Page 65 of Forbidden Magic
His hand flies to the burn on his knuckles before he catches himself and tugs down his sleeve. “Don’t flatter yourself, Sabrina.”
Somehow, we’re now standing in front of one another, barely a few inches between our faces. “What did you see? When I went boom?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Amnesia? That’s awfully convenient.” I test a hunch. “You yielded.”
“I certainly did not!” he grits through his teeth.
The corners of my mouth quirk up. “Ah! So you do remember.”
“No, but I know I would never have yielded toyou.”
“Cut the crap. You must remember. You said something about my eyes…”
The sneer he serves me could cut through glass. “Was it very romantic? You know what I think happened? I think you dreamed all this stuff up.”
My pulse flies. “Let’s make a deal. One time offer.” The dark satisfaction that flicks in his eyes sends a shudder down my spine. “You tell me what happened and what you saw in my eyes, and I’ll kneel for you. In front of everyone.”
Never make a deal with a Fae, you’ll end up on your knees.
He curses under his breath. “I can’t make that deal.”
He’s not lying because there is absolutely no way he would have said no. He puffs his chest. “I propose another bet to settle the matter. Instead of beating me in Duel, you have to beat me in everything. You take the top spot this quarter, and we’ll all leave you alone.”
That’s an enticing offer, but what’s in it for him? “And if I don’t?”
“You quit the Academy.”
My breath stutters. I can’t—He wants me out? Since when? I chew the offer and try to keep a straight face, but I’m shattered. Whatever game we were playing before is over. He hates me now. That fucker.
“Okay. But if I beat you, you and your court have to stop bullying all mortals until graduation.” I extend my hand and raise a brow, daring him to accept.
“Deal.”
The steel in his handshake squeezes my palm to the point of pain, and I get the feeling I’ll never touch him again.
The interlude has cost us a few precious minutes, and we come in front of S&S only to find a solid door.
Cole curses and slaps the wall with his opened palm. Devereaux closed the door, which means…
I grab my forehead and wince. “Neither of us is going to win if we don’t pass S&S.”
Cole turns on his heels. “We can work togetherandtear each other down, can’t we?”
“Are you asking me?”
“Shape up, Sabrina. I wouldn’t want my victory to be too easy.”
I watch his back disappear around the corner and wonder what would have happened if Mr. Oz had let me beat up Flynn, or if I hadn’t made that bet in the first place. Would Cole have mentioned his discovery of my peculiar parentage? If he knew what it meant, he probably would have outed me already.
Human or not, I’m still a mortal. I guess the difference is inconsequential to him.
I set up shop in one of the empty classrooms and turn the heat on my cauldron. I’m not going to let this morning go to waste, but Miss Devereaux’s input would have been invaluable.
When I step outside, about twenty minutes after my class ended, two things immediately feel wrong. One, a big, dead tree is standing out front where a luscious, proud Douglas Fir used to be. Second, my name is written across the grayish bark in red.
The Winslow Grinch who stole Christmas.
