Page 61 of Revenge is a Witch

I narrow my eyes at him, reaching for my hairbrush. “Yeah, well, if you don’t want Kyla to suspect anything, you’ll need to make an appearance today, you know. Don’t want her thinking I’ve completely stolen you away.”

Derek, now with his head out from under the blanket, smirks. “As if she doesn’t already know.”

"True," I mutter, grabbing my bag and double-checking that my spell ingredients for the day are still in there. "But let’s not give her any reason to prematurely implode just yet, okay?" I glance back at the bed, where they’re both still lying, watchingme with those annoyingly attractive smirks of theirs. “Seriously. Get up. World domination doesn’t just happen, you know.”

Sebastian finally swings his legs over the side of the bed, stretching his arms. “Alright, alright, boss. We’re moving.”

Derek follows, still a little slower, his grin turning playful as he pulls his shirt on. “You know, I’d argue world domination does happen in bed, but fine. I’ll behave.”

I roll my eyes, smirking as I grab my jacket. “Behaving? That’ll be a first.”

As we all get ready to leave, I feel that little buzz of excitement. Today’s another step closer to making Kyla’s world unravel. But for now, class calls—and I’d rather face my professors than give Kyla the satisfaction of knowing she’s the reason I missed anything.

World domination will just have to wait until after Kyla.

Burst Her Bubble

What's A Queen Without A Crown?

After a morning of classes, my brain is only half-functional, but I’m still riding high on the adrenaline from last night.World domination starts with a solid plan,I think, but honestly, I’m also really looking forward to showing off in the cafeteria today. No more slinking around like Kyla owns the place.

Professor Malakar, our formidable teacher, stands at the front of the room, her sharp eyes darting over the class like a hawk scanning for prey. Her graying hair is pulled back in a tight, no-nonsense bun, matching the austere charcoal robes she always wears. She’s the kind of witch who could probably hex someone into next week with just a glare, and judging by the anxious fidgeting of the students around me, we’re all very aware of it.

Today, though, she seems particularly intense, as if she can sense the collective unease in the room.Probably because half of us are terrified of accidentally blowing up the classroom,I think wryly.

"Miss Zaria," her voice cuts through my thoughts like a well-honed blade, drawing me back to reality. “How are you managing with your new grimoire?”

I straighten up, meeting her gaze with what I hope looks like calm confidence. “I’ve got it handled, Professor,” I say, doing my best not to sound like I’m lying through my teeth. It’s not a total lie—Iammanaging. Just maybe not as gracefully as I’d like.

Professor Malakar’s sharp eyes narrow ever so slightly, clearly not buying my calm act. She gives me a small nod, though, acknowledging the response. “Good. But remember, a grimoire is a living tool. If you neglect it, it will neglect you.”

“Got it,” I reply, forcing a grin. “No neglecting the book of magical doom.”

Her expression softens just a fraction, almost like she’s holding back a smirk. Almost.

“Carry on,” she says, moving her gaze to the next victim—er, student.

As she turns away, I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding.That went well,I think, rolling my shoulders to release the tension. But of course, Malakar isn’t one to let us off easy, and soon she’s launching into a deep dive about spell endurance and magical stamina, concepts I’m already familiar with but will apparently never stop hearing about.

By the time class ends, I’m more than ready for a change of pace—and for something that involves fewer lectures about how not to accidentally set yourself on fire.

Next up is Elemental Magic with Professor Ember. This class? Total cakewalk for me. It’s not that I don’t respect the power of elemental forces—trust me, I do—but when it comes to manipulating fire, water, air, and earth, I’m basically in my element. Pun intended.

Professor Ember starts talking about refining our control over multiple elements at once, and I spend most of the classdaydreaming about the perfect fireball I could toss at Kyla’s stupid blonde wig. Okay, maybe not the best idea, but the temptation is there. I manage to hold back, though, and by the time lunch rolls around, I’m itching for some action. The slow simmer of frustration over everything bubbling beneath the surface.

Strutting into the cafeteria feels like the most natural thing in the world now. No more second-guessing. I spot Derek sitting at a table near the back, and to my surprise, Hank is there too. My eyebrows shoot up as I slide into the seat next to Derek.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite hacker,” I greet Hank, leaning back with a smirk. “What brings you to the social center of misery today?”

Hank doesn’t even look up from his phone, his fingers still tapping away. “Needed a break from hex-proofing my hard drive.”

Derek snorts, shoving a tray of fries toward me. “He’s also here because I promised him snacks.”

“Oh, snacks,” I say, grabbing a fry. “Well, now that I’m here, your day just got infinitely better.”

Hank finally glances up, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Yeah, about that. I’ve got some intel for you.”

I freeze mid-fry, giving him a look. “Go on.”

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