“See? Told you she was weak,” Gabby called. “She can’t even lift a little rock.”
“Miss Ciar, that is enough,” Professor Lunesta snapped. Gabby kept her mouth shut after that, though both her and Elijah were wearing giddy looks.
“I think she’s okay,” I told her friends. “She’s breathing fine. Just wiped out.”
They still looked worried. I held Emma closer to me and looked to Professor Victor. “I think she needs to rest. I’ll take her back to her dormitory.”
“Yes, that’s all very well, Mister Nowak. Make sure to tend to her carefully. You are excused,” Professor Victor said, waving me off.
The activity resumed, and I walked toward the school. As I entered, everyone’s eyes gravitated to me, then to Emma hanging limply in my arms.
Emma blearily came round as we passed the cafeteria. “What… happened?”
“You fainted,” I told her. “I’m taking you to bed.”
That sounded wrong. I stuttered as I said, “I mean, uh— I’m taking you to lie down.” Fuck, that wasn’t right, either. And now it was provoking images that were about to give me a hard-on.
Great. Emma needed me, and all I could think of was getting her naked. Not the right time, Nowak.
She blinked a few times, trying to comprehend what I was saying, before the meaning suddenly hit her. “What? No!” Emma weakly pushed against me. “Put me down. I can’t be seen like this.”
“Too late,” I told her. “Everyone’s already noticed.”
She groaned. Her head hit my chest, though she didn’t try to get away. She was still too tired.
When we got to her dorm, I put her down on the bed and covered her up with a blanket. She stared straight ahead at the wall and said, “How am I ever going to be a sorceress if I faint every time I do advanced magic?”
I sat on the edge of her bed. “You can get stronger,” I told her. “It’s like ice skating, right? A little at a time. You don’t do jumps before you learn how to glide. If you work yourself up to it, I’m sure you can handle it.”
A bit of hope came into her gaze before it quickly faded. “I guess so.”
“You need water,” I said. I got up and headed to the mini-fridge and yanked it open.
“Ethan, don’t,” she protested.
I didn’t listen. Inside, I found water, along with a shit ton of snacks— damn, Emma loved junk food— along with several strange glass bottles that were filled with a clear liquid. They looked medical.
I took out a glass bottle and turned it in my head. Human plasma? “What are these for?” I asked.
“Nothing. Just leave it,” she said.
She wasn’t ready to tell me. I bet it had to do with her condition. I still didn’t know what it was. Had it been the reason she’d passed out today? It was so severe that she needed plasma to survive?
I put the bottle back and instead grabbed a water bottle. I wouldn’t pry if she wasn’t ready. I handed the water to her, and she took a few sips.
“I think I should stop by the rink and tell Lady Magdalina you won’t be coming to practice,” I said slowly. “You have lessons on Fridays, right? You should probably skip.”
“Fuck all if I will,” she said violently.
“Emma.”
I stared at her, and she let out a resentful sigh. “Fine.”
She closed her eyes and snuggled into her pillow. I made way for the door. “My classes are done for the day. I’ll be in my dorm if you need anything.”
“Not like I’ll be able to get up anyway, let alone make it down the hall.”
Her tone was resentful. I decided saying anything else would probably be a mistake, so I left quietly.
