Page 71 of Revenge is a Witch

Sebastian grimaces. "Look, I’m not entirely clear on the details, but there’s a chance that Miles might be missing a piece of his ear... but, y'know... who's to say?"

I gape at him. "Are you kidding me? What the hell happened?"

He shrugs, trying to play it off, but it’s clear this is more serious than he’s letting on. "One of the teachers had to give Derek a sedative. He’s in the nurse’s office now."

I don’t waste another second. Turning on my heel, I start power-walking toward the nurse's office, my mind racing. Sebastian falls into step beside me, keeping up with my hurried pace. “What the hell could’ve provoked him?” I mutter mostly to myself, my hands fidgeting with the straps of my bag. “Derek’s always so calm, so level-headed. I swear if this has anything to do with engaging with Kyla and her band of pom-poms and douche brigade…” Just as I reach the hallway that leads to the nurse’s office, Sebastian steps in front of me, blocking my path. I stop short, nearly bumping into him. “What the heck, Sebastian?” I snap, glaring up at him.

He crosses his arms, looking down at me with an unreadable expression. "I’ll tell you what happened—what Miles said that made Derek shift. But you have to promise me something."

I narrow my eyes. "Spit it out."

"Promise me you’ll be there for Derek, defend him. Don’t lash out in anger. He doesn’t need you storming out of here like a hurricane."

I huff, crossing my arms over my chest. “If you don’t tell me soon, Sebastian, I might just lash out atyou.” He raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by my threat. I let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. I promise."

He gives me a long look, like he's assessing whether I really mean it. Finally, with a resigned sigh, he says, "Miles called you... a dim-witted slut of a witch. Said the only thing you’re probably good at takes place on your knees." I blink, the words sinking in slowly, followed by a rush of anger that ignites in my chest like wildfire. I can feel my blood boiling, my hands curling into fists at my sides. That asshole. But then I catch myself, remembering what Sebastian just said—Derek needs me to be calm, to have his back, not to turn this into a full-blown disaster.

Taking a deep breath, I force the anger down. Barely. "Well, that explains it."

Sebastian watches me carefully, his expression softening. “Zaria, I mean it. You need to stay level-headed. Derek's already in enough trouble.”

I nod, though my jaw is clenched so tight I can almost hear my teeth grinding. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle it. But trust me, Miles will regret that.” With Sebastian at my side, I make my way into the nurse's office, mentally preparing myself for what comes next.

I push the door to the nurse’s office open, and immediately spot Derek on one of the cots. He’s sitting up, his broad shoulders tense under the thin white sheet draped over him. His usual calm expression is gone, replaced by something more troubled—like he’s wrestling with himself.

The nurse gives me a nod, recognizing me from previous visits, and steps out of the room to give us some privacy. Sebastian lingers near the door, arms crossed, watching but keeping his distance for now.

I walk over to Derek, who looks up at me with a mix of frustration and guilt. I sit on the edge of the cot, leaning in close enough to see that while his usual cool exterior has returned, there's a flicker of self-doubt behind his eyes.

"Hey," I say softly, trying to gauge how bad it really is. “You alright?”

Derek sighs, running a hand through his messy hair. “Z, I’m sorry. I lost it.”

I raise an eyebrow, keeping my voice light despite the situation. “Lost it? I heard you bit part of Miles' ear off.”

He winces, confirming what Sebastian told me. “He just... he crossed a line, and I couldn’t hold back. I shifted before I even knew what was happening.”

I reach out, gently taking his hand in mine, and squeeze. “You don’t have to apologize, Derek. You were provoked. And honestly? I’m more pissed that I wasn’t there to shut Miles down before you shifted.”

Derek lets out a frustrated chuckle, shaking his head. “Yeah, well, I’m guessing I’m in trouble for this one.”

I glance at Sebastian, who steps forward now, his expression softening as he speaks. “The teachers know you were provoked, Derek. Miles isn’t exactly an innocent party, and everyone knows that.”

Derek leans back against the wall, letting out a deep breath. “Still. I lost control. It’s not something I’m proud of.”

I tilt my head, studying him for a moment before deciding it’s time to shift the mood. “Well, considering Miles called me a dim-witted slut, I’d say he’s lucky he didn’t lose more than just a piece of his ear.” Derek’s eyes darken slightly with renewed frustration, but I squeeze his hand tighter, pulling him back before he can dwell on it too much. “Seriously, Derek, you did what you had to. Besides, if anyone's gonna make Miles regret what he said, it'll be me. And trust me, I’ve got plans.”

Sebastian smirks from behind me, his arms still crossed. “If there’s anyone I wouldn’t want plotting against me, it’s Zaria.”

Derek finally cracks a smile, albeit a small one. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

I give him a teasing nudge. “See? Now, stop beating yourself up. You’ve got nothing to apologize for. Besides, if I’m not mad at you, nobody else gets to be.”

Sebastian steps forward, his voice taking on a lighter tone. “She’s right, you know. And I’m not gonna lie—if I’d been in your place, I’d have done the same thing.”

Derek shakes his head, but I can see the tension in his shoulders start to ease. “You two are something else.”

“Yeah, well, we’reyoursomething else—whether you like it or not,” I quip, standing up and pulling him with me. “Now, come on. Let’s get out of here before someone starts asking more questions. We’ve got bigger things to worry about.” Derek stands, and I’m relieved to see the guilt fading from his expression. As we walk toward the door, I give Sebastian a playful glance. “Ready to go deal with the aftermath?”

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