63. Ahmina
AHMINA
Ahmina watched Loveleena for the entire hour of Combat, debating whether or not to tell her she had magic.
She was itching to tell someone, and opening up to Lennox felt too risky.
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him—she did.
It’s that she was trying to keep him at a distance.
They were walking a very thin line after what happened at the Slayer party, and she knew if she told him about her suspicions, the vulnerability and trust of it all would push them into each other’s arms. She couldn’t let it happen.
There was one last opportunity to show she belonged here at the Academy, and she couldn’t ruin it.
Lennox was on track to become one of the best Defenders the Academy had seen, and that meant his allegiance was to the Academy.
No matter how they felt about each other, magic threatened that.
She couldn’t bring herself to tell Rory either; it would put both of their futures at risk. Rory worked just as hard as Ahmina did to be there. She couldn’t stand the thought of Rory losing it all because of her. But Loveleena…
Loveleena was the only person that seemed to be loyal to no one but herself.
And the only one who seemed to be immune to failure.
No one at the Academy treated her like a noble.
It’s not like she got special treatment or anything.
But somehow, Loveleena seemed to come out of every challenge and conflict on top.
Ahmina was sure she would be expelled today.
That was the only reason she could imagine for being called to the headmaster’s office.
If there was a way she could use her magic to change that, she had to take the chance.
If there was anyone who she could trust to help her, it was the only person she’d ever heard discuss creature-human telepathy.
The only person who even dared bring up the topic of human magic.
It wasn’t until they wrapped class and Loveleena put away her sparring stick that Ahmina had the guts to approach her.
“Do you want to walk to Adeyemi’s office together?”
“Sure,” Loveleena muttered, using a towel to wipe the sweat off her brow. “What do you think it’s about?”
Ahmina waited until they were out of ear shot to answer. “I think I’m getting expelled. But I don’t know why you’d be called in as well.”
“They won’t expel me.”
“Must be nice to be so confident.”
Loveleena glanced at her as they entered the main castle. “Actually, there is one thing they could expel me for, so maybe they are tossing both of us out.”
Ahmina’s heart rate picked up. Without a doubt, they were about to get expelled. If Loveleena had a reason too…
“The other day when you asked me about the Soul Snatcher,” Ahmina started, hoping Loveleena would open up. “Did you ever figure it out?”
“Not really,” she grumbled. “Hey, listen—since we’re about to be thrown out of this hellscape together, can I come clean about something?”
“Of course.”
“That truth potion you gave me—you drank it during coins. I tried to warn you but… Lennox did too. Everyone did, except for me and Ren.”
Ahmina opened her mouth to argue that she hadn’t given Loveleena a truth potion.
She was just now getting her basic potions down; it would be impossible for her to create one of that calibre.
Thankfully she realized quickly enough that Zeina must have made the potion.
How many times had Zeina pretended to be her?
She pushed the thought aside. Their position at the Academy was hanging by a thread, she reminded herself, and her stomach did a flip.
“Can I come clean about something too?” Ahmina offered, unsure if what she was about to do was right. But screw it, what did she have to lose. Her life was about to go to shit anyway. “I think humans can have magic.”
Loveleena came to a sudden halt. “What did you just say?”
“Humans. I think they can have magic like the creatures.”
“Not possible.” Loveleena grabbed her wrist, pulling her forward. “Come on we’re late.”
“But the creature. It spoke to you, right? Maybe it’s creature to human magic or something.”
“If a humans had magic, they would be executed.”
“Yes, but—”
Loveleena whirled around, her eyes fierce. “No nothing. Don’t even speak of it.”
Dammit. That was not the right thing to say. Ahmina huffed a breath as she tried to keep up with Loveleena’s quickened pace. She’d put herself even more at risk by bringing it up, but she had to. They were the only two people that had odd encounters during the shadows. If anyone else had magic…
But Loveleena didn’t have magic; in fact, she looked mortified by the idea, and they were about to be expelled, so Ahmina had to get back on Loveleena’s good side. If there even was such a thing.
“I know about Park. Kumani told me. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“He’s not dead,” Loveleena snapped.
“Oh, right, no, of course not. I just meant—”
“You know,” Loveleena cut her off just as they reached Adeyemi’s office door. “You’re smart, despite being a massive failure this year.”
“Um, rude.”
“If we get expelled, I’ll help you find work or whatever. My parents have connections. Some that aren’t public. We will figure it out. I owe you one, remember? Just…” She paused, her voice cracking. “Don’t talk about Park like that.”
Ahmina knew very well no noble family would be caught dead helping an Academy outcast. How was Loveleena not worried about the public scrutiny and shame that would be cast onto her?
Did she really think she would get a free pass just because she was a noble?
On second thought, maybe she would. Up until Park and Loveleena, a noble hadn’t attended the Academy in half a century.
Regardless, she could see the grief in Loveleena’s eyes, so she agreed.
“Okay. Yeah, of course. Thank you,” Ahmina said quietly, unsure of how she could repay her.
“And don’t bring up humans having magic again.”
“Okay.”
“Ready?”
No. She wasn’t ready. But she put on a brave face, placed her hand on the carved wooden door, and nodded. “Let’s get this over with.”