Page 28 of Monster's Mistake

“Nope. I mean, they’ve got me this far.”

I laugh, temporarily forgetting what I’m doing, and looking up, my gaze meeting his. My eyes widen and panic starts to build within me. What have I done?

At first, I don’t think anything is going to happen, and I’m worrying for nothing. But then his skin starts to harden in front of me. The ink black fading to grey and his expression freezing in place.

“No, no, no, no.” I reach out and touch his cheek, only feeling the unforgiving stone beneath my fingertips. “Meic...” My voice cracks and I don’t have the words for what I want to say to him. I don’t even know if he can hear me, so little is understood about how gorgon magic works.

Frank slithers down onto my shoulder and gives a loud hiss.

“Don’t you start,” I snap. “Why did you have to do this?”

He hisses in response, which doesn’t actually give me an answer.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. If I’m going to fix this, then I’m going to need to stay calm and not panic.

But whatamI supposed to do? It’s not like I can go and tell a member of staff that I’ve turned Meic into stone in one of the secret rooms, nor can I let Meic miss all of his classes tomorrow because he’s stuck here.

The only option I’ve got is to find the potion that can undo gorgon magic, andnow. Except that I have no idea about how to make it or know anyone who will.

Or maybe that isn’t entirely true.

“I’m going to be back really soon,” I tell Meic in case he can hear me. “I just need your best friend’s help in order to fix this.” I pause for a moment then lean in to kiss his cheek.

Hopefully, he’s not going to be too angry about the situation when he turns back to normal, even if it would be completely warranted.

I pull out my phone and type out a quick message to Anja, hoping that she and Cethin are both still awake and willing to break into theCharms and Potionsclassroom for me. Not that they haven’t done that before, I just don’t know if they’ll do it forme.

CHAPTER 11

Nati

I paceback and forth nervously outside theCharms and Potions classroom, terrified that a member of staff is going to find me before Anja and Cethin do and get us all into trouble. Especially as that means Meic will still be captured in stone.

Footsteps sound from down the hall and Frank slithers out of my hair, giving a loud warning hiss.

“Shh, you’ve got me into enough trouble tonight,” I chide.

He lets out a belligerent hiss and disappears amongst my other snakes. I roll my eyes. They’re making it difficult tonotwant to use the potion that’ll subdue them, especially the next time I’m on a date.

If Meic ever agrees to go on one again.

I let out a sigh of relief when the footsteps reveal themselves to belong to my roommate. Her silver-white hair is braided neatly down her back, suggesting that she was in bed alone, rather than with Cethin, but he’s with her now, a serious expression on his face.

“Are you all right?” Anja asks me once she’s in earshot.

“Can you get us into the classroom?” I ask, looking between them.

Cethin nods and steps closer to the door. Purple smoke dances around his hands, and I watch it curiously. It’s almost the exact same shade that Anja used to dye her hair before she stopped. I wonder if that’s a coincidence, or if it’s something to do with their mate bond.

I push the thought away. I don’t have time to ask about anything like that right now.

The door clicks and we head inside.

“We could get into trouble for this,” Anja warns. “We might have drawn a bit too much attention to ourselves when Cethin was brewing me a potion to help me unlock my banshee side.”

I grimace. “It’s an emergency, I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t important.”

“Where’s Meic?” Cethin asks. “I thought the two of you were on a date?”

---