Page 60 of Forbidden Magic
“You have no power here, Daniel,” Celeste chimes.
“I’ve got a letter from the President demanding we let this matter go.”
I hold my breath. The President of the High Council wrote a letter for me to stay in school? It’s fantasy! No way has the President heard of me. Dad doesn’t use his position to get favors. Not ever.
Celeste appears next to Dr. Chen and crumples the letter. “She uses those powers again on school grounds, and we’ll have to report her to the Magisterium.”
The infirmary’s door cracks open loudly behind me, and I spin around, my heart pulsing like a raw sore inside my chest.
“Jules?” Trent whispers.
I jump and run over to him, my legs still wobbly beneath me.
He wraps an arm around my waist to steady me upright and glares at the hospital gown hanging from my frame. “Are you okay?”
I play nervously with the hem of the fabric. “I think so.” Leaning into his embrace, the scent of cloves and pine needles chases away the stink of sweat, fear and ash.
“I sneaked past the guard,” he says.
“There’s a guard?”
“Yes. Everybody is whispering that you sold your soul out to a demon to win the bet. What the hell happened earlier? I didn’t know you could conjure infernal magic.” His cold hand cups my cheek.
The gentle touch soothes my feverish skin, and I press my lips against the inside of his palm. “I didn’t know either.”
The deep lines in his forehead disappear. “Who won?”
“Uh?”
“We couldn’t see anything. Once the storm cleared, you were both unconscious. Who passed out first?”
My head hurts just thinking about it. “I can’t remember. I need—I need to talk to my dad.”
Celeste barrels inside our bubble like a reaper coming to collect our souls. Dressed in black from head to toe, she looks paler than death. The tightness of her scowl and the bunch of her fists makes me glad she’s not actually holding a scythe.
“You shouldn’t be here, Mr. Darkwood,” she enunciates slowly.
Trent winces. “I just had to know Jules was okay. I’ll go.”
Celeste growls and disappears into the private room.
“Is Cole in there?” I ask, suddenly putting two and two together.
Trent nods. “I guess so. You were both completely out of it when they carried you out of the arena.”
“Wow.” I put the headmistress’ son in the infirmary using forbidden magic. I’m royally screwed.
“I should go.” Trent gives me a soft kiss before leaving.
My bladder screams bloody murder as I adjust what’s left of my bra, and I drag to the bathroom. Quiet voices seep through the wall and turn my stomach upside down. I grab a sheet of toilet paper and mutter a paper-thin spell under my breath, aiming the magic at the wood separating me from Cole’s room, and press my ear to it. A bit of light streams through the enchanted wall square, but they shouldn’t notice anything if I keep quiet.
“You humiliated me today, Cole.” I see the outline of Celeste Draco next to the bed until Cole’s head obscures it.
“Yes, Ma’am,” he says, his voice trembling with emotion.
“To be bested by amortal…” The word is so vile, it’s like it’s been dunked in oil and dragged in a dump before being set on fire. “Rectify the situation. I don’t want to bring your father into this.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Cole says quickly.
