Page 255 of Castings & Curses

“I see,” she replied with the same natural authority that seemed part of every word she spoke. “Have you made any progress on ourproject?” she asked nonchalantly.

“We’re working on it,” Maia told her.

“Good. That will be all, ladies. Oh, one more thing. Miss Montrose?”

“Yes, Headmistress?” I asked, turning to face the older witch.

My gaze went right to the amulet she always wore around her neck, but for the first time, it seemed to call to me. The power emanating from the rock seemed familiar somehow, and I wanted to touch it, but refrained.

“I believe this is yours.”

The five of us, my roommates and me, turned to see an enormous tomato, four feet in diameter, wheeled in on a cart. My mouth dropped right open. Jurassic Mater had delivered, and big time.

“Shall I send it to the cafeteria for the sprites after it has been weighed, photographed, and measured, or did you want to have it sent to your room?”

“Oh, um, the caf can use it,” I replied, gulping loudly.

“Holy cow,I mean, tomato!” Rio giggled, and the others followed, clapping me on the back and congratulating me on my overachievement.

I said a small prayer of thanks to the Goddess before I headed back to our dorm room. My anxiety level was working overtime, and I just wanted to see Arlo. Truth was, I needed to process everything that had happened, but that could wait.

We had unfinished business, him and me.

CHAPTER11

I tookthe stairs two at a time, and believe me, that was saying something. My fluffy butt did not see that kind of workout on a usual day, but today had been anything but usual.

Enok was sitting at the table in the upstairs section of 563W, and I waved as I ran for the stairs leading to the lower level where Enid’s, Mabe’s, and my bedrooms, were located.

I heard him before I saw him. Arlo’s rich voice was deep and steady as he spoke. I wasn’t paying attention to the words, just the sound of him. Knowing he was there was enough. All the anxiety that had built up over the last hour and, however many sum odd minutes had passed—poof—were all gone.

I leaned against the doorjamb, having paused in my hunt to watch him in action. Arlo was talking to Mabe about a new blend of blood, and she was sitting in bed, an IV attached to her arm.

“You gonna come in or hover there like a hummingbird?”

“Hey, how are you feeling?” I asked Mabe.

“Better now that your boyfriend rigged it, so I don’t have to drink from a blood bag like some sort of Vincent Price special juice pouch,” she muttered, rolling her eyes at her own gory description.

I was happy to say they were back to their regular dark color, and not theglowy I’m going to suck your bloodkind of red-rimmed they got when she was low on magic. I walked in, leaned down, and gave my roommate a squeeze. I knew she wasn’t big on the whole touchy feely thing, but I didn’t care. I was.

At that moment, I needed to hug Mabe.

Arlo smiled as he watched us, no judgment on his movie star gorgeous face, and yeah, I fell a little harder for him. But I’d get to him in a minute.

Now was for Mabe.

“You stood up for me—” I started, but she was already interrupting.

“Like I was gonna let that turd talk to you like that and put his gross hands on you—easy there, Doc, your girl is fine,” she reminded Arlo, whose power surged, bringing a sharp orange zap from his fingertips.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, nodding his head as if to tell me he’d wait inside.

“I’ll be there in a minute,” I said, kissing him quickly before he left to give us some privacy.

“Look, go be with your man, I’m fine now—”

“I figured it out. Why you only go for my magic when you’re hungry,” I whispered.

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