Page 96 of Forbidden Magic
The moment of truth.
Cole’s back is to me. He’s sitting on my left, several rows forward, and straightens his jacket before walking up the red carpet, the students shouting his name.
I join him and Melanie on stage.
Miss Deveraux takes the podium and delivers a heartfelt speech about inclusion and how we must all strive to bridge our differences and come together in the new quarter to come. She invites us to shed our anger and mend fences.
When she glances into the envelope, my back stiffens. Cole shoots me a condescending glare like he already knows he’s won.
Maybe he does know, and my confidence fizzles. I remind myself I don’t have to win to stay at the Academy. I only have to beat Cole.
If Melanie takes this, we’ll have to wait for the report cards to be handed out after the ceremony.
“Dark Falls’ best student for the Saturnalia quarter is…Julia Winslow.”
Surprised gasps and tame applause are quickly drowned out by Flynn’s scream.
“That’s bullshit,” the blond Fae shouts, his voice hard as steel.
“Enough, Verinos,” Mr. Oz says from the sidelines.
“No! She might have aced S&S, but there’s no way she got an A in Divination after the stunt she pulled. And Cole got an A in everything.”
“The report cards are still in Wright’s hands,” Melanie barks.
Flynn sneers. “His mother runs this school. You think he hasn’t seen his yet? You bloody fool.”
Oz grabs his arm, but the Fae shakes him off and points an accusing finger at me. “You cheated. I don’t know how, but you did. I’m going to ruin you, Winslow.”
“Come with me. Now,” Oz says.
Miss Deveraux and Mr. Brady move to help him.
I swallow hard as Melanie turns to me. “Congrats. I might not be okay with you dating my brother, but beating Cole is an accomplishment.”
“Thanks.” I’m too surprised to think of a jab, and she walks away.
Cole and I are the only ones left on the stage.
I turn to him. “You were fierce competition. I’m not going to rub your nose in it.”
“You cheated.”
My mouth opens in outrage. “I did not. We had a deal, you know. You have to uphold your end of the bargain now. All mortals should be safe from you and yourtricks.”
A low growl rumbles at the back of his throat, his face livid, his fists tucked deep into his jacket’s pockets. “Nothing is settled.”
He walks off, and I stare for a good minute at his retreating back.
What Flynn said gnaws at me. Miss Eillis let it slip that I got A- in Herbology, which means… If he wasn’t lying, and Cole got an A in everything, it means I should have lost.
I open my report card with shaky hands.
Oz is chatting with Mr. Brady by the exit.
“You gave me an A+ in Duel?” I ask the dashing professor with a smile.
He excuses himself from his conversation and takes me aside. “You deserved it. You sent my best fighter into a half-day magical coma. It took three healers to wake him.”
