Chapter 12 #3
They paused in the doorway and scanned the chaos in the dining hall. Their gaze lingered on the staff table, and their normally affable features became thin-lipped with anger.
Both Mage-Instructor Varro and First-Year Assistant Chatelaine Julissa stopped smiling.
The dining hall fell silent as everyone watched Mundise study the carved stonework of the lintel.
They muttered an invocation, and I felt the tingle of magic brush my skin. Then they snapped their fingers.
A large piece of paper floated down from the top of the doorway and landed in Mundise’s outstretched palm. I saw the paper was inscribed with inked runes and surrounded by a fringe of glued hairs my friends and I had painstakingly collected from our targets.
Mundise frowned down at it, then glared around the dining hall. Their gaze lingered on the staff table, then moved on to the tables occupied by nobles. Knowing Ormond wasn’t here to enjoy the fruits of his labors, I did my best to look innocent.
The silence in the dining hall curdled, broken only by the occasional sniffle coming from one of the first-year commoner brats.
“Whoever created this abomination of a compulsion charm,” Mundise announced coldly, “probably thinks they’re clever and above the law. There will be an investigation into the working of black magic, and when we find you, you will be expelled.”
Mage-Instructor Varro leaned back in his chair, shot Mundise a challenging look, and crossed his arms.
I caught several of the upset first-year commoners exchanging looks of relief and vindication. Let them hope!
I knew better. No matter how angry Mundise might be, Chatelaine Lirelle would never expel Duchess Violetta’s heir for a harmless prank, even if it involved a compulsion charm.
Once Lirelle caught wind of what Mundise was doing, I was willing to wager she would ensure the investigation went nowhere and that no one would ever mention it again.
That annoying merchant’s spawn, Elio Ferraro, who’d been hovering outside the door until the charm was disabled, now slipped into the hall.
Predictably, he went straight to Miss Fishwife and hugged her. Then he did the same with the twins before working his way around to each of the prank’s other victims.
To the red-headed first-year who’d broken down in tears, he handed a clean handkerchief. He gave hugs, patted backs and shoulders, murmured comforting words, and received grateful looks in return.
Something hot and unpleasant twisted in my chest at the sight.
““But was it really necessary to target all of them?” Damien asked quietly.
“What do you mean?” I whirled on him, fighting to keep my voice low. “Have you forgotten what she knows about me? What she could do with that information? How many other first-years has she told?”
“I don’t think she’s told anyone,” Damien pointed out. “And it’s been weeks now.”
“She’s just biding her time,” I hissed. “Waiting until she has enough allies, enough support to destroy me. Haven’t you heard about what she’s doing with that tea circle of hers?
Look at her! And look at how she’s working with that rich jackanapes Ferraro!
She’s building a power base among the commoners.
She’s dangerous. And the rest of them need to be reminded who’s in charge at this academy. ”
How had Damien not noticed how Talisa had gone from being an isolated, friendless first-year to the center of a growing network of commoner students who worshipped her?
And then there was Ferraro, who was clearly besotted with her.
Somehow, she was even getting to Damien—my only real friend and my most loyal ally.
I watched as other commoner students approached Talisa and the twins, offering help and sympathy. My jaw clenched.
The upperclassman’s prank hadn’t crushed her. Instead, it was giving her another excuse to rally all the commoners at the academy to her side.
“She’ll destroy everything if we give her the chance,” I continued, my voice hardening. “She’ll turn everyone against me, and then she’ll expose me.”
“You don’t know that,” Damien argued, to my surprise and dismay.
“Don’t I?” I forced a bitter laugh and dropped my voice to a whisper. “You know what happens to those who have Fae blood. I’ve spent my entire life hiding what I am to protect not just myself but my father’s position. I can’t let her ruin that.”
Across the hall, Talisa looked up suddenly, as if sensing my gaze on her. Her eyes met mine across the distance. There was no fear in her eyes, only defiance that made my blood boil.
“Look at her,” I muttered. “She thinks she’s winning.”
How could things have gone so wrong so quickly?
“Maybe we should just leave her and her friends alone for a while,” Damien suggested cautiously. “Focus on our studies instead.”
“No,” I cut him off sharply. “We need to break her completely before she can make her move.”
I couldn’t afford to show weakness now. Not when everything I’d built here was at stake.
If Father ever found out that I was allowing some lowborn island mage’s brat to stand up to me…
Weakness, as Father had taught me over and over, was a luxury I could never afford.
A son of mine must dominate or be nothing at all.