“SO, IF YOU VISUALIZE THE existing enchantment as a frequency,” I say, gesturing to the silver ring resting on the table between us, “resonance amplification works by matching that frequency and then gradually increasing it. Like...” I tip my head while searching for the right analogy to explain this concept. “Like harmonizing with a song and then making it louder.”
Aric watches me intently from across the library table. We’re in our usual corner, surrounded by textbooks and parchment covered in Aric’s handwriting. It’s been a week since we returned from Faunwood, and tutoring has resumed—though it feels different now.
When we got back, the girlsbombardedme with questions about how the trip went. I barely made it through the door of NT33 before Lyra pounced.
“Tell us everything!” she demanded, pulling me down onto the couch while Alina and Maeve abandoned thepuzzle they’d been working on to gather around. “Did you share a room? Did he kiss you? Did you—”
“Lyra,” Alina interrupted, though her blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Give her a chance to breathe.”
But there was no escaping the interrogation. While we sipped tea together, I told them about Aurora’s family, the memory mist, and exploring the village. When I mentioned the one-room situation at the inn, Lyra actually squealed, and even Maeve arched an intrigued brow.
“And?” Lyra pressed, leaning forward eagerly where she sat on the floor by the fire, its flames illuminating her crimson curls. “What happened?”
My cheeks flamed hot enough to rival any fire spell. “We... talked. A lot. And he was a perfect gentleman.”
“Boring,” Lyra declared with a shake of her head.
Maeve studied me more carefully, and something knowing flickered in her storm-purple eyes. “But not too much of a gentleman, right?”
That gave it away; I couldn’t hold my smile back any longer.
I buried my face in my hands, and all three of them erupted into joyous laughter—and for the first time, I felt like I could actually join in on their conversations about men and sex, when before, I’d felt like an outcast, even if that was never their intention.
Now, a week later, I’m still getting knowing looks from them whenever Aric’s name comes up. But it’s not nearly so embarrassing as I thought it would be.
The real problem is that I can’t stop thinking about whatwe did together in the inn that night... and wondering when we’ll do it again, because I’dreallylike to.
Aric studies the ring—the one I helped him enchant early in the semester using that rune map we worked on. “So, I need to feel the magic that’s already there first, then amplify it.”
“Exactly. It’s one of the most useful spells for runework.” I tap my notes. “If you can master this, you’ll be able to strengthen any rune you create. Make them last longer, work more powerfully.”
“That would be helpful,” he says, and there’s something thoughtful in his tone, like he’s considering a specific situation, but he doesn’t elaborate.
“Helpful for a lot of things,” I agree. “Here, I’ll demonstrate with the ring, since you’re already familiar with its enchantment.”
I pick up the silver band carefully. It’s delicate and feminine, and I can see the faint etching on the inside where a name seems to have once been inscribed, though it’s been worn smooth with age and handling.
“First, I attune to the existing magic.” I take a slow breath, letting my awareness sink into the ring’s enchantment. I can feel the magic from the rune map we created together, feeding the steady glow. “Then I match the resonance...”
Aric leans forward, seeming eager to watch, and beneath the table, his leg brushes mine, bringing back memories of the night we spent together: his mouth on my neck, the touch of his fingers along my skin, the sounds we made together in the darkness. Immediately, my concentrationwavers, and instead of smoothly amplifying the enchantment, my magic causes the ring to flare with bright light, sending a shower of harmless golden sparks across the table.
One lands on Aric’s nose.
I gasp and immediately try to brush the rogue spark away, but Aric’s already laughing—that deep, rumbling laugh that I’d recognize anywhere.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, my cheeks burning. “I don’t know what happened. I’ve done this so many times—”
“Seems like you got distracted,” Aric says, still grinning. He leans back in his chair and crosses his arms, his biceps bulging beneath his long-sleeved academy tunic. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to dock points for that performance, Miss Waverly. Lack of focus. Sloppy spellwork—”
“It’s a very precise spell,” I protest, trying not to laugh.
“—and dangerous discharge of magical energy,” he continues, ignoring me. “That spark could have damaged my mother’s ring. Or singed my eyebrows.”
The mention of his mother makes me immediately sober. “Oh goddess, I’m so sorry. I didn’t hurt it, did I?” I pick up the ring anxiously, examining it for any damage.
“Hey, I’m kidding,” Aric says gently, his teasing tone gone. “The ring is fine. More than fine—it’s probably the most well-protected piece of jewelry in the entire academy with how many times I’ve practiced on it.”
I turn the ring over in my fingers, studying the worn inscription inside. “You... don’t talk about your mother much,” I say. He told me a few stories about her while we walked through Faunwood before meeting Aurora, butthat’s it. And I’d like to know more about her, but I don’t want to push him.
