Chapter 73

Ben’s refusal to work with me to bring Jacques across the void hung in the air between us. “You can’t mean—”

“My answer is no and that’s final.” Ben shakes his head. “I gave into you before about vampires and it cost me everything. I will not make the same mistake again.”

All the arguments forming about how Jacques is different stuck to my tongue. Ben wouldn’t listen. I straighten and walk to the door.

“Where are you going?” he asks.

“I need some air.” I turn the knob. “And I’ve got a grimoire to find. It brought me you and Kiarr, perhaps it can help with Jacques too. I know you don’t want to hear that, but I’m telling you the truth. And I won’t force you to help me or even to accept Jacques, but I won’t give up trying to get him back. He’d do the same for me— like you and Kiarr would as well.”

I leave my dorm room and walk down the hallway. Thanks to my punishment, I couldn’t go anywhere.

A rumble sounds outside the academy, shaking the walls. An earthquake? Students run from their rooms while some of them scream.

“Brene.” Kiarr appears beside me and leads me to a large table in the hallway.

I duck underneath it along with a handful of other classmates. The crystal chandeliers shatter on the ground in front of us. A vase crashes a few feet away and a piece of the ceiling collapses.

“Scutum praesidium,” Headmistress Decan yells and the marble and ceiling freeze in place before her magic pushes them into a corner and away from the students.

The earthquake subsides and I crawl out from underneath the table along with the other students.

“Everyone, go back to your rooms.” Decan spins to the front door and dashes outside like she’s chasing a demon.

I spot Jezza and Melanie and rush over to them. “What’s going on? We’ve never had an earthquake here before.”

“You’re right.” Jezza frowns, her face pale.

Nora, the werewolf I met earlier, joins our conversation. “It’s not an earthquake.” She shakes her head, her nose scrunching up. “That was a magical attack.”

“How can you tell?” I ask, but my skin crawls.

“The scent of Rhododendrons, can’t you smell it?”

“No,” I answer when Jezza and Melanie don’t. “How do you know it’s magic then?”

“Everyone has a scent when they do magic.” Her eyes are amber, like she’s using her wolf side. “Doesn’t matter if you conjure a drop of water or Niagara Falls, your magic has the same scent.”

“What do Rhododendrons even smell like?” I wrap my arms around myself, suddenly cold.

“A strong lily-like aroma with a hint of nutmeg overtones.”

“That’s specific.” Jezza nods.

“What does necromancy magic smell like?” Melanie questions.

“Yours? Like graveyard miasma, azaleas, powerful ozone and musk.” Nora’s nose relaxes and she smiles. “Reminds me of hunting outside the cemetery.”

Melanie beams back, her cheeks coloring pink.

“Everyone, go back to your rooms.” Headmaster Walsh claps his hands. “Clear the halls so we can get this mess cleaned up.”

I duck down the hallway, grabbing Nora and gesturing to Jezza and Melanie to tag along too. “Okay, so whose magic smells like the nutmeg lily stuff?”

“No idea.” Nora frowns. “I’ve only smelled it one other time. When the lightning storm came the other night.”

Goosebumps dance up and down my arms. “Are you sure? No one in the academy has that scent to their magic?”

“Yeah, whoever is casting these spells is new.”

“How do you know that?” Jezza picks a sliver of glass from her blazer’s sleeve.

“Because I’ve traveled to all the nearby supernatural schools for competition and never smelled it before.”

“Someone could be a new student,” I argue.

Nora shakes her head. “I don’t think so. Whoever it is can’t be longer than a half a day of travel. Otherwise, the distance would dilute the smell. It’s strong, but not as strong as anyone here.”

“She’s right.” Melanie brushes a hand over her dark hair, making the blue highlighted strands stand out. “With Nora smelling magic, it would be potent from anyone here, but over a certain distance— it would lose its power to varying degrees.”

“So, could you figure out how far whoever did this is?” I ask, but my mind was already going to Gwen. If she had the grimoire… maybe she was trying out new magic or she’d borrowed someone else’s like she’d tried to take mine. But I didn’t want to sway Nora and the others to my hunch in case I was wrong.

“Yeah. I’ll have to be in my wolf form, and it’ll take me a day or so to scope out what direction the magic scent is stronger.”

“How long will that take?” I ask, ducking my head as Headmistress Decan swept past the hallway with a full garbage bag. No need to get her madder at me for not going to my dorm room right away.

“Give me two days if someone can drive me around.”

“Why can’t you drive yourself?” Jezza leans her shoulder against the wall.

“Shifting back and forth between wolf and human can be taxing.”

“I’ll drive you.” Melanie clears her throat. “If that’s okay?”

“Sure.” Nora nods. “You’ll have to follow my signals. One bark for no and two for yes and I’ll point my nose in the direction to go. And we’ll need the windows down.”

“No problem, I’ve got a convertible.”

“I think I love you.” Nora gives Melanie a sultry smile. “Meet you at the back of the gym at midnight?”

The two girls drift down the hallway, speaking in whispers.

Jezza stifles a yawn. “I’ll check in with you in the morning?”

“Yeah. Goodnight.” I head back to my room.

Inside, my shoulders slump when I find it empty. Not that I had expected to find Ben here after our disagreement, but I had been hopeful. And where was Kiarr?

I run water for a bath. White dust from the earthquake coats my hair. Why was Gwen attacking the academy? Vengeance for them kicking her out? Or me irritating her? Probably the latter.

And once we have proof that Gwen has the grimoire and is using its magic against others, she’ll be suspended from the human school too. Doubt that even her ex-magical friends would be okay with that either.

After washing, I climb into bed, an uneasy feeling pressing into my stomach.

Kiarr appears in my room and I pat the bed beside me. His arms wrap around me and I sink into his embrace. I fill him in on everything I had found out.

“Did you get a chance to speak with Ben?” I ask, unable to keep the hope out of my voice.

“Aye. He needs time, Brene.”

“Do you think I’m wrong in wanting to do this?” I mean I should be grateful to have two amazing men, even ghosts, in my life. Was I being a horrible person wanting another?

“Let’s get this book of spells first, then we’ll cross the other bridges to bring your Jacques back.”

“How is it you’re okay with this?”

His hand traces circles on my arm. “I’ve been the longest without you and I can handle a lot to keep you at my side. Plus, I know you care for me more, so they don’t bother me giving you attention and love.”

“I care for each of you all the same.” I elbow him and he chuckles.

“My people did not have a problem with more than one wife. Many households had more than one wife or slaves.”

“And do you?”

“With ye as my wife?” He shook his head, kissing my shoulder. “Ye’d gut me in my sleep if I tried.”

“Totally.”

“It’s late, Brene, sleep. I’ll stay with ye all night even if Ben returns so that I know you’re not alone.”

“So, you think the magical attack was aimed at me?”

“Until we find out otherwise, aye.”