Page 15 of Cursed By the Love Witch

He’s clearly under the effects of a love potion. But how? When could he have possibly?—

I smack myself in the forehead with the palm of my hand.

Prue’s silence last night no longer seems so innocent. Oh Goddess, what have I done now? I’m swearing off making potions for a good while. I’m not out of this mess just yet.

“Darcee?” Bael asks, his voice concerned.

“I—I have to go,” I say.

His shoulders slump. A look of defeat haunts his eyes.

“Of course, I understand. I was foolish to think—hope—that you would be open to such an idea. My offer of tutoring remains if you wish it.”

The look on his face tugs at my heart. The love potion I gave him was a powerful one. Not to mention the enhancement because of my blood. It will be in his system for a while. I'll come clean once my suspicions are confirmed and I find Prue’s sleeping body. Then, I’ll find a more experienced witch to make him an antidote.

If I tried to tell him the truth now, in his current state, he would just deny it. He believes himself in love with me, and I don’t want to cause him any more distress. In this fragile state, he needs to be handled with care. A rejection when the potion is so freshly ingested can have harsh consequences.

With a sigh, I round to his side of the desk. My hand goes to his arm, and he looks down at me. As wrong as it is, I much prefer this male. If this is how Bael acts when he is in love, the person he is meant to be with will be in for a treat.

“Look, I just need some time to think. This is all happening very fast.”

Slowly, his hand raises, pausing, waiting for me to say no. When I don’t, I feel the warm press of his palm against my cheek. I suck in a breath at the gentle touch. It makes me ache in ways I never have before.

“Not for me. I’ve felt this way about you for as long as I can remember.”

I hide my cringe as best I can. Goddess, why did I have to make the potion that intense? I lean into his touch and watch him hiss out a breath. I allow myself this moment to revel in his comfort.

“I need to check on something, but I’ll see you later. For class.”

He nods once before dropping my cheek.

Walking to the desk, I quickly scoop my books up and head for the door. I pause for a moment, and I will myself not to look back. It matters little as I feel his eyes upon me down the stairs and into the main hall.

6

DARCEE

Gently, I stroke Prue’s soft hair as she lays atop the infirmary bed.

I hold my breath, waiting for her eyes to flutter open. Zander is resting deeply on the cot beside her. The healer said it shouldn’t be long now. Mistress Nya flits around to a few other patients in her care.

Finding Prue and Zander had been surprisingly easy. The two of them had taken the potion in Prue’s room, intent on spending the equinox party more intimately. However, they never got the chance, and I discovered the two draped over each other in Prue’s bed.

I had spun a little tale to Mistress Nya about the two of them unknowingly taking a sleeping dram, and she drafted an antidote to give them. Then she told me there was nothing else to do but wait for them to wake up.

The silence of the infirmary stretches. I stare at Prue’s sleeping form, her breathing deep and even. Shame makes my skin itch. I was so careless yesterday with Bael and my best friend. That potion could’ve hurt her and Zander. I should’ve personally delivered the love potion to them. Maybe if we hadspoken before and I told her of my plan to deal with Bael, she could’ve talked me out of it.

I grab her hand and adjust my position on the stiff wooden chair. Already, my back is aching.

“It will be alright, dear,” Mistress Nya’s soothing voice says from beside me. “They’ll wake up soon.”

I nod, giving her a small smile.

“That antidote you made was marvelous. Have you ever made one for a love spell?”

There are subtler ways I could’ve approached it, but at this point, I’m desperate for this to all be over. If she can make one, I’ll slip it back into Bael’s drink next time we meet and be done with this whole mess.

The healer raises a brow, and I shrug.

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