Page 35 of Baneful Magick

Sorry. I started classes already, and I’ve been trying to learn my way around. Passing out now because I have class tomorrow, but I’ll write you back as soon as I can. Tell everyone I said hi and that I’m fine.

Hopefully that was good enough because I couldn’t even bother to undress before curling up on my bed and passingout. Hellsing’s and Bones’ threats, classes, and the unknown of Greywood were taking their toll, and I was fuckingtired.

The next morning was at least a later start with a ten a.m. class instead of nine. When I woke, I checked the note and didn’t see a response from Demir, so I took my time showering and getting dressed before setting off for the dining hall for breakfast. Aizel, Echo, and Zhara were all gone, out and about after their stupidly early eight o’clock class.

No thank you.

The morning was a foggy blur until I got to my Advanced Herbology class. It wasn’t in the greenhouse that I had found on my first night, but it was nice enough. Bricriu was in my class, but he ignored my existence for the entire hour and a half.

The teacher was eccentric, with a Ms. Frizzle flair that not many people appreciated, but I did. I could tell she was going to make the class interesting. At least that was what I thought until she announced that we would be working in pairs for the entire semester.

The seat next to me was empty, so I looked around, trying to find someone to partner up with. Almost everyone had paired off except for one.

Bones.

He sat alone in the back. Bricriu was in the human form that was his norm for classes, scrunched up against the table since nothing was suited for his long legs.

Slowly inhaling, I ignored Cassius' muttering about the fae and strode over, dropping my stuff on the table beside him with a loud thump.

Bones stilled then looked over. His purple eyes were covered with those infuriating sunglasses, but I swore I could see the wrinkles from him narrowing them at me.

“I don’t do partners.”

“You’re not the professor,” I replied dryly, settling into the seat beside him, “so I don’t give a shit what you do or don’t do.”

He bristled with annoyance, but the professor clapped her hands, cutting off anything he might say.

“Perfect! Glad everyone is grouped up. You are now partners for the rest of the class. No switches of any kind. You’ll receive information for your projects once the herbology professor gets his act together. For now, I’m his stand-in, so we will review what notes I could find on past lessons pertaining to subjects I’m more familiar with.”

I zoned out as she started going over the specifics on foxglove, sheep laurel, and belladonna. Bricriu didn’t write down any notes. In fact, he didn’t appear to be paying attention at all, though I had a feeling he was absorbing more than people thought he was. Why take notes if reading them was a bitch?

I half-listened at best, typing a few notes as Cassius started sharing additional facts about the plants that the teacher was going over. The entire time Bones seemed to get more and more tense, as if my presence was putting him on edge. I tried to not let it get to me, but if I was being honest with myself, it did.

A bell rang, indicating the end of class, so I started throwing everything into my bag. Everyone else milled around, exchanging information to stay in touch or meet up later.

Bricriu drummed his fingers on the table, and I decided there was no use beating around the bush. I was irritated by the way he’d acted last night, but we were going to be working together whether we liked it or not.

“Well, you already know where my dorm is.” I slipped my bag over my shoulder. “Once we get the project details we can just figure out when and where to meet up then.”

“Isla—”

“We have to work together for class, Bricriu. No use fighting it now. You don’t have to like me, but we can be civil, or is thattoo much for you?” I cut him off, not interested in hearing what he wanted to say.

“I was going to apologize for last night, but maybe I should save my breath,” he drawled. “Besides, I like you just fine. You’re better than most of the other people here at Greywood.”

“You have a funny way of showing it,” I replied, not believing him in the least.

“The warnings stand even if you don’t like the way they were delivered.” He shrugged and stood up slowly. “You act like you have a death wish, so consider them a friendly heads up and do with them what you will.”

Apparently, this conversation was over.

I left the greenhouse, and he followed, coming to a stop beside me once we were outside. He straightened up to his full height again once he was through the door, his back popping loudly enough that it sounded painful. Bricriu just looked relieved.

“Well, this class will be fun,” I told him with a forced smile. “Right now, I need lunch and tea before I lose it. Then I have one more class today.”

“What class do you have?” he asked after a beat of awkward silence.

“Forbidden Magick,” I replied, but my brow furrowed when a funny expression flickered across his face. “What? Is the class that bad?”

---