Page 38 of Cursed By the Love Witch

“Zander and I are going to research bog creatures at the cafe if you want to come. I know nothing about that place, and we’re going in a couple of days.”

I glance over to Bael leaning against the front of his desk. Formidable and grumpy, yet he had eaten my pussy like he was starving, and I was the feast he’d waited his whole life for. It’s a delicious secret that our surly professor burns hotly for me.The gleam in his eyes tells me he knows what I’m thinking. Heat swims in my cheeks as I turn back towards my friend.

“I—I—um can’t. Professor Fangborne is giving me extra lessons after class to help raise my grade before graduation.” Prue lowers her brows. “Did—I, um, not mention that yesterday?”

“No,” she says. “You’ve been acting strange. Is everything okay?”

The truth is on the tip of my tongue, but I swallow it back down.

“Everything is fine, Prue. I’ve just been forgetful lately. Graduation brain, you know?”

My best friend purses her lips.

“You’ve been forgetting a lot lately. Like the fact that I can read auras and yours, my sweet friend, is pinker than usual.”

My mouth goes dry.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, waving a dismissive hand.

Her dark brows lower, but Zander appears before she can push me on it. He nods at me before taking my friend’s hand.

“This conversation isn’t over, Dar.”

“See you later,” I say, waving at them as Zander pulls her down the hall.

As much as I long to confess to her, I don’t want to put her in that position. If the school found out she knew and didn’t report it, she could also be in serious trouble. I’ll keep it to myself for now. How have I made such a mess in only a few days?

Once the final student exits, I hear the door to the room bolt shut. Bael remains in front of his desk, eyeing me carefully. I rise on shaking knees and collect my belongings. His hungry gaze devours me whole the closer I get. I’d love nothing more for him to toss me over his desk and give me a repeat of this morning, but we have work to do.

He grins down at me, his hand falling to the small of my back as he guides me towards his office.

“Let’s see how much you’ve retrained from yesterday.”

Inside his office, the purple fire is barely flickering. Atop his desk are a variety of herbs and a bubbling cauldron. Inside a delicate white teacup is a dark-colored liquid. The scent is putrid, and the steam rising over the lip of the cup looks like smoke.

“Nightshade tea,” he explains from beside me. “Extremely deadly. Your task is to make it safe to drink based on the properties we discussed in our last session.”

I glance up at him. Surely, he is joking. His eyes, however, are earnest. The hand on my back falls away as he leans down closer. Finding my ear, his words are a whispered promise.

“If you do good, I’ll reward you once our lesson is done.”

A sigh escapes me, and I nearly collapse to the floor. Instantly, he pulls away with a grin on his lips and retreats to the other side of the desk. I drop my things to the floor and survey the ingredients before me.

“Okay,” I say, grabbing a fresh sprig of rosemary. “Here goes nothing.”

An hour later,my eyes feel like they’re filled with sand.

My head pounds and my magic is officially spent for the rest of the day. As I stare down at the teacup, which no longer seems ominously dark, I can only hope I counteracted enough of its properties to make it drinkable. Bael oversaw me the whole time, gently nudging me in the right direction but ultimately leaving this first test up to me.

I sink into my chair, exhaustion weighing me down.

“Finished?” Bael asks, reaching for the mug.

Nodding, I can no longer even form words.

Bael gives it a tentative sniff. Apprehension tickles the back of my neck. I did all that I could, but I still wouldn’t drink it. He doesn’t plan to?—

Before I can say anything, Bael puts his lips on the cup and consumes one large swallow. If I haven’t broken down the poison enough, that sip means death in a few minutes. My mouth falls open, and I lean forward in my chair. Bael’s body tenses as he swallows. After a few moments pass, he appears no worse for wear—and he’s breathing, which is a very positive sign.

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