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He dipped his head, and when his cold nose brushed her cheek, he inhaled deeply. A rush went through her body, but through all the euphoria, there was also the sudden tang of danger on her tongue. When his grip on her loosened, she pushed him away.

Sebastian stepped in between them. “May I suggest you take your hands off my date?”

“And you’re, what? Her Caster in bright and shining armor?” Dawson asked with a smile as he straightened his jacket.

“They should have locked you up when they had the chance, Wielder filth.”

Mira’s heart raced, and she wasn’t sure if it was a good sign. She was happy, she knew that, but the way her adrenaline kept surging suggested it wasn’t all good.

Dawson whistled. “Now, now. We don’t want to use bad words as a good little Caster. I’m sure there is a rule against it in your precious oath.”

“There is no rule against calling you out for what you are.”

Mira only wanted to dance and laugh, but Dawson’s sharp and dangerous smile made her tense.

“You better not look at your date’s right hand, then,” he said wickedly. “Or did you forget she’s Wielder filth as well?”

Sebastian stood taller, blocking Mira like he was a shield. “Fuck off.”

“Might want to ask her how she got her first signifier.” He winked at Sebastian, and when he walked away, he bumped into his shoulder with purpose.

“I’m so sorry. Are you all right?” her date asked, and she tried to shake off the coldness that had settled in her, which clearly didn’t belong. “Let’s not have him ruin our night.”

Mira watched Dawson disappear into the crowd while her date fetched the Goldwine glasses from the counter.

The next two hours she spent dancing and laughing with Sebastian and her friends. She was mid-spin when she saw Dawson in the distance, still staring at her like a predator eyeing its prey. Evren was talking to him, but Dawson didn’t react, keeping his gaze locked on her. Why did he look so angry? She moved across the dance floor with the other pairs and tried to make sense of it.

Sebastian’s hand went to the small of her back, and when she locked eyes with Dawson, she imagined it to be his. From across the room, his silver eyes seared through her. It was a magnetic pull she could barely resist. He seemed bad for her, but she couldn’t remember why.

Her heart beat faster as she thought back to Dawson holding her this close, his fingers gliding across her dress. The brush of his skin on hers. His sharp inhale against her face from earlier. She wanted to go back in time and pull him tighter against her. She wanted to taste it on her lips—spearmint and whiskey. She wanted to taste him.

When Sebastian pulled her closer, Dawson’s hand around the crystal glass tightened and Mira realized he wasn’t angry. He’s jealous. It seemed impossible, but now she wanted to test the theory. She ran a hand up Sebastian’s arm and Dawson’s eyes narrowed. Another feeling flooded her and she couldn’t even pinpoint what it was. She felt lightheaded from it in the best way possible. She wanted more.

She moved her hair from her left side, exposing her neck, and leaned to the other side ever so slightly. Sebastian got the hint. Dawson’s eyes turned to stormy mercury, and she could taste the danger.

When her date gently kissed her neck, she held Dawson’s stare and pictured his lips on her pulse point. They wouldn’t be this gentle. They would claim her. And she wanted them to.

Dawson didn’t move a muscle, but his nostrils flared with angry breaths. A wild flutter started in her stomach and spread to her chest.

When the song was over, she was breathless, staring at Dawson from across the room. With an angry gulp, he finished his drink and walked away, and that was when she noticed the grandfather clock. She had forgotten the time, and her potion would wear off in ten minutes, which seemed inconsequential because she couldn’t picture herself feeling anything but happy.

In her research, she had read there was a rather harsh comedown from gavisus. It was Dark Magic, after all. Since she had never used it before, she wanted to stick to her decision to return to her room before the side effects hit her.

“It’s time for me to call it a night,” she said to Sebastian.

“I had a lot of fun,” he replied, walking her to the hallway outside the ballroom. Because he couldn’t escort her to her room in the Dark Magic section, this is where they would have to say good night.

“Me too,” she said, and for the first time in years, it was true.

Her feet hurt and her heart raced from the dancing. She felt dizzy from it all. Maybe she didn’t have to remove her scar? It didn’t seem necessary anymore. Ella was right; the gloves were unnecessary.

“Maybe we could do it again sometime? Something less audacious than an Ivercrest ball, perhaps?”

She laughed. “If I don’t have to wear a ball gown.”

When he left, she walked to the magic gate to enter the Dark Magic building. She had one minute left. Skipping down the hallway, she thought about dates and her future. Maybe it was time to focus on something other than her scar? She had given it too much power over her life. There were so many good things to focus on. She was at Ivercrest with Ella, and her future was bright.

And then, out of nowhere, a cold feeling stopped her dead in her tracks. It hit her so suddenly, she almost dropped to the floor. Like a wave, all her old thoughts came crashing down on her again. She gasped, feeling the darkness claw itself through her chest bit by bit.