Page 15 of Hex Appeal

This was exactly why she needed Principal Starcatcher to approve her proposal.Students understood the practical applications better than any theoretical argument by professors who hadn't faced a real magical threat since bell-bottoms were in fashion.

After school, Ceries gathered her research materials.The bracelet had been insufferably smug since being reunited with its owner, as if the magical accessories' obvious attraction somehow validated her own completely inappropriate feelings for her boss.Every time she caught it sending sparkles toward his office, she gave it a stern look that it completely ignored.

Her expanded proposal was meticulously prepared: modified casting methods, safety protocols, practical applications.She'd even charted response times comparing standard protection spells to the Bewildering Fog Hex.In emergency situations, the hex gave students vital extra seconds to escape—seconds that could mean the difference between safety and disaster.

Last week's incident with the angry goblin had proven her point.If Irideane had known the fog hex, she could have escaped instead of getting backed into a corner.Instead, Ceries had to intervene when the goblin's wild magic nearly hit the girl.

Now if only she could present it without her hair betraying exactly how much Principal Starcatcher's perfectly pressed suit affected her concentration.The last time he'd worn that particular navy pinstripe, she'd walked into a door while thinking about how it matched his eyes.

"Professional," she told her reflection in the classroom window.Her hair flickered between confidence-gold and memory-pink."We are being completely professional about this curriculum proposal."

Her hair didn't believe that any more than she did, shifting to a shade that can only be described as "who-are-you-kidding crimson."

Her quill was no better, adding little hearts to her careful diagrams of hex trajectories.She'd had to redo three pages of safety protocols because it kept writing "Mrs.Starcatcher" in the margins with increasingly elaborate calligraphy.

"Focus," she told her magical accessories firmly."This is about student safety, not your collective crush on the principal."

She walked down the corridors to the principal's office, rehearsing her arguments and ignoring the knowing looks from several portraits who had definitely been gossiping about that incident in the classroom.Peering down a darkened hallway, she glimpsed Headmistress Raven's suite.She hadn't met the Headmistress yet, but rumors suggested she was formidable enough to make hardened dark wizards reconsider their life choices.Hopefully, she'd be an ally on the curriculum debate.

She knocked on Malachai's door.The sound of his voice saying, "Enter" did absolutely nothing to her pulse rate.Neither did the sight of him bent over his perfectly arranged desk, tie straight enough to measure angles by.And if her hair briefly flashed the exact color of that night at The Crooked Wand, well, none of her accessories mentioned it.

Malachai glanced up, and for a moment she caught a flash of something in his eyes before his professional mask slipped into place."I'm assuming you can explain about the Bewildering Fog Hex?"

"Yes."She spread her research across his desk, noting how he subtly adjusted each page to align perfectly with his desk edges."As you know, it provides an ideal defensive option for students.When properly cast, it creates temporary confusion, giving them time to escape dangerous situations."

"No."His voice was flat.Final.The voice of someone who'd already made his decision before hearing a word.

Her hair flashed indignation-red."I have barely begun my presentation.I've spent weeks researching modifications to make it safer."

"It's an unstable hex requiring advanced control."He didn't even look at her research, which was particularly irritating since she'd stayed up until three a.m.perfecting the color-coding system."Absolutely not."

"You can't just dismiss this without even reviewing my proposal."Her charm bracelet sparked with frustration, shooting tiny silver protests toward his watch chain."I've modified the casting method to make it more predictable.I've developed specific safety measures—"

"Like the safety measures at Windermoore Academy?"

She blinked at his tone—raw, almost wounded, like someone had ripped a bandage off a wound that had never properly healed."What?"

"Nothing."He stood abruptly, pacing behind his desk like a caged creature."The hex is too unpredictable for student use.That's final."

"That's not fair.You're not even considering—"

"What's not fair is experimenting with student safety.”His perfect control cracked, letting her glimpse the pain beneath.“What's not fair is teaching spells that can spiral out of control in seconds, that can cause mass panic, that can trap students in their own minds for hours, possibly causing permanent psychological damage if not reversed in time—" He cut himself off, but not before she caught the anguish in his voice.

"You've seen it go wrong," she said softly, understanding dawning.This wasn't about bureaucracy or rules—this was about trauma.

"This isn't about me.This is about maintaining proper safety standards."But his tie had gone completely limp, as if surrendering the lie.

"This is about giving students real tools to protect themselves."She leaned across his desk, research forgotten."Yes, the hex can be dangerous if miscast.That's exactly why they need proper instruction."

"What they need is to master basic protection spells first."

"Which won't help them in actual danger.Theory and basic wards won't save them if—"

"Like they didn't save those twenty-three students?"

The words exploded between them, filling the office with the weight of unspoken history.His face went rigid with regret.Her hair turned shock-white.

"What students?"

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