Page 33 of Monster's Pet

“Not yet, but I’ll get it,” the professor snapped.

“But that’s not how the ley lines work!” I protested. “You can’t drain them by using the magic within them. They’ll refill, like a river.”

Professor Wright spread his arms wide. “Obviously not!”

“Thank you, Professor, I’ll take it from here,” Headmistress Blackthorn said firmly. “You may go.”

Professor Wright left the room, stomping his feet like a petulant child. I was shaken to see the normally easy-going professor so unhinged.

Fear is a powerful motivator,I thought to myself sadly.

“You’ll need to return the baby to the forest,” the headmistress was saying.

“No!” I cried along with my friends.

“She’s just a baby, Headmistress,” Rhiannon pleaded. “She’ll die on her own!”

“It might be better that way,” the headmistress replied softly.

“How can you say that?” Bruce demanded. “You just finished telling us innocent until proven guilty!”

I bit my tongue, not wanting to bring up my theories of why Aiden’s magic was reacting so erratically. It would only lead to heartbreak.

“It is a wild animal,” Headmistress Blackthorn said. “It belongs in the forest with the rest of its kind.”

“I’ve never heard of a manducare before,” Rhiannon said. “Why all the secrecy?”

“It’s practically a mythological creature,” the headmistress replied. “Like a boogeyman or Krampus.”

“Both of which exist,” I pointed out.

“As does the manducare. I thought they’d all died out.” She shook her head. “I’ve never seen one, only heard them described in fairy tales. They are dangerous creatures and shouldn’t be kept near magical people.”

“Fairy tales are hardly ever right,” I began, but Aiden interrupted me by getting to his feet.

“I understand, Headmistress. If we may go?”

“Of course. You have my permission to enter the forest to return the creature.”

A muscle jumped in his jaw. “Thanks.” He pivoted and left the room abruptly.

“I’m not happy about this,” I said, scowling at the headmistress. “You’re acting rashly with no proof and that little baby will pay for it.” I followed Aiden out of the room.

He was already halfway down the hall to the kitchens before I caught up to him. “You’re not really bringing her back to the forest, are you?” I said, gasping for breath a little at the run I’d had to do in order to catch up to him.

“Of course not,” he scoffed. “But I have to make it look like I am.”

“She really is eating magic, you know,” I whispered.

Aiden stopped and stared at me. “You can’t be serious.”

“I am.”

“You want me to leave her out there?” His face turned pale.

“No!” I shouted, then lowered my voice. “Definitely not. She wouldn’t survive. But we need to come up with a way for her to eat magic that isn’t tied tous.”

“Thank you.” Aiden sighed with relief. “I know we’ll figure something out.” He continued walking. “You think she’s why my magic is all over the place, don’t you?”

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