Chapter Sixty-One

I snap my mouth closed and stay still, waiting for what seems like forever until Serene moves away from the wall first, signaling that it’s okay for us to go now. “That was the weirdest shit I’ve ever seen,” I whisper, still cautious about the volume of my voice. I feel my hands shaking so I put them into the pockets of my coat so Serene doesn’t notice.

She looks over her shoulder at me with an apologetic look. “I know, you look super pale. I’m sorry it freaked you out, but it should buy us some time,” She heads to the door and cracks it open, peeking out into the hallway with caution. After a moment, she props it open the rest of the way and waves me through. “We had to wait for them to be far enough away, or else Adrian would smell you. As his Mate, he’ll be able to tell that something’s off the quickest, so it’s lucky that he’s staying home otherwise we’d be fucked.”

I grimace at the word ‘Mate’, feeling the guilt return, sitting like a weighted ball in the pit of my stomach. I don’t reply as I follow Serene through the corridors, which remain fairly empty thanks to the lateness of the hour. It seems to take forever for her to lead us to the elevator that only goes upward, and my body has begun to shake. I blame it on the cold, but I know it’s from my nerves. I have always hated being dishonest since it always results in a stomach ache for me. I try to remind myself that it’s for a good reason this time as I step into the elevator, knowing that I can’t go back now. Serene glances over at me as the door shut, giving me a look of concern.

“Are you okay? You keep shaking.”

I give her a tight-lipped smile and nod unconvincingly. “Yeah, I’m fine.” I lie, willing it to sink in so that I can believe it, too. She reaches to touch my arm reassuringly, giving it a slight squeeze.

“If you say so. Here, keep this in your pocket,” She instructs, swinging her backpack around and digging through the zipper to produce a rock. “It’s a crystal,” She says, offering it to me. The weight of it is cool and lively against my palm, seeming to buzz with energy at my touch. “It’ll help you resist the magic inside of the study. I know you aren’t used to it yet, so it should keep you conscious at least.”

I slip the black crystal into my pocket gratefully, already feeling comforted by its presence. “Thanks,” I say as the elevator comes to a stop at the top floor, opening the doors to let us out into the massive library. As soon as we cross the threshold the doors close behind us, leaving us with no choice but to keep moving further into the room. I stuff my hands into the pockets of my coat, wrapping my fingers around the stone. It purrs at my touch and a tingling sensation creeps up my arm and into the rest of my body, making me feel less anxious about the situation.

As expected, De Leon is seated at his desk with a book open in front of him, waiting expectantly. His beard and eyebrows are just as bushy as I remember them, and he raises them in a greeting, closing the massive tome to give us his undivided attention. “Ah, good to see you again, Ms. Loveday. Serene here tells me that you’ve gained interest in unlocking your potential as a Sorceress.”
I follow Serene to the two chairs positioned at the front of the desk, taking a seat at one of them. I offer a nod, sitting stiffly in the seat. The whole study reeks of the sweet tinge of magic as if it’s soaked into every book and grain of wood inside. “Yes. If I can do anything to help my friend Jasper with his Madness, I’ll do whatever it takes.” I say, proud of the resolve in my tone.

De Leon regards me curiously, his beady eyes twinkling mischievously in the light that pours in through the windows. Being the highest point on campus, they offer a beautiful view of the mountains and forest that surrounds us, even more, lovely draped in snow. “How noble of you. Something tells me that isn’t the only reason for your interest, am I right?”

My jaw sets as I turn back to look at the Dean, leveling him with a gaze. “Does it matter? I know that once my powers are restored, the Hybrids are going to come looking for me. I’m sure you’re hoping that I can defeat them, right?” I ask, pointedly raising an eyebrow. “So it seems like we would mutually benefit from you helping me.”

De Leon leans back in his worn leather chair, his lips curving into a smile beneath his mustache.
“That’s true. I’m amazed that you’re willing to go against your Mate’s wishes, though. Adrian is quite the omnipotent force to oppose, you know.”

I swallow, feeling a hint of panic begin to rise inside of me. I squeeze the crystal inside of my pocket tightly, willing it to lend me some courage. “I know. Leave him for me to worry about and tell me what I need to do.”

He seems impressed by my resolve and nods, fixating me with his gaze. “Very well, we will keep it a secret, then. Does your father know about your intentions at least?”

I glare at him, feeling suddenly tired of asking permission for things. “No, and he doesn’t need to,” I say with an edge in my voice. My reaction has Serene giving me a commendable look that I appreciate more than she knows. “I’m not a child. What I chose to do is up to no one else to decide. Are you going to help me or not?”

De Leon chuckles and shakes his head, pushing away from his desk. “Of course, I will. I want those Hybrids taken care of more than anything, no matter who it opposes,” He rounds the desk and stops between Serene and me, rubbing his aged hands together in preparation for something. “First, you should know that I will continue to hide you for as long as possible. You will need to train in order to control your power, so I will offer you enough time to do so. The Hybrids are incredibly dangerous, though, I must caution you. Even your beloved mother could not defeat a single one.”

A muscle in my jaw jumps at the mention of my mom, anger rising in my gut. “You don’t think I know that? I understand what I’m risking. All that I need from you is to remove this glamour magic, got it?”

De Leon raises his hands in surrender, cracking a wry smile. “Alright, as you wish. Being around Adrian certainly has rubbed off on you, hasn’t it?” He rubs his palms together once more before reaching to touch my forehead, placing the other at the back of my head to keep me still. “This might feel uncomfortable, but don’t fight it. Let me inside of your mind and I should be able to locate the glamor.”

I feel my breath hitch as I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for the worst. I’m not sure what I’m expecting, but the cold touch of something caressing my brain certainly isn’t it. My body jumps in reaction and I try to pull away, but The Dean’s hands are surprisingly strong, holding me in place with ease. Serene takes my hand and squeezes it, offering her condolences.

“It’s okay,” She coos, stroking the back of my hand. “I know it feels weird, but it won’t take very long. Just bear it a little while longer, okay? Remember why you’re doing this. Think of Jasper.”

I take a shaky breath and force myself to stay still, trying to focus on the thought of Jasper’s smiling face as he tells a goofy joke, recalling the sound of his laugh. That’s a sound that I want to hear more of, and if this unpleasant procedure is all that it takes to secure that future, it’s worth it a hundred times over. The cold touch ventures away from my brain, spreading the ice all the way down to my heart. I gasp as I feel it caress my organs, poking at every angle to see where the magic lies. It seems to hook onto something and tugs gently at it, though I don’t feel any pain.

“I found it,” De Leon mutters, sounding lost in concentration. “I’m going to pull it out now, so brace yourself.”

I do as instructed and squeeze Serene’s hand with one arm and grip the crystal in my other, bracing myself for the unknown. It feels as though a blanket is being ripped off of me in the middle of a blizzard, exposing me to the bitter cold without a heat source. All of the sudden the Dean steps away from me, releasing my head and taking the bitter cold touch with him. His eyes are wide as he stares at me, searching my expression for a reaction. A bead of sweat drips down his temple as he breathes heavily like he just ran a marathon. “How do you feel?”

I lean back into the chair, feeling my shoulders slacken. “I feel tired,” I admit, focusing on the feeling of my body. I do feel different, though, as if a fire has been lit inside of my stomach, coursing a rush of warmth throughout my body. The crystal in my hand vibrates even more than before, adding to the energy that flows through my veins. I feel like I’ve been asleep my whole life, and I’ve just woken up. A smile creeps across my face as I flex my fingers, taking the crystal from my pocket. “But strong.”