It made me feel uncomfortable.
But there was also a part of me, a darker part of me that recognized the hunger in Norman—and Wanda’s—gaze. And no one hadeverlooked at me like that. Like I was downrightdelectable.At least no one had before I arrived at this academy.
And maybe that’s why I decided to push away my instincts, to ignore the alarm bells ringing in my brain.
I’d never beenwantedbefore, and a part of me wanted to explore that dark, uncharted territory.
“What... what exactly do you have planned?” I asked, swallowing nervously.
Norman grinned like the cheshire cat, glowing eyes and all.
“I thought perhaps we could show you where the magic really happens,” he said.
* * *
Mirrors were practically bannedin our house because my mother always claimed they were portals or gateways to other worlds, and we didn’t welcome unwanted spirits. Or Fae.
Apparently the Fae were fans of mirrors or something.
So I was not expecting Norman and Wanda to bring me to a room full of mirrors, like some off-brand funhouse.
“It’s the easiest way to travel here,” Wanda said as she stood in front of one, holding her hand out to me.
“As long as you’re off campus, these babies will take you anywhere you want to go,” Norman said with a grin. “These tunnels were made by our ancestors, so I’m going to have to swear you to secrecy,” he said, his tentacle wrapping around my shoulder, bringing me close.
“You can keep a secret, can’t you, Violet?” he purred, his voice smooth and dark like uncharted waters.
“Of course,” I said, my own breath catching in my throat.
“Unless you are human, of course, which in that case, you wouldn’t be able to go... well, anywhere. But, you don’t have to worry about that. Obviously.”
“What are you talking about?” I said as I pulled back, looking between the two of them with concern.
“Of course I’m human, I—”
“Oh bless your heart, little starfish, you must’ve grown up with mortals,” Wanda purred.
“I saw your little fireworks display with thebane of my existence,earlier. Only one type of magic that reacts to Celtic magic, like that. Fae magic.”
Norman let go of me, using the end of his tentacle arm to nudge me toward his girlfriend.
At least, my instincts told me she was his girlfriend, but she didn’t seem too concerned about his handsy suckers or his flirtations with me.
“I don’t know, it doesn’t seem safe, what if you’re wrong, what if—” Sweat started to form under my breast, along my temple, and my magicebbedbeneath the surface, as if it had a voice of its own.
Maybe a part of me wanted to refute such a claim. I didn’t deny I had magic, but it had always been kept a secret, like some thing to be hidden. Blackthorn mentioned I was of Fae blood, but my parents werehuman.
It didn’t make sense.
Magic didn’t mean a person wasn’t a... person. A human.
There were plenty of witches, wizards, psychics... all human.
So how was it that Norman’s insinuations, along with Blackthorn’s, made me feel worse about the answer I’d asked for...
I grabbed hold of Wanda’s hand, her long, lithe fingers curling around mine. My hand heated at her touch, her warmth.
“You are safer with us than you will ever be next to someone like Bane,” she assured me, and again that weird anger resurfaced.
