Page 86 of Self Studies

“Wow, you knew that from the smell?” I asked.

Tanwyn cocked his head to the side. “I’d love to take the compliment, but your tablet’s open to the recipe.”

Blood rushed to my cheeks. I glanced down at the glowing tablet screen with the potion's name in big, bold letters.

Tanwyn took a step closer to me. “You look adorable when you blush. I hope it’s not prying too much, but why wait until today to make these? It was obvious after Metaphysics you could have used them when you first got here.”

I opened my mouth and then shut it. I’d spent my life making potions for other people. It never occurred to me to make them for myself. “Am I making these for myself?”

Tanwyn raised one eyebrow. “I can’t imagine why else Abe would have you making them during runes class unless she wanted you to drink them as soon as possible.”

I bobbed my head and watched the skinny woman stick a cookie in her mouth. She started scolding Saffron, without blowing crumbs on him with every harsh word. I couldn’t help but be impressed.

“I don’t understand why she’d do that,” I said, lowering my gaze to the bubbling cauldrons. “The clasps don’t change anything.”

“They put you in clasps?” Tanwyn asked. He picked up one of my hands and pulled back my sleeve. “Aphrodite,” he said softly.

He traced the raised pink skin around the metal edges. I pulled my arm back, not wanting his pity.

“Is Tanwyn bothering you?” Ram asked, coming up behind me and boxing me into my table.

I shuddered and pulled my sleeve back over the clasps. “He’s not.”

Ram shuffled forward, so his front almost touched my back. “Bold this afternoon, aren’t you, Lover?”

I tried to move forward, but my thighs hit the table, rattling my cauldron.

“Why don’t you piss off, Ram,” Tanwyn said, raising his voice slightly.

I looked at the tattooed summoner. Unlike the hulk behind me, Tanwyn’s lean muscles looked more suited to running and holding things for a long time. I tried to motion for Tanwyn to run, but it was too subtle.

He planted his feet instead.

“Yo,” a new deep voice came from my other side. “What’s up over here?”

Ram’s heat left my backside, and I flipped up my hood. I had to fight my urge to crawl under the table to get away from him. Instead, I turned.

Although Ram still stood too close, the new arrival moved to my side. Ghalen’s shirt and red tie hung off a leather belt slung low across his hips, leaving him bare-chested. His muscles rippled, and his abs disappeared in two perfect ‘Vs’ into his low pants. He’d sent me the simple fantasy of being a superhero flying in a cape – though the image conflicted with the video Sandy’d shown me of him and his harem going at it.

Ghalen settled himself at my side and leaned casually against my workstation, making the blood rush to my cheeks.

Ram’s eyes blazed. “I was making sure Tanwyn here isn’t bothering the new girl.”

Ghalen bumped my shoulder with his. “Is anyone bothering you?”

I flushed. “Well, all of you are, technically.”

Ghalen’s eyes twinkled, and he held back a laugh. “You tell it like it is. Let’s give her some space.”

Tanwyn mimicked Ghalen on my other side. Both looked expectantly at Ram.

“Starting with you,” Tanwyn added when Ram still didn’t back up.

Ram narrowed his eyes. “Advisor Crowe has your new schedule. I’ll come to get you from your dorm this evening to retrieve it.”

I wanted to shake my head and tell him to piss off. Instead, I nodded.

With the other two mages watching him, Ram moved back to his workstation. The sound of a beaker hitting a table drew my attention. Saffron looked away from me as I peered at him.

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