Dakota
“Hexed again, you mean.” Mr. Daniels doesn’t look happy.
I don’t feel happy either. I have a huge scar wrapped around my neck like a dog collar.
Ms. Evergreen looks up with a frown on her face. “What do you mean again?”
I shake my head. “I’ve never seen them before, until now.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” Ms. Evergreen says with a soft sigh.
“Ms. Evergreen…”
“Valdine please. Ms. Evergreen makes me sound old.”
Mr. Daniels snorts. “You are old Val.”
“Shut up Maxi-Pad. I wasn’t talking to you.”
I try not to smile. “Valdine,” she turns to look at me. “What’s happened to me? Why were those women coming after us?”
Valdine leans back in her chair, her green eyes glancing out the window as I push up on my forearms to stare at her.
Then she lets out a small breath, saying, “Hale and Greenfield are witches. They prefer to stick to the old rules about species never intermingling. It’s apart of their coven laws.
The newer covens, like mine for instance, don’t care about intermingling.
As long as it’s not intentional.” She looks over to Mr. Daniels, before glancing at me again.
I’d seen the way she’s looked at him and it leaves my stomach turning sour. Valdine cares for Mr. Daniels and I shouldn’t stand in the way of that.
“And the scar?” Mr. Daniels asks in a low voice. “Can it be healed?”
“A branding mark can’t be taken away so easily. It’ll fade away after time, depending on the spell.” Valdine stands up, gesturing for me to lay on my back. When I do, she tilts up my head to inspect the scar again.
When I look over at Mr. Daniels his eyes are exceptionally dark. I repress the urge to shudder. I don’t like the way he looks right now— as if he could murder someone within the blink of an eye. “There isn’t any other way to be rid of the mark? There has to be a spell here, Val.”
“I’m doing the best I can Max. It’s not that simple.” Valdine says as she traces a fingertip down the raised scar. “Does it hurt?” She asks me.
“No.”
“My touch or nearness doesn’t affect you in the slightest?”
I shake my head to her question.
“Interesting. Max, come here please.”
Mr. Daniels straightens up and is about halfway across the room when my skin gets hot. My heart trips against my chest and my palms feel clammy. Valine beckons him closer and tells him to reach out to touch my arm.
I feel on edge because the closer he gets the worse my body seems to react. Then when he places a hand on my forearm, I let out a shriek.
“Try not to shout, dear.” Valdine says.
“I—I can’t help it.” Tears are pouring out of my eyes and down my cheeks.
Mr. Daniels takes his hand away and the look he gives me is one full of hurt in those black eyes of his. “This is my doing.” He turns sideways, his hands balling into fists. “I cannot seem to touch her without causing physical harm.”
“What about blood?” Valdine questions.
Mr. Daniels shakes his head, “If you think the symptoms are worse now, they’ll be torture if I were to drink from her or give her my blood to heal her.”
I swallow hard. “What does this all mean? Can’t this spell or hex, whatever, go away?”
Valdine doesn’t meet my gaze. “It’ll fade eventually over time, but the only other option is if you practice magic and become a witch.”
“Absolutely not!” Mr. Daniels snaps and my gaze flickers to his face and how he’s filled with rage as he stares at Valdine. “Dakota is not becoming anything.”
“We knew this wouldn’t be easy Max.” Valdine’s voice is soft. “We knew there was bound to be trouble from the minute you saved her from your brothers.”
“Those blood suckers are no brothers of mine.” Mr. Daniels says, spitting at the ground. “Just as those witches are not your sisters.”
I sit up, curling my knees up to my chest. “I don’t want to learn magic. It feels wrong.”
They both look over at me, but it’s Valdine who speaks up. “You’re not being forced into anything dear. It’s entirely your choice. But know that the mark will take a long time to fade away.”
Reaching up I touch the scar. “What about school? My classmates will start to ask questions. I can’t wear a scarf, it’s against the dress code.”
Mr. Daniels takes a step toward me. “You will take a leave of absence while Valdine tries to come up with a covering spell. She will look after you.”
My hand falls to my lap.
Valdine nods and moves toward the door. “I’ll go inform the teachers right away. I’ll tell them you weren’t feeling well and needed to rest.”
When it’s just us two alone in the infirmary, Mr. Daniels clears his throat rather loudly. “I apologize for what happened to you.”
“It’s not like we meant for it to happen,” I say, tucking my knees beneath me once more.
“We should not have happened,” Mr. Daniels mutters.
I look up at him, swallowing hard. “And yet we did.”
“If the school board finds out…I could lose more than my job, Dakota.”
I have to look away from his intense stare. “I know.”
“The prison is not ready to hold me in a holding cell. I don’t do well in small spaces.”
Sighing softly, I look up at him. “So this is it, then. We’re breaking up.”
He arches an eyebrow. “Unfortunately, I must agree.”
“Even though we were never really going out.”
Mr. Daniels blinks. “Perhaps that is for the best that we did not assume such a courtship. It would be scandalous.”
I can tell he’s trying to ease the tension but all I want to do is go to my room and cry. “I should go.” Clambering off the bed, we are within distance, but I don’t feel the symptoms of pain coming on, not with how far away he is from me.
I skirt around him and head to the door, then stop.
“What is wrong?” His voice comes from behind me.
“I don’t know where I’m supposed to stay for a while.”
“You are welcome to stay at my home. Or Valdine’s.”
I go to speak, but then the door is opening and Valdine is gesturing for me to walk out and into the hallway. “Your all set to go. Let’s get your things packed. You’ll be staying with me.”
“I suppose that solves your problem.” Mr. Daniels grumbles as we head toward the dorm on the other side of the campus.
As we walk away from the infirmary, I can’t help but to feel uneasy. It feels as if there’s a pair of eyes watching me.