dorm room.”
Mattis sneers, but I merely raise a brow in challenge. “And what were you doing with Mr. Anders?”
“Once again, Mister Mattis, I fail to see how that’s any of your business.”
