Page 43 of Savage Desire

A cackle bites through the air.Hercackle. “If you think lighting a single candle is going to keep me at bay, you're truly mistaken,” she snarls, her words lashing through the room and whipping down my spine.

Think smarter, Polaris, think smarter.

She looms closer, the room drawing in, and I go from being a free woman with no sigil to the small little girl who feared this woman tremendously. The panic strikes, rising higher and higher as she comes to tower over me, when the world stills.

A snap ripples through me and the words finally burst from my lips as heat rises through my body.

“Ignis. Combustum. Caleo. Ignis. Combustum. Caleo. Ignis. Combustum. Caleo.”

All at once, the room is alight, every candle burning bright as Mrs. Stephens disappears back to the shadows. Frozen in place, I look around the room, watching as every candle flickers with an ember burning bright down the wick.

I choke out a breath when I feel safer, my hands falling to my knees as I hunch over, swallowing down the bile that threatens to burn my throat. Trying again, I inhale to the count of four before exhaling, but I wobble again, unable to calm the panic that consumes me, and as I do, I release the energy trapped within my body, and another spark of ember burns through the air, cascading over the cabinet to my left.

Gaping in horror, I watch as the flames engulf the furniture until Professor Juniper suddenly appears, dousing the room indarkness once more. My mind swirls with panic as my back stiffens, the darkness offering no inkling of comfort.

“I’m so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry,” I rattle off, a teetering mess as I fall forward onto my hands and knees in the center of the circle. Slowly, the room brightens once more, only this time without the carnage of the woman that haunts me, who strengthens my fears with every breath I take.

“Don't be sorry. That was amazing,” Professor Juniper promises, and I shake my head, one palm flat against my chest as the other keeps me from face planting as I try to catch my breath.

“That was a disaster,” I grumble, unsure whether or not I’m going to puke.

Juniper plants her hands on her hips, bringing her attention back to me as she lifts her eyebrow. “You just caused the fire with your magic, Polaris. Let that sink in.” She says it like it’s a good thing, making me pause.

I caused a fire.

Icaused a fire.

Me.

The trepidation lacing through my body calms as understanding slowly washes over me just as the bell chimes through the air, drawing class to an end.

I'm saved by the bell. Well, saved doesn't seem like the best word now. Despite the distraught tingles still shooting down my spine, I feel like I’ve made… progress?

Juniper starts heading for the door, forcing me to push back up onto my feet as I take another deep breath. More than anything, stepping back out there makes it impossible for me to hide away.

This is exactly the kind of distraction I’ve been looking for.

“That was excellent progress, Polaris. You’re becoming more of a witch every day. Keep practicing. I need to get you to theheavier stuff sooner rather than later,” she states, making me blink at her in disbelief as she places a thick leather book against my chest.

“Heavier stuff?” I ask, confused how that could even be possible right now, and she gives me a soft, knowing smile.

“You're a center. Your magic will be stronger in the mind,” she says, tapping her temple.

“I don't know what that means,” I admit, and she offers me a wink.

“Then we’ll start with that, next class.” She grabs the door handle, ready to reveal us to the actual classroom again, but I’m rooted to the spot.

“You can't keep pulling me out of every class. That’s going to cause issues,” I grumble.

“I’m quite sure I'm the professor here. How about you focus on the spells in this book. Take care of it. Grimoires aren't for everybody,” she offers before swinging the door open, drawing the conversation to an abrupt end.

I don’t get a single moment to prepare myself before I walk from the room and back into the classroom with the leather-bound book enveloped in my arms.

Bryony is waiting for me as expected, a chirpy smile on her face. “All good?” she asks and I nod, falling into step with her as we head out into the hall. Her eyes caress the book against my chest, but to my surprise she doesn’t say a word.

I think it’s clear I’m closed off at the moment. The morning after the moon party, she had a list of questions for me, but when I didn’t have anything to offer in response, she finally let it drop. I thought that might put some distance between us, but instead, it’s only made her kinder, calmer, and more patient.

It’s as if she’s biding her time for something.

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