Page 16 of Sold to the Devil
I swallow the lump that's formed in my throat and glance over at him. He stands up, rubbing his eyes. He looks at my side of the bed before frowning and looking across the room. I keep my head down, not letting him know that I'm aware of him staring once his eyes land on me.
“Why are you up so early?” He mutters in a hoarse voice.
Shivers run down my spine and the hairs on my body stand on end. I clear my throat. “Couldn’t sleep…”
He mumbles unintelligible words, still half asleep, then I hear footsteps coming towards me. Then I feel his presence right behind me and my breath catches.
“How long have you been awake?”
“What time is it?” I ask softly.
“It’s 6h30.”
I swallow. I was almost finished reading my book, I was so engrossed in the story that I didn't notice the time passing.
“Three hours.”
He doesn't say anything, but I hear him walk away, probably to get dressed. I need to get ready too, since we're leaving at 7:00 am. I finish the last chapter of my book and put it back on the shelf. Then I go into the dressing room to get dressed.
Mattheo comes out at the same time, wearing black trousers and a white blouse. He also has a black tie, which I assume is part of his uniform for the Academy. I figure I should wear something similar, so I choose a knee-length black skirt and a white blouse. I don't have a tie since I've never bought one before. I hesitate to borrow one from Mattheo, chewing my lower lip nervously, before changing my mind.
Who needs a tie anyway?
I go to the bathroom where Mattheo is brushing his teeth and grab my hairbrush. I braid my hair so it doesn't bother me during the day. I brush my teeth, put on mascara and red lipstick. I don't really like wearing makeup, but I feel better when I wear it. It makes me feel prettier.
I feel his eyes on me, but I try to ignore it. I can't look at him without having flashbacks to my dream, and I really don't want him to see me blush, or worse, read my mind and find out.
Once my morning routine is complete, I grab my bag full of hygiene products and put it in my trunk. I grab my wand and put it in the holster attached to my thigh. Once again, I feel Mattheo's eyes following my every move. I slip on my shoes, black ankle boots with low heels.
I see Mattheo heading towards my snake's vivarium, grabbing its transport box as he goes. His strong hand opens the enclosure's glass before disappearing inside for a few seconds. When he pulls it out, the reptile is wrapped around his fingers, its long black body gripping tightly around his forearm. Once the animal is safely inside the box, he turns towards me.
“Are you ready?”
I nod and watch as he picks up his wand and points it at our trunks. They levitate behind him, and I follow him out of our room. We find Arthur and Tom at the bottom of the stairs, both waiting for us with their trunks at their feet. Once they notice us, they both smile in my direction, practically ignoring Mattheo.
“Well, my little Lady, ready to go to the Academy of Witchcraft?” Arthur asks me in a cheerful voice.
I laugh and nod. Mattheo rolls his eyes but remains surprisingly silent. He stops the spell on our trunks before casting another. They disappear, and I frown.
“They're at the monastery now, darling.” Tom whispers in my ear once he notices my confusion.
I blush when I realize how close he is, memories of his touch yesterday flooding my head. I quickly think of something else when I remember that he and his brother can read my mind.
Fingers adorned with cold rings that make me shiver grab my left wrist, bringing me back to reality.
Mattheo.
Surprisingly, his touch is softer than last time and I frown, confused.
A hand slips into my free hand, its fingers intertwining with mine and I turn my head, meeting a pair of blue irises.
Tom.
Arthur places his hand on Tom's shoulder, and the feeling of being crushed fills my body. I close my eyes in discomfort, waiting for my feet to touch the ground again.
“You can open your eyes, darling. We're here.” Tom's deep voice echoes in my ear again.
I do as he tells me, still feeling his hand in mine and Mattheo's around my wrist. A huge black train catches my eye, and I stand there, amazed by the sight. The only ones I've ever seen were in the books I've read or in the newspapers my father brings home every day.
