Page 106 of The Holy Academy of Witches

I followed the edge of Adeline’s disappearing skirts up the stairs and found the evidence of decades of friendship lining the walls and floor of the smaller space. The only form of light were small strands of twinkle lights that hung in arches across the walls. The strips continued to line crates that were nailed to one wall. Their light showing a bursting collection of 80’s films, complete with an older television set and dual VHS/DVD player. Every other wall was pasted with band posters that varied in wear, some being framed while others hung loose from tacks. Two mismatched couches faced the crate wall, while piles of leather and spiral bound notebooks were stacked all around. In the leather notebooks that smelled of Cillian I found lyrics and chords in his neat print. The spiral bounds were filled with sheet music set for a piano and violin, Adeline’s instruments. Further investigation uncovered a small violin and worn guitar behind one of the couches, hidden in the piles of notebooks, neither had a speck of dust.

A small thud came from behind me and I saw Adeline approaching with an ice cold Coke.

“We don’t stock rum, but we have fizzy pop if you’d like?” She said, her gown contrasting strangely with the informal surroundings.

“I’d love a coke, thank you.” I said, my voice tight from the emotions I’d forgotten to repress.

“Sit down then, just don’t use my notebooks as a table or I’ll have to hex you.” She sat elegantly on the couch, but didn’t try to hide the tension that fell away afterwards. Her mask slipped, showing the lines of exhaustion before she remembered I was not in fact Cillian. The slight smile returned.

“So… I assume you have questions?” I asked hesitantly.

“You assume correctly.” She agreed.

So, taking a deep breath and fixing my eyes on a poster I dove into the story I’d never thought I’d tell another living soul. I told her about the lake, about how I’d been unable to move, how Cillian had saved me. I pulled off the evening glove and dismissed the glamour. I told her about the radius and the excruciating pain. I told her about the fake dating solution and how it was the only way we could think to explain my need to be close to him without revealing the mark. And then when her wide eyes met my own I felt the tugs of fate and laid out my last secret.

“I’m a seer.”

Her eyes flickered with recognition, “And does that give you any insight on this fake dating solution? Or the life bond in general?”

“No, unfortunately, it’s mostly silent about my own fate. I usually see the people around me in danger, or the people I care about.”

“Why are you telling me this?” She said slowly.

“Cillian asked the same,” I chuckled, drained.

“It can get you killed, you know that? Sage, wake up, I need to know you know that.”

My eyelids had started to drift closed despite the caffeine, the stress of the last few months all catching up to me now the story was told.

“I know, I just… I felt I needed to. I have for a while even though it made no logical sense. I can’t describe it. I told Cillian so he’d swear not to tell Theo. Theo is… Well, I won’t go into it, but he’s unstable about certain things. I also felt I should then too. You two are the only people that know, outside my family.”

“I see.” She said, massaging her temples in a way that both looked like she might have a migraine or might be doing a poor impression of a seer in a booth.

“Are you… sorry, I just… I really can’t tell, but are you trying to have a vision or…?”

Adeline snorted. She actually snorted before dissolving into unhinged laughter. It was the most undignified laugh I’d ever heard so it wasn’t long before I joined her, cackling like a wicked witch.

I don’t know how long we continued, possessed by the spurts of chuckling that spiked after a particularly unladylike snort, or when we became breathless from it. The joy soaked into the space, harmonised with the echoes of past merriment, till we were one with it. As Adeline and I wiped the tears from our eyes I took a moment to enjoy it, to relish the weightlessness that came from genuine friendship.

We spent the rest of the night talking about the logistics of my gift, how they were triggered by extreme emotion or adrenaline. How they almost got me killed the night Cillian saved me. How they’d build up in pressure when more danger was nearby and I’d need to let them stream through me or get caught unawares. I even fell into the gift to search for nearby danger so I could talk her through the physical manifestations.

She asked incredible questions, about whether sensing danger could apply to intentions, about whether using the gift under a glamour would affect its accuracy, or if the glow would fade over time. It was refreshing, talking about applications of using it rather than hiding it. I’d gotten so used to accepting it would use me that I’d not thought much about using it other than in preparation for The Run. Was it dangerous to wonder what it could be used for if I was forced into more dire circumstances?

After exhausting ourselves further, Adeline escorted me back to my family car from the grounds, insisting if they saw me they’d only pester me further as they were sure to do to her.

“Endless busybodies Sage, that’s all politicians are. Nosy people that like to be in charge.” I’d take her word for it, she spent a lot more time among them than I ever hoped to. With that we said our goodbyes.

I was glad to be rid of the dress and spend the rest of the break doing little beyond reading spell books and novels. Occasionally bothering my parents for more of their experience in warding and protective spells and runes and how to embed them in different substances. They were all too happy to further elaborate on the magics they’d been using to keep Theo and I safe all those years.

The only puzzling thing being a gift from my parents with an identical replacement for my boots. Hadn’t they already given me a replacement? I kept my confusion to myself, grateful either way. One could never have too many boots.

Part II

Fifty-Six

Adeline

We had been back on campus a week and it had been radio-silence from Teddy… Theo, I meant Theo. He wasn’tmyTeddy. Not that I wanted to hear from him, because I most definitely didn’t.

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