Page 15 of The Holy Academy of Witches

“Is he single?”

The last question came from Melody and she blushed as we all turned her way.

“What? We were all thinking it.”

Pulling my phone from my pocket I pulled up a couple of pictures of him in his college football uniform and then a more recent selfie of us. His smile was bright in both, but the most recent picture showed how much he’d changed this last year. His frame was bigger, his jaw sharper, and he’d brushed his curls into ‘an effortless wave.’ He was classically handsome or so I’d been told. Although it personally made me ill to contemplate him being seen that way.

Melody was “oohing” while Silva and Amelia gave the picture an affirmative nod. Marsha was scrolling through her own phone until she pulled out a picture of a black-haired God. I was glad I’d put my cocoa-fee down because this man was a walking jawbreaker.

“Oh my God, is he your boyfriend?” I asked. Shamelessly stealing her phone to get a better look at his overly tall frame, the stubble that made him look much older. And finally his eyes, his light sky blue eyes. His name was at the bottom of the photograph, a picture of a yearbook picture perhaps.

She stole the phone back. “Not yet. But he will be.” She smiled smugly as she slid the phone back into her bra, the overly large t-shirt slipping off one shoulder, emphasising that she could look damn good in whatever she wore.

I tried not to feel disappointment or irrational jealousy as I tucked the name away,Cillian Lynch.A Silly dream, like his silly name. Cillian.

* * *

I had decided to row to the boys campus this time around, that way Theo wasn’t taking all the risks. Our boat’s rune wasn’t faulty either so despite being new to magic, I made great time. Their white dock glowed in the moonlight, a beacon. Subtle.

Looking for any kind of cover, I hesitantly guided my boat toward the pier, a dark stain next to the shining white of the pier and SAV boats. Trying my hand at the glamour Professor Hershaw taught today, I was able to get the wood the same colour as its neighbour’s plastic. I sent off a text, and waited.

Theo’s messy blonde hair shook like a sparkler as he ran down the hill toward the pier. I buried my face in my hands. If the total lack of cover didn’t get us caught… Theo would. Peeking between my fingers, I saw him throw himself into a barrel roll down the rest of the hill before he popped back up and continued his goofy run. His head was thrown back in what looked like laughter but no sound came out. Well… Good. He’d cast a silencing charm like the one Adeline had used, at least. The lack of pounding footsteps to his over the top bounding made my head hurt as my ears strained to hear the absence of sound.

Soundlessly skidding to a stop, he began a dance and song routine that overrode my previous caution as laughter spilled out of me. Theo stopped, holding a hand to his chest in mock outrage before holding a finger to his lips and gesturing around like I was the insane one.

“Oh my God Theo, just get in the boat already,” I whispered tightly, trying to restrain the laughter that still bubbled in my chest.

He made a show of slowly getting into the boat, quickly shooting me glances of warning before slowly moving his head back to what he was doing. Fits of laughter had me biting my lips, and when he removed the soundless charm just to slowly fart in my face I had to clamp a hand over my nose and mouth before undocking and tapping the speed rune like my life depended on it.

Once we were well away, I began gulping down clean air and squealed laughing. Theo joined in before howling at the moon and lifting me in his arms. I pounded his chest still laughing as the boat was left without direction.

“Let me go! We’re going to get lost!!”

Setting me down with a wide grin, Theo snarked, “Ummm sis, it’s a perfectly round lake… We can’t get lost.”

Disabling the speed rune and anchoring the boat under some trees, I said: “Whatever, teach me how you did that soundless charm.”

“Oh Theo, my dearest twin. I’ve missed you so! Do tell me about your day.” He said, raising his voice.

“Ha! As if that little show wasn’t to make me jealous. Your teachers must be way better.”

“Or maybe I’m just the smarter twin after all.”

Refusing to answer that age old argument, I reached over the side to splash him with some lake water. He shook his hair back at me. Predictable, but I let him.

“Okay dearest sister, I’ll teach you… But I’d like something in return.”

“Like what?” I said, leaning back on my elbows.

“Well, this soundless charm is going to be very advantageous to know in the upcoming Run… So, I’ll teach you this charm in exchange for something that will help with one of the trials set by your school.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Are you joining a running team?” I asked.

“It was in the pamphlet, it’s their biggest sporting event between the two schools. A race with magical and physical obstacles set up by the faculty, and I want to win it.”

“Of course you do, but I don’t know any of the trials our school has put together! I’ve been stuck catching up so none of the teachers have assigned me anything.”

“Well… Maybe I’ll teach you the soundless rune so you can go looking for something to teach me.”

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