Page 327 of Sigils & Spells

When I turned right, I saw why. Stolbright was monitoring the hallway. I hated that woman. Something was just not right about her. The constant smirk she wore, as if she knew something no one else did.

Her gaze landed on me, and my stomach filled with rage. This woman knew where my father was and why he was taken, and I was powerless to do anything but pretend ignorance.

“Ms. McKenna, how nice to see you attending class.”

“Good evening, Ms. Stolbright. Are you going out to hunt up prospects at this time of night?” I asked, eying her cloak and boots.

“Not hunting, dear. I have other duties tonight,” she replied, her smirk growing wider.

My heartbeat hammered loudly, and I felt a tingling sensation along my fingertips. Brandon moved behind her, standing in my line of vision with his impossibly beautiful face, and he shook his head once.

“You know, you really should attend class more. The magical world needs more candle makers.”

I exhaled a trembling breath, trying to hold on to my temper.

Candle makers?

I would show her a candle maker!

“Tana! We came to get you for dinner!” Jade exclaimed.

She’d appeared suddenly with Enid, Rio, and Maia in tow. Magnus and Enok hung back, joining Brandon, who’d moved back against the wall without me even noticing.

Fuck, he was fast.

“Hi there, Ms. Stolbright. Wanna join us for a meal?” Enid asked innocently.

I was too distracted to hear the woman’s reply. Jade elbowed me and I looked down to see my fingertips sporting some red, flaming fingernails.

Fuck.

Maia squeaked, elbowing Rio who, looking down, saw my dilemma. She waved her fingers and focused and suddenly my hands were soaking wet, as were my boots, but at least the flames were doused.

For now.

“Shit. That was close,” Rio mumbled.

“All right, Tana, spill,” Maia whispered, tugging my arm as we walked down to the cafeteria. Might as well grab some munchies. I was starving.

“Nothing to spill,” I tried, but Jade cut me off with a firm shake of her head.

“Brandon called us down here to get you out of trouble when he saw Stolbright gunning for you ten minutes ago. We hauled ass to get here, McKenna, and I am not letting you brush me off,” the feisty little earth witch snapped.

“Drinks?” Enok called out as we found a table in the busy caf.

“Tea.”

“Coffee.”

“Cherry cola!”

“Want something?” Brandon murmured, and I nodded my head.

For some reason, he seemed pretty intuitive when it came to discerning my likes and dislikes. I doubted I would taste anything, anyway.

“We’ll grab the drinks and food. You ladies can stay here,” Magnus offered.

I was grateful not to have to go through the whole menu and deciding thing. The sprites were great at their job, but sometimes there was just too much to choose from. The room was abuzz with conversations from groups of witches and wizards winding down their day. This was the last call for dinner. The cafeteria was open for small plates and snacks after hours, but full meal service ended in less than an hour.

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