Page 324 of Sigils & Spells

Bad idea, Tana.

Very bad idea.

CHAPTER7

“You feeling, okay?”I asked Enid over tea and muffins the next morning.

Jade couldn’t sleep and had stayed up half the night baking. Her crumb topped blueberry muffins were the best thing I’d ever tasted, and I was on my second one when our newest roommate walked into the kitchen. Enid looked pale, but no worse for wear as she gingerly took a seat.

“I feel like I got hit by a truck,” she muttered and winced as if the sound of her own voice hurt her head.

“Here, drink this,” Jade said, handing Enid a mug full of steaming tea. “I put in some allspice, cardamom, ginger, and vanilla to help speed up your healing and restore some of your energy.”

“Thanks,” Enid whispered.

We sat in companionable silence for a few minutes before the others joined us. Shock filled me when I saw Brandon among the others. The dragon had remained in the dorm overnight.

I bit a chunk from the last half of my blueberry muffin, wincing when it got stuck halfway down.

Brandon slid my mug closer to me, as if he could hear my struggle to swallow. Fucking shifter probably could. I cleared my throat and stood up.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” I told Enid.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Class.”

“Tana,” she said, following me into the hallway, Brandon closely behind. “I remember what I told you. The vision was unclear, but it was definitely about you. Be careful.”

“I will be,” I returned and gave her a tight smile.

The day seemed to drag on with none of the usual urgency. Brandon followed me like a kicked puppy trailing its owner.

I felt like shit, but what could I do?

I had to keep my head on straight.

Gran texted me about lunch time, worried about my father. He hadn’t checked in yet, and that was unusual. Even when he was off hunting for information about my mother’s death, he checked in with either of us. But it had been days now, and no word.

I listened to the steady cadence of Professor Grimes’ voice as she talked on and on about the benefits of elemental magic, specifically fire, and how it was used in almost every ritual a witch or wizard could perform, regardless of coven affiliation. I frowned hard. Most of the students here would never realize the potential of the great fire witches and wizards whose stories were told in hushed whispers at night.

Legends like Alyce the Flame Thrower, a once free woman who’d been sold into marriage by her stepfather. She was a natural born witch, ignorant of her heritage, whose firepower was so great, she wielded it like a sword in a skilled warrior’s hand against her enemies.

It was said she’d burned through three husbands before they put a block on her powers in the fourteenth century. And that had taken six powerful witches and wizards to accomplish.

Of course, no legend touched that of Romulus Incendo, the Scourge of Rome. He was the very wizard whose name graced the coven I had once hoped to join. Mixed feelings filled me as I tried to pay attention to the lesson.

For a moment, I allowed myself the fantasy of pretending I was just another fire witch, like Evelyn and Christiana, both of whom were seated in the row in front of me. If I was just a normal girl, I would be rooming with witches like them. I would be training to take my place in the Incendo Coven, probably working as a candle maker, or pyromancer, to be hired out to other covens for ceremonies.

I would probably have never spoken to or met Rio, Maia, Enid, or Jade. Not their mates, either. The thought pained me, and I scowled. My future was not that of any typical witch in that classroom. It was uncertain, cloudy, but most likely bloody. As it stood, I doubted I would see them or my roommates again despite not joining a coven. I would likely never seehimagain, either.

Predictably, my mind wandered to Brandon Flint.

How could anyone stand to be so damn hot?

The butterflies in my stomach that always seemed to flare to life whenever I thought about the hybrid dragon flapped double time. Fear and curiosity warred within me. I wanted to kiss him again. Needed to taste his smoky, spicy flavor on my lips in another forbidden embrace.

Dammit.

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