Page 20 of Demon Found

“Let’s get you to the nurse. We can deal with the Maga post later,” Naeve mutters. “Camille’s pretty darn good at potions. This won’t wear off.”

We march into the medical facility and the nurse from yesterday gives me a long look before pointing sternly to one of the bays.

“In trouble already, Miss Smith?” she snips.

“It wasn’t exactly her fault, nurse,” Naeve says, surprising me by speaking up. “No one would spill hair growth elixir all over themselves on purpose, would they?”

“Get to class, Naeve.”

The nurse grumbles quietly about student pranks but sets about taking my vitals, impeded significantly by the speed the damn hair is still growing.

“I thought this was an illusion,” I mutter. “Why does it feel so damn real?”

“This isn’t an illusion. Whoever dosed you knows a thing or two about potions. It’ll take me a few minutes to finish up the diagnostics, then run an antidote.”

“Thank the gods and devils! I have my elemental reveal after break. Can you have it done in ten minutes?”

The nurse’s eyebrows shoot up. “I can give you the antidote in that time, but you need to stay here until the effects wear off. I need to be sure your hair follicles settle down and there are no nasty aftereffects. That could take hours.”

Satyr shit. “I don’t have hours, I have ten minutes.”

“You should have thought about that before you got into trouble.”

The nurse moves around me, collects various vials of luminescent liquid, and starts mixing them.

“It’s not like I volunteered.” Seeing the nurse’s stony expression, I change tack. “I’m going keep landing back here as your problem unless I can defend myself. For that, I need to know my elements and get started on training in them. Ineedto go to my element reveal.”

“Even so. You’ll stay until I’m done. Drink this. Quicker you take it, quicker it’ll work.”

The bright green liquid smells vile, and it tastes worse. It’s a slimy gelatinous gloop of disgusting all wrapped up in an aroma of wet dog. And it’s working infinitesimally slowly. At least the hair on my face is receding. Kicking the table, I look at the clock. I’m late. Seriously late.

A blood-curdling scream, rapidly approaching, has me on my feet, fingers itching for the pocketknife tucked into the waistband of my skirt.

A tall gangly guy comes into view, hopping from foot to foot, rubbing his hands together.

“Calm down,” the nurse tells him firmly. “I don’t speak banshee. Use your words.”

“Miss Smith is to come with me. Right now.”

The nurse is having none of it. “Says who?”

“The dean.”

She frowns and starts to remove the blood pressure cuff, sighing heavily.

“Miss Smith is not stable yet.”

“The dean says unless it’s life-threatening, she has to come.” He pauses, glancing sideways at me, snorting back a laugh. “Oooh, it’s worse than the photos.” He lets out another ear-piercing shriek.

“Fine. But straight back here if it gets any worse, you hear?” The nurse trudges off down the corridor leaving me with banshee boy.

Shit. I was pissed with the nurse for not letting me go, but now? Now I have to walk through the academy looking like a half-shaved werewolf.Please don’t let it be far.

Chapter Eleven: Lorelei

Slippingintotheroombehind the banshee, I glance around. I thought this place was called the Great Hall? It’s just a dreary assembly room. Even if it has chandeliers, it’s kind of bleak. Large and echo-y without any real focal point. A few rows of chairs are set up in the front, and a handful of first years lounge on them.

If I can just creep into the back row unnoticed . . .

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