Page 82 of The Holy Academy of Witches

“Care to wager?”

“The usual?”

“Done. Sage,” I greeted, smoothly. “Take a seat, it’s rude to stare.” I met her gaze as she stood before us, her eyes lingering on the tattoos which adorned my flesh. Lifting my glass, I took a sip. Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. Dammit, I owed Cillian a thousand pounds.

“You… You’re…”

Cillian smirked into his glass, “oh, shut up.” He laughed holding his hands up defensively. Sage looked between us both.

“How?” She squeaked.

“An illusion charm… Only in the places that matter in that dreadful uniform.”

“I like our uniform, you always look stylish in yours.”

“It’s not how it looks, it’s what it represents…” I trailed off, glancing at Cillian who was not so subtly looking Sage up and down. His eyes lingering.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

After Sage had eventually managed to string a sentence together she had ordered herself a rum & coke and a side of fries, jiggled her leg up and down under the table as she bounced her knee nervously and then promptly ran off to the bathroom.

I couldn’t decide if this was a massive mistake on my part. Perhaps I’d pushed her too far? I’ll give her five more minutes in the bathroom and then I’m going in… Even with my hatred for public restrooms.

“Well, this is going well.” Cillian sighed.

“Mmm I thought so too,” I sipped my drink. “Oh don’t look at me like that, it’ll be fun.”

“Fun?! The girl looks like you’re holding her hostage.”

I laughed, “I have my reasons.”

“Hmm.” Was all he replied. He finished off his whiskey and pushed away from the table, “Right, I really do need to check to see if Dave is here yet. Come find me if she won’t come out of the bathroom.”

“Yeah? What are you going to do about it?”

“Oh I can beverypersuasive.” He smirked as he walked away.

“Eww!” I called after him. Let us all hope she comes out of the bathroom in the next few minutes when she’s stopped freaking out.

Forty-Five

Sage

Excusing myself to use the restroom, I thanked every star that Adeline didn’t feel the need to follow. Cillian’s bright blue eyes bored into my back as if sensing the blush creeping up my neck. As the door swung shut, I allowed myself to fully freak out. Adeline’s note had been missing very vital details, Cillian’s presence, his kohl lined eyes taking in my every reaction, both to Adeline’s appearance, his presence, and this place.

The bathroom was dim but for a flickering neon sign and some condom dispensers, very rock n roll I supposed. Imagining Adeline being comfortable let alone a regular here was throwing me for a tailspin. I knew she kept secrets, that she didn’t let people in. So what did this revelation mean? That she trusted me? That we were friends now? Or just that she felt like looking like her true badass self at her best friends concert and this was another test? Test or not, I could not marry the person I had come to know with the person I had just met.

High collared, punctual, intense Adeline had laughed. Laughed freely, in a scandalous cocktail dress with a thigh high slit revealing intricate black ink etched into her by some sort of God. I’d never thought the pain or risk of visions was worth the ink itself, but apparently I just hadn’t seen the right style because I’d pay anything for something half as beautiful as the snake I’d seen wrapping around her exposed thigh. Looking into the mirror I pinched myself, nope, this was real. My only potential friend and my universe assigned warden were turning into the coolest people I knew. Fuck my life.

Returning to the bar, I munched on my basket of fries, and for once had no inclination to fill the silence. Adeline and Cillian laughed, thick as thieves, their easy teasing a language I recognised instantly from my own with Theo. Theo… He’d love this place… them, or at least these versions of them. Should I tell him? No, I didn’t want to worry him. He’d probably see it as being two-faced or too similar to Tyler. This was easiest, and for once it was nice to have my own circle, instead of borrowing from his. Especially as I knew he didn’t particularly care for Cillian.

Cillian met my eyes then, as if he sensed I needed reminding we weren’t friends, there was a steely challenge glimmering there.

“So Sage, what do you think?”

“Think of what?”

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