Page 59 of Spelling Disaster

Theo might not have the book smarts he needs to make it through his classes, but he knows about other things. He’d be so much better at keeping a cool head.

“Yasmine, I know what you’re thinking,” Blaire says to me.

“You have no idea,” I mumble.

“Do you intend to pull Theo into this, too?”

Okay, so she knows exactly what I’m thinking, and I’m ashamed. One date at The Shed, onefakedate, doesn’t make him ready to be my knight in shining armor. It doesn’t make him ready or willing to race into battle for me.

“If the Horned God is as powerful as Remi has let on, then we’re going to need help,” I say out loud. Like it somehow makes my desire to ask Theo better or justified.

“We don’t really have time to gather reinforcements, sis,” Remi says. She clings closer to Atlas. “We’ve got to go. Pack your bag. We’re out of here.”

What choice do I have?

Silently, ignoring Blaire’s silent plea for me to look at her and talk this out, I grab my backpack. In goes the personal grimoire, a satchel of herbs I might need. My crystals and my magic starter kit. And there, already tucked into the depths of the fabric bag, my favorite comfort book. The highlander romance.

It’s seen me through my worst times.

Good old Seamus who was willing to do anything it took to protect his love from harm. What would I do if the roles were reversed and I was in an actual committed relationship with Theo? Would I be strong enough to walk away?

Did I want to walk away? Or is it selfish to drag him into this?

My decision rings through me with terrible clarity. I at least want to let him know, to show this side of myself, and see what he says. To give him the choice whether it’s selfish of me or not.

“I’m going to talk to Theo,” I tell everyone out loud.

My sister squeaks, disgruntled. “We’re wasting time! Who is Theo? We’ve got togo, Yas. The longer we take to get home, the greater the chance we’re going to be too late to help Mom.”

I’m a fighter.Theo said those words to me.I’m going to do everything in my power to fight for you.

Will he, though, once he realizes what’s really going on?

This is more than he’d signed up for when he offered up a fake relationship. But there’s no one else on campus I feel safe enough to confide in, and I can’t do this alone. There’s only me and my human sister.

“Take Gus,” I tell Remi. “I’ll be right behind you.”

I’m going to need my familiar but I’m not risking taking him on a motorcycle with me. I’m too scared that something will happen to him.

“You can’t be serious right now.”

“I’m serious. You go and I’ll meet you at the outskirts of the barrier.”

“How do you even know where it is?” she asks. “Do you have any idea what a risk we even took to come here?”

“Trust me.” It isn’t a good idea for her to trust me but I have to do this. Call it an intuitive nudge. Call it stupidity. I need to talk to Theo. “I’ll find the barrier and I’ll meet you there. Okay? I won’t be long.”

After packing my magic supplies, I sneak out of the dorm. It’s way past curfew and if anyone sees me, there’s no way for me to make it off campus.

The hastily muttered spell settles on my skin and slowly I lose sight of myself. The iridescence of the magic reflects the light from overhead, turning me invisible.

It’s funny to think that the first time I went up to Theo’s room had been only hours earlier. It seems like the path is familiar now and one I’ve done a thousand times before instead of just tonight.

The magic keeps me from being seen but not felt. I’m careful to skirt around several of the staff walking the paths through the campus as though on the alert for students out of bed past curfew.

It’s only a matter of time before I stand in front of his door, just as conflicted as I felt when I first headed here. A large of part of me screams that it isn’t right to drag Theo into this. His only sin is helping me, kissing me, trying to bolster my reputation.

I don’t deserve him.

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