Page 118 of A University of Betrayal

Stunned, I stared at Vivienna.

The dog?Was she serious?

Of course, Vivienna had intended to continue showing me her dislike. Now that – according to my DNA – I was part of her family, she seemed to hate me even more. As if I had chosen all of this.

“What’s between me and Julie is none of your business!”

“If this puppy is involved, itis!”

Emely looked furious, as if the dog was her child.

I cleared my throat and everyone looked at me.

Emely’s eyes were still glowing yellow, her body tense.

“You ruined everything!” Amber screeched angrily to Emely, dragging Kelly with her to the stairs before I could intervene.

Vivienna blinked at me angrily before opening her mouth.

“You almost had a whole other dog.”

I stepped forward, trying not to let my insecurity show.

And whatever Vivienna had intended to do to Buddy, it triggered a slight anger inside me, made my fingertips tingle.

“I haven’t done anything to you, Vivi. So please, leave me alone.” I clenched my shaky hands into fists to fight my insecurity. “But if you’resodesperate to find out, I could be someone elseentirely!”

My fingers twitched, and her startled gaze lingered on my hands.

She was probably surprised by the coldness in my voice, just as I was. I had taken two doses of Salma again. The perfect amount to make me forget that I had no self-consciousness.

I stepped closer. Vivienna actually took a step back.

Suddenly, she raised her hands and a pillow flew against my head. My body hit the sofa and I crashed to the floor.

Pain shot through my back.

Vivi laughed derisively. However, she hadn’t taken my body’s autonomy into account, because the kitchen tap started automatically, and I looked down at my hands, which were turning blue.

I looked up at Vivienna. Her smile was gone, and the color drained from her face.

Very slowly, I straightened up again and concentrated on the water, but I didn’t succeed. I didn’t have the right crystal and water was not my element.

Instead, my magic took on a life of its own, and Vivienna began to shriek as the green mask gradually crumbled from her face and shattered on the floor.

She turned away from me and rushed up the stairs, her girls following her as if a serial killer was about to get them. Then a door banged.

I picked myself up and looked at my hands, which were returning to normal color. Then I looked at Emely, whose eyes were still glowing and who had stepped behind the countertop with Buddy in her arms. She looked... scared? Ofme?

“Thanks for looking after my dog,” I said, and she still didn’t move until I stepped toward her. She stumbled backward.

“Emely,” I began hesitantly. “The dog. I’d love to have him back.”

She looked at the golden ball of fur, which had dozed off, and made me smile a little. Then she hesitantly held it out to me.

I noticed that the tap was still running, so I turned it off with a flick of my hand using telekinesis. At leastthatstill worked.

Emely stared at my hands.

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