Page 148 of The Holy Academy of Witches

My hands were shaking by the time I hit cold air. My fingertips turning black as my gift took hold. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing as I counted backwards.

“Adeline?” I spun to see Cillian walking up the moon lit path towards our dormitory. He was still in uniform, hair swept back out of his eyes and leather shoes shined to perfection glinted with every step. His eyes searched my face warily, before seeing my trembling hands. He slowed his movements as though I were a vicious animal needing to be placated.

“They killed children, Cillian.” I said into the night air.

“Yes.”

“Children… With Cancer.”

“I know.”

I lifted my face to the night sky and took shaking gulps, willing my anger to pass, my gift to subside, my magic to calm it’s assault on my body.

“I should have done something.”

“There’s nothing you could have done, Adeline. It’s a tragic incident.”

I scoffed, “You sound like my mother… Like your parents. They’d be so proud.”

“Adeline. Don’t do this….”

“I should have done more, tried harder.” I snapped. Pacing as I wrung my blackened hands together.

“What are you-”

“Forget it. Go back to your dormitory. I’m fine… I’ll be fine. It’s not me who’s lying dead in a hospital is it?!”

“Adeline…” he took a step towards me and I shrunk away.

“Don’t. I’m not…” power rushed through my body, my skin tingled with it. “I don’t want you here. Go back to bed.” I turned and walked back into the dormitory building, hearing his sigh just before the door closed.

I continued up the staircase and back into our dormitory. Sage was the only one still sitting in the lounge watching the news. She turned it off on seeing me and made to move.

“I’m fine. I’m going to bed.” I waved her away, and went into my room. As the door closed behind me I felt certain that I knew what I had to do now.

Seventy-Seven

Sage

We might be pushing our luck with how often we snuck off to the Cabin. But after some begging I discovered I could orgasm vision free so long as I completed a vision dive beforehand. I didn’t tell him the visions were getting darker and darker, didn’t tell him about the constant dread, not if it meant we’d meet up less. I needed him more than I needed peace, and I’d happily fill my mind with darkness if it was followed up with this light.

After blacking out from pleasure alone I was relieved to wake cradled in his arms.

“You want to shower before getting back?” He murmured, his scruff scraping deliciously against the shell of my ear.

“Yes, but I need to go alone. You’re too distracting and I can’t afford to forget to use soap again.”

“Spoilsport,” I could tell he smiled by the way his cheek felt against mine and I tucked away the giddy light of it, of us, to ward off the sadness that seemed so close at hand.

Showering and dressing quickly I plaited my curls behind me, hoping my excuse of a late night swim would hold up for the umpteenth time. Cillian was waiting at the door, holding my jacket out for me to step into. We walked hand in hand, sandwiched between the budding trees and glowing stars, surrounded by so much life it felt impossible for anything bad to happen. Either way, we had each other now, and I felt certain we could survive whatever life threw at us so long as that was true.

We parted with a kiss at my dorm building, and I made my way upstairs with as much stealth as I was able. The door, not understanding my clandestine nature, still swung open with my name etched in golden light. Not subtle in the slightest.

“Another swim, Sage?” Lillian asked lightly from the couch, wrapped in a robe made out of some kind of cloud.

“Yup, gotta stay fit,” I said with a smile.

“Huh, that’s weird.” Dorcus said, sipping on a glass of wine.

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