Page 77 of Revenge is a Witch

Sebastian watches me closely, arms crossed but eyes bright with intrigue. "Alright, show me what you've got. Just... spare the goods, yeah?"

I stand in the middle of the courtyard, my wand loosely held in my hand. It feels... strange. I haven’t used it much since I learned to cast magic without one, and now that I’m here, preparing to go all out, I can feel the tension in my fingers. The weight of it is different from when I just use my hands. It feels more deliberate, more powerful. Maybe that’s why I’ve avoided it for so long.

Sebastian stands a few paces away, arms crossed, watching me with that same smug look. “You gonna stare at the thing all day, or are you actually going to cast something?”

I give him a look. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m a little hesitant here. It’s been a while since I’ve gone full wand-mode.”

He shrugs. “Can’t be that scary. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Youreallywant to know the worst?”

His grin widens, clearly enjoying himself. “Enlighten me.”

Without another word, I flick my wrist. No incantation, no warning. Just a tiny twist of my wand, barely a movement at all.

CRACK.

A bolt of lightning shoots from the tip of my wand, striking a nearby pillar dead-center. The stone crumbles into dust, the air thick with the smell of charred rock.

Sebastian’s grin falters as he takes a step back, his eyes flicking between the destroyed pillar and me. “...Okay, I take it back. Maybedon’tuse that on me.”

I smirk, lowering my wand just slightly. “You’re lucky you’ve got vampire speed. That thing wasn’t even targeted, and I’m pretty sure you could’ve dodged it.”

“Pretty sure?” he echoes, the humor creeping back into his voice. “I’d prefer guarantees when it comes to dodging lightning bolts, thanks.”

I laugh, twirling the wand in my hand as I consider my next move. "You want guarantees? Maybe I should work on some targeting enchantments. How about a littleVeritas Percutio?"

“Veritas Percutio?” he repeats, crossing his arms as he leans against a cracked pillar. “Isn’t that a truth-based tracking spell?”

“Yep.” I nod, feeling a little more confident now. “Basically, the spell seeks out its target, and the truth of their location is revealed. If Kyla tries to dodge, the spell will follow.”

Sebastian’s smirk returns. “You plan on chasing her down with a lightning bolt?”

I shrug, raising my wand again. “Maybe not lightning, but something a little more... precise.” I take a deep breath, feeling the magic pulse through me. “Veritas Percutio,” I murmur, flicking my wand in a quick, sharp motion. A bright, glowing orb of light forms at the tip, then shoots forward, curving around Sebastian with ease before colliding with the remains of the pillar I’d just destroyed. The light pulses, growing brighter as it hovers over the rubble.

Sebastian whistles. “Impressive. But does it actually track people?”

I glance at him, smirking. “You offering to be a test subject?”

“Absolutely not,” he says quickly, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “I like my body parts right where they are, thanks.”

I laugh, lowering the wand again. “Fair enough. But I might work that spell into my arsenal for tomorrow. Kyla’s not going to know what hit her.”

Sebastian nods, still watching me with interest. “What else are you planning to throw at her? I assume you’ve got more than just lightning bolts up your sleeve.”

“Of course,” I say, adjusting my stance. “I’m not just aiming for power, though. I need versatility, too. Something to keep her on her toes.” I flick my wand again, this time aiming for a patch of cracked stone near the fountain. “Lux Vinculum!” I shout, and glowing chains of light shoot from the ground, wrapping around the fountain and pulling tight.

“Binding spells, too, huh?” Sebastian comments, stepping closer to inspect the glowing chains. “That’ll come in handy if she tries to run.”

“That’s the idea.” I nod, admiring the way the chains pulse with magic. “Plus, they’re reinforced with a little anti-hex magic. Good luck breaking free from that.”

He looks impressed, his eyes flicking between the chains and my wand. “I can see why Derek warned me about your wand skills now. You’re like a one-witch army.”

I shrug, trying to play it off, but there’s a flicker of pride in my chest. “I don’t know about an army, but I know my stuff.”

“Clearly.” He steps closer, his voice dropping slightly. “But you might want to save some of that energy for tomorrow. Don’t want to tire yourself out.”

I chuckle, twirling the wand between my fingers again. “I’ve got plenty of energy left, don’t worry.”

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