14. Cass
Cass
Classes were what finally forced me out of Linden’s room. I didn’t want to leave, but I didn’t have much choice either. I was in enough trouble with the greenhouse. The last thing I needed was the Dean on my ass about being on academic probation or some stupid shit like that.
And the truth was, I actually wanted to go to this class.
Because now, I had a reason to care about controlling my magic.
Linden needed my help to fix the glass and I sort of wanted to impress him.
Maybe it was just because I could still taste his cum on my tongue or that his cock was so big or maybe it was because he was actually nice to me.
Like genuinely nice. Being around him didn’t make me wish I was somewhere else, and that was weird for me.
Either way, if anyone on campus could help me learn to focus my magic, it was Professor Blackwood.
She was the expert. She just wasn’t easy to approach.
And I had a feeling, thanks to my shitty grades and my attitude thus far, that I was probably her least favorite student in Intermediate Conjuration.
I slipped into the classroom just as Professor Blackwood was setting up her materials, a stack of crystalline specimens arranged in neat rows across her desk.
She glanced up as I took my seat, her sharp grey eyes assessing me in that way that made me feel like she could see right through my bullshit. Which, knowing her, she probably could.
The class filled up around me. It was the usual mix of witches who actually gave a shit about their grades and a few like me who were just trying to scrape by.
There were even a few monster students, the ones who had more of a gift for magic beyond the usual shifting capabilities.
I kept my head down, not wanting to draw any attention.
But about halfway through the lecture, when Professor Blackwood was demonstrating the finer points of elemental focus, I found myself actually paying attention.
She was talking about precision. About how raw power meant nothing without control, without intention. About how the most dangerous magic users weren’t the ones with the most power, but the ones who could channel it with surgical accuracy.
It was like she was speaking directly to me. Or maybe I was just in the right headspace to finally hear what she was saying.
After class ended, I hung back while everyone else filed out.
Professor Blackwood was erasing the diagrams from the board, her movements efficient and practiced.
I’d never actually talked to her outside of class.
Never tried. But if I was going to learn to control my magic, to make the rebuilding a little easier on myself and Linden, I needed to start somewhere.
“Professor Blackwood?” I called out, my voice sounding smaller than I wanted it to.
She turned, her eyebrow arching slightly. “Mr. Reed. What can I do for you?”
“I was wondering if you might have time for some extra help,” I said, forcing myself to meet her gaze. “With control. I know my grades aren’t great and I’m probably not your favorite student, but I’m trying to get better at focusing my weather magic and I thought maybe—”
“I don’t offer extra credit, Mr. Reed,” she interrupted, setting down her chalk. “You’ll need to do the work if you want to pass.”
“That’s not what I’m asking for,” I said quickly, pushing forward before I lost my nerve. “I’m not looking for extra credit. I just... I need to learn how to control my magic better. For a project I’m working on.”
She studied me for a long moment, and I had the distinct feeling she was weighing whether I was worth her time. I couldn’t blame her. I’d spent most of the past two years being a complete asshole in her class.
“What kind of project?” she asked finally, moving around her desk to lean against it.
“Glass work,” I admitted. “For the conservatory. Professor Paulson is having me help with the restoration, and I need to be able to channel my magic more precisely. Right now it’s all or nothing.
I either can’t control it at all or I accidentally destroy shit.
I managed one or two panels, but they looked terrible. ”
Professor Blackwood’s expression shifted slightly. I couldn’t quite read it, but it seemed like something between approval and amusement. “You’re the one who burned down the greenhouse.”
It wasn’t a question. Of course, she would know. I nodded anyway. “Yeah. That was me.”
“And instead of complaining about the punishment, you’re actually trying to learn something from it,” she said thoughtfully. “That’s unexpected, Mr. Reed.”
“I have motivation now,” I said, and I could feel heat creeping up the back of my neck. I wasn’t about to tell her that my motivation was seven feet of muscle, green skin, and golden eyes and kindness that made me want to actually try.
She was quiet for another moment before pushing off from her desk. “Why don’t you come to my office now? We’ll see what we can do about that control of yours.”
Relief flooded through me so fast I almost felt dizzy. “Really?”
“Really,” she confirmed, picking up her materials. “But I’m going to be direct with you, Mr. Reed. If you waste my time, I won’t give you a second chance. Understood?”
“Understood,” I said. “Thank you, Professor.”
“If you’ll follow me,” she nodded. “We’ll get started.”
I followed her through the corridors of the academic building, my heart still hammering in my chest. I couldn’t believe she’d actually agreed to help me. I’d half expected her to tell me to fuck off, to remind me that I’d made my bed and now I had to lie in it.
Her office was exactly what I expected. It was organized to the point of obsession, with books arranged by subject and color, crystals displayed in precise rows on floating shelves, and a desk that looked like it had never seen a stray piece of paper in its entire existence.
There was a small sitting area near the window with two comfortable chairs, and she gestured for me to take one while she settled into the other.
“Before we begin,” Professor Blackwood said, folding her hands in her lap, “I need to understand what you’re working with. Show me your magic.”
I hesitated. “Right now? Like, call up my weather magic?”
“Yes. Just a small display. I need to see how you’re currently channeling it.”
I took a breath and reached inward, feeling for that familiar crackling sensation.
It came easily, as it always did. The air around me grew warmer, and I saw a small cloud begin to form above my palm.
It was chaotic, unfocused, exactly what I’d been trying to fix.
And then, a miniscule lightning bolt flashed and struck my palm, my entire body suddenly filled with a sharp, painful tingling sensation.
“Fuck…” I hissed through my teeth, losing control of the magic immediately. The cloud faded into nothing in a matter of seconds.
“Okay,” she said, not unkindly. “So you feel how wild that is? How it’s all over the place?”
“Yeah,” I admitted, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment. “That’s the problem.”
“No,” she corrected, leaning forward slightly. “The problem is that you’re not actually directing it. You’re just... letting it happen. Your magic is happy to respond to you, but then it has no direction. Your focus is… lacking.”
“Story of my life,” I grumbled. “So how do I fix that?”
“Control requires discipline,” she said. “And discipline requires understanding. Tell me, when you called down that lightning at the party, what were you trying to accomplish? What were you feeling?”
I didn’t want to answer that. But I was starting to understand that if I wanted this to work, I needed to be honest. At least with her.
“Power,” I said quietly. “I wanted to feel powerful. Important. Like I mattered. I wanted to show off, to give people a reason to like me.”
Professor Blackwood nodded slowly, like that was exactly what she’d expected me to say. “And now? What do you want to feel when you’re channeling your magic?”
I thought about Linden. About the way he looked at me. About how he’d said my magic was beautiful, even when it was wild and untamed. About how he believed I could do this.
“Like I know what I’m doing,” I said. “Like I can do something else besides just call up a few clouds. It’s a cool party trick, but the more I work on this greenhouse, the more I realize I can’t do anything that requires finesse.
Even putting up the ward was super difficult and that was the basics. ”
“Realizing your own weaknesses is a good start,” she said, standing and walking over to a cabinet. She pulled out a small crystal, clear and flawless, and handed it to me. “This is a focusing stone. It’s attuned to elemental magic.”
I took the crystal, turning it over in my hands. It was warm to the touch, and I could feel a gentle hum emanating from it. Something about it felt right, like it was made specifically for what I needed.
“Hold it in your palm,” Professor Blackwood instructed, returning to her seat. “Now call up your magic again, but this time, direct it through the crystal instead of just letting it run wild.”
I did as she said, reaching inward for that familiar crackling sensation. The magic came, eager and wild as always, but this time I tried to focus it. I imagined it flowing down my arm, concentrating in my hand, funneling through the crystal.
The effect was immediate. The crystal began to glow, a soft blue light that pulsed in rhythm with my heartbeat. The magic felt... different. More controlled. Less chaotic. I could actually feel the difference between what I was doing and what I’d been doing before.
“Good,” Professor Blackwood said, and there was definitely approval in her voice now. “You’re starting to get it. The crystal is helping you channel the energy, but eventually, you won’t need it. You’ll develop that focus naturally.”
“How long will that take?” I asked, not taking my eyes off the glowing stone.
“That depends on you,” she replied. “How much work are you willing to put in?”
“As much as it takes,” I said, and I meant it. The thought of being able to do this consistently, to help Linden with the greenhouse restoration without fucking it up, was motivation enough.
We worked for the next hour. She had me practice calling up small amounts of magic and directing them through the crystal. Each time, it got easier. By the end of the session, I could maintain a steady stream of magic without the crystal shocking me or the energy getting out of control.
“You have potential, Mr. Reed,” Professor Blackwood said as I was packing up to leave. “More than I would have guessed based on your previous performance. But potential means nothing without discipline. I expect you to practice what we’ve worked on today.”
“I will,” I promised. “Same time next week?”
“Every other day,” she corrected. “If you’re serious about this. Tuesdays and Thursdays after class for a half hour. Don’t be late.”
I nodded, already mentally reorganizing my schedule. Between the greenhouse work and these sessions, I was going to be busy as hell. But for the first time since I’d arrived at Widdershins Academy, I actually felt like I was working on my education. But this time it felt like it mattered.
As I left her office and headed back across campus, I caught myself wondering if Linden would be impressed with me.
Would he like this more responsible side of me?
And a more important question, why was I so eager to please him?
The sex was great, but there was more to it than that.
Whenever we touched there was this kind of jolt.
At first I thought it was just my magic going haywire, but now I wasn’t so sure.
Maybe I was just making it all up. Instead of worrying about it too much, I just chalked it up to nervous energy and my magic being unpredictable. Figuring it all out could wait until we got the greenhouse under control.
For now, I just wanted to focus on helping Linden, both in the greenhouse and in his bed.