Page 68 of The Holy Academy of Witches

“Since I was three years old, so… quite a while.”

“It was amazing.”

“How long were you watching? You’re never early.” I asked, dubiously.

“Only a few minutes. I was gonna ask why you wanted to meet here instead of the music room or the library but I guess now I see why.”

“Correct, shall we?” I gestured for her to take a seat at the benches which lined the walls of the rectangular room. A modern addition to the Academy, the dance hall was a large, bright space with floor to ceiling mirrors adorning every inch of wall space. Horizontal bars ran the full length of the back wall and the main floor space was left free of any furniture which may become a nuisance to the teachers.

“How often do you dance?” Sage asked, her curiosity clearly still peaked.

“Once a week, sometimes twice.”

“How?!” She looked at me as though I’d just declared I had solved world hunger.

“What do you mean?”

“How do you fit it all in?! You tutor me every evening, have your own homework to do, I know you also go running and swimming… When do you sleep?”

I don’t, I thought to myself. and that wasn’t even half of my schedule… she’d really look at me like I’d grown two heads if I told her the true extent of everything I did in a typical week. My phone vibrated as though reminding me of some task which awaited my attention. I slipped it out of my pocket and glanced at it as I grabbed my books from my bag.

Teddy: Hey you, 20 questions…

“There’s that smile again… you’re definitely talking to a guy.” I hadn’t even realised I was smiling until Sage had pointed it out. I put my phone back away so she wouldn’t question me further, like the freakishly-tall interrogator she was, but as I placed my books on the bench, along with my laptop, my mind kept wandering back to my conversation with Teddy last night. Our usual game of twenty questions had morphed into something quite flirtatious… if not outright dirty at times and every time I thought about it I had to squeeze my thighs together.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Right, before we begin. I haven’t had the opportunity to scout the location we’d considered for the riddle but I think one, if not both of us, should. Prior to the full moon of course, so we can ascertain if it’s even the correct place. I’m not sure how obvious it’s going to be and I don’t like to leave things up to chance.”

“We could go now?”

“We could not.”

“Why?” She whined.

“Because as you have just correctly pointed out, I’m incredibly busy… and so should you be. This homework isn’t going to write itself, no matter how hard you stare at it.” I added as she glared down at her work.

We settled into a comfortable silence, both independently working on differing subjects with Sage occasionally asking me for help. How things had changed in just the last couple of months from complete strangers to two people who were familiar enough they could enjoy each other’s company without any pretence of making conversation. I appreciated that about Sage, that although she desired to be good friends she didn’t push me or force me into any social situations I wouldn’t want to be in and didn’t pry into my private life like so many others. With the recent exception of the identity of who I was messaging, although unlike Dorcus I had no doubt she was genuinely curious, rather than looking for a secret of high currency.

With my laptop facing away from her, I clicked into the email account associated with my curse research. With no new emails, I logged back out and retrieved my phone once more.

Adeline: Go…

Teddy: How would you describe yourself in one word?

I looked down at the research paper I had saved on cellular necrosis in Caenorhabditis elegans and at the silvery skin of my exposed wrist.

Adeline: Broken. You?

Teddy: Self-destructive… or just fuckingangry?

“Adeline?” I looked up and judging by the expectant look on Sage’s face that probably wasn’t the first time she had said my name.

“Yes?”

“What are you reading? You were a million miles away.”

“Oh, nothing… just a personal project.” I turned my attention back to her, “What can I help you with?”

“What does this say?” She asked, pointing to her paper. I leaned over and observed she was using the notes I had written for her while she was sick.

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