Page 337 of A University of Betrayal

How was a human going to help me?

“Think of it like an alliance of sorts.”

I snorted, causing irritation in his gaze.

“I don’t trust you.”

“I don’t trust you, either,” he returned. “But this isn’t abouttrust.It’s’ about mutual benefit.”

Damn.I was on my own, shouldn’t even be thinking about working with such a lunatic. But would it be wise to turn down this offer? What if this was my chance to learn about the things the Circle forbade? That it feared?

Dark magic.

“Let’s say I were to accept...” I began hesitantly, watching his facial expressions carefully in the hope that I could somehow interpret them. “What guarantees that you won’t betray me?”

He lowered his voice. “It’s calledblood magic.”

“Dark magic,” I whispered because that was what the use of blood involved.

“Umbra,”he corrected me. “And you won’t be able to get around it if you want to see these people bleed.”

The inner tension whenever I had thought about this form of magic in recent weeks had disappeared. What remained was curiosity and a reverent trembling in my chest.

The professor seemed to be hiding knowledge that I would never acquire in Moenia. As if this man was holding the key in front of my nose and all I had to do was reach for it.Dangerous, deceptive...But what did I have to lose? I was on my own from now on. I couldn’t really trust anyone.

“Agreed.”

There they were again. Those incredibly attractive dimples.

“I knew you were a clever girl.”

Heat rose in my cheeks.

Erik.I had to find Erik. Erik was the person who could trigger such feelings in me, not this man who kept overstepping my boundaries.

“Do you have any other blackmail suggestions, Professor?”

The smile disappeared from his lips.

“Quentin.”

I stared at him. “I don’t understand.”

“If we work together, I want you to call me by my name, not my title.”

And nowIwas the one who started to smirk.

“Too bad,” I said, amused by the fact that it seemed to bother him so much. “I would have liked to call youProfessor.”

His jaw clenched against the taut skin, confirming that there were ways to provoke this man if I needed to.

“Don’t provoke me,” he murmured darkly.

I pressed my lips together with a smile to stifle a grin.

“What can I do if you’re so easily irritated?”

He met my gaze with his but lowered it to my lips like the other day, and my inner insecurity returned.

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