I did my best to get through the rest of the day, but it sure as hell wasn’t easy. Not after experiencing that living nightmare in class. It was one of the most intense experiences I’d had so far.
I tried to behave normally in front of the witches, but it was difficult. All I could do was think about breaking into the library. It made no sense, but deep down, I knew I needed to get in there and locate the books that my alternate-self had stolen.
As I thought about the vision, I pushed my food around my plate. It was dinner time, but I seemed to have very little appetite, even though I’d skipped lunch to study. Eventually, I sighed, set my fork down, and rubbed at my throbbing temples.
I couldn’t eat another damn bite.
“You shouldn’t be wasting your food,” Faye sneered from across the table.
“Why do you care?” I grunted without looking up.
“He can’t eat because something’s wrong with him,” Morgana said.
“What the hell do you mean?” I asked and shot the brunette witch a glare. “Nothing is wrong with me.”
Of course, that was a lie. My mind was murky, and I was completely drained. That vision had sucked all my energy dry, and at this point, I was just running on fumes and trying to push through the rest of the day.
But these witches were making it complicated.
“You practically fell out of your seat in premonition class,” Morgana scoffed. “Don’t act as if I didn’t notice. I saw you.”
“I was just tired,” I lied. “I guess I nearly fell asleep, and my body jerked itself awake.”
I looked at each witch and tried to read their expressions, but after a long moment, I realized none of them believed me.
Finally, Akira snorted and rolled her coal black eyes. “Sure you did.”
“Sounds like troll shit to me,” Vesta snickered.
“Yeah, I don’t buy it,” Morgana said as her ice blue eyes bored into mine. “Why don’t you just admit to what really happened?”
“I already told you,” I replied as calmly as possible, but my patience was wearing thinner by the second.
“You’re nothing but a liar,” Sweeny muttered under her breath. Her red mouth pulled back into a sneer, and I could see her sharp, bloodstained teeth peeking through. “Why would we believe a word you say, mortal?”
“And you’re nothing but a pain in my ass,” I snapped. “You can believe me or not, I really don’t care either way. You all can just fuck off.”
I just couldn’t take it anymore, so I stood up and left the witches to eat the rest of their meals. There was no way I could continue to sit with them while they bitched at me. Normally, I found it amusing, and I entertained it, but I was not in the mood today, not after what had happened in Premonition class.
I thought about heading to my room to rest, but I knew I had to study for my next class. There was a lot of information to retain, and I needed to get as much reading done as possible.
Now that everyone was eating, I could have the study hall to myself, so I marched down the corridors while the portrait eyes followed my every step. My footsteps echoed as I walked along the black wooden floor, and the stained glass windows allowed a small bit of pale sunlight to peek through and cast a warm glow on my skin.
I paused to take a deep breath and let some of the tension roll off my shoulders. I loved when the hallways were empty. It almost felt peaceful, especially when it was sunny outside like right now.
As I made my way to the study hall, someone called out my name, and I turned around to see Headmistress Theodora standing there in the corridor. She was wearing a long black and white checkered dress with a lace collar, and her dark hair was pulled back into a high bun.
Where the hell did she come from? She wasn’t here a moment ago.
“Cole.” She smiled. “I’m glad I caught you. May I have a quick word?”
“Sure.” I nodded.
“We can walk and talk,” Theodora replied before she placed a hand on my back and led me onward.
“Okay,” I said as we walked. “So, what did you want to speak about?”
“How are you getting along with your classes so far?” the older woman asked.
“Has Vanessa not reported back to you?” I questioned with a confused frown.
“No, not yet,” Theodora chuckled. “She’s been quite the busy bee lately, and I haven’t had a chance to discuss it with her yet, so I thought I’d just ask you directly.”
“Well, everything is going fine,” I replied with a shrug. “I think I’m really getting the hang of everything.”
“I had a feeling you would.” The headmistress’ mouth twitched with the beginnings of a smirk. “You’re a quick learner. I can tell.”
“Is that a feeling or a premonition?” I flashed her a crooked smile.
Theodora tossed back her head and laughed.
“Nice try, but a witch never tells,” she said before she stopped in front of the study hall.
“So, I suppose that means you won’t tell me how you knew I was going to the study hall?” I asked with a smirk.
“I’m afraid not,” she said and nodded to the door.
I was about to head inside, but there was a question I was dying to ask, and now was the perfect opportunity to do it.
“Headmistress,” I said, “I have a question for you.”
“Fire away,” she replied.
“Are visions common?” I asked.
“You’re going to have to be a little more specific,” the older witch laughed. “Visions are a tricky subject, and I mean that literally.”
“Well, I suppose what I meant to ask was, do witches have random visions?” I clarified. “I mean … even if they haven’t acquired all the necessary premonition skills, is it still possible to have a vision?”
“It is.” Theodora nodded. “But it’s very uncommon. Only a select few can do it.”
Again, only a select few. What the hell made me so special? I was dying to ask her, but I had a feeling she would just give me another ominous and vague response.
So, I decided to ask another question instead.
“Will I be able to read minds?” I asked out of plain curiosity. “Eventually, I mean?”
“Time will tell, but I’m sorry, Cole,” she said as she shook her head, “I’d love to continue this conversation, but I must get back to my office. I have a lot of work to get through today.”
“It’s alright,” I told her, “I understand.”
I was a little disappointed, but I could always get more answers from her later.
Theodora smiled again before she twirled her long-checkered skirts and headed back down the corridor.
I watched her go until she disappeared around the next corner, and then I went into the study hall. The walls were painted a deep, bark brown, and just like the corridors, the room was filled with portraits that liked to follow my every move. There were also rows of black iron chandeliers that were illuminated by long, ebony candles.
I dumped my premonition book on one of the octagon shaped tables and took a seat by an oval window. When I peered outside, I saw a sliver of gray sky and thick, smoky clouds, and I sighed.
I guessed the sun didn’t last long around here.
After I took a deep breath, I opened my thick leather covered book and began to memorize the tarot cards on the pages. The first one was of a young, beautiful woman. She was holding a baby goat in her hands, and it was meant to illustrate fertility. The second image, though, was of a man hanging upside down to symbolize death.
I quickly realized these cards were pretty easy to read. The images could be deceiving, but if I took the time to remember them, it was a piece of cake. I was beginning to really appreciate these lessons, and I got a thrill from learning more and more.
So, even though I was dead exhausted, I pushed myself to keep going.
Once I’d finished studying the tarot card chapters, I turned to bone reading. This section was a little more challenging to learn. Color, tint, and missing or broken pieces all meant something different, and according to the text, missing even one small detail could ruin the reading.
I spent an hour reading about bones, and then finally, I came across the section that discussed senses and phenomenal intuitions.
This part of the book was the most interesting for me. It explained that with the right spell and mindset, I would be able to sense things at a higher level.
I read the listed incantation and what I was supposed to do before I recited the proper spell. Just like we’d done in class, it was mainly a meditation ritual. I had to clear my mind and take in a slow, deep breath. Then, according to the text, I needed to free my mind from overwhelming thoughts and concerns before anything else. I had to numb myself and be open to otherworldly spirits and influences. If done successfully, I could sense whatever I desired.
The more I read, the more I realized premonition seemed to be more difficult compared to blood magic, but that made sense. As we progressed through the classes, the subject matter was bound to become more challenging and challenging.
But I wanted to learn. No, I needed to learn.
My life depended on it.
As soon as I reached the chapter regarding visions, my stomach did a flip, and I rubbed my tired eyes and focused all my energy on the text.
The more I read, the more interesting the chapter became. I realized visions could happen at any time and at any place, but they didn’t come to everyone. Only certain people were able to have visions, and those people were explicitly linked to the devil.
Again, I remembered what was said on my very first night. The devil had chosen me and brought me here to the academy.
But why?
Before I could dwell anymore on the question, I heard a group of footsteps approaching. I listened to the chatter, and I knew it was my group since I recognized their voices.
I was sitting in the far back of the room, and to my surprise, the witches took a seat at my table and quietly opened up their own books.
“What?” Morgana shrugged when she caught my eyes. Her cheeks were rosy pink, but they deepened to a crimson red as she met my gaze.
“Nothing.” I grinned.
I was in a slightly better mood now that I’d finally had some alone time, and the fact that the witches willingly decided to sit next to me was quite intriguing. They would always go on and on about how they wanted nothing to do with me, yet here they were. Perhaps Morgana was feeling guilty for being such a bitch to me earlier, and I couldn’t help but smirk at the thought.
We all continued to read until Akira sighed, and we all glanced up from our books to look at her. Her raven eyes fluttered slowly, as if she were bored out of her mind, and she leaned back in her chair as she twirled a black strand of hair around her finger.
“What is it, Akira?” Morgana asked as she closed her blue eyes in annoyance.
“Oh, I’m just disappointed that we didn’t even get to practice some more today,” the dark-haired witch said and shot a dirty glance in my direction. “I was looking forward to it.”
I rolled my eyes and continued to read in silence.
“Well,” Vesta said after a moment, “why don’t we try some exercises right now?”
“How, though?” Faye asked, and the redhead narrowed her green eyes in confusion.
“Do you just expect us to guess each other’s favorite colors or something like that?” I half joked.
Vesta reached into her cloak pocket and pulled out a group of colored gems. The stones caught the faint touch of candlelight hanging above us and glittered as she moved them in the palm of her hand, and I spotted emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and other colorful jewels.
“With these.” The green-haired witch grinned. “I’ll hide one color in the palm of my hand, and you have to use the incantation to figure out which one it is.”
“Where did you get those?” Akira asked, and her pale brow furrowed with suspicion.
“What are those?” I followed up. It seemed strange to carry precious jewels around, unless they had some magic properties.
“Does it matter?” Vesta replied as she rolled her silver eyes. “The point is, we can use these for practice.”
“Yeah, why not?” Faye smiled. “I’m up for a little challenge.”
“Me, too.” Morgana nodded and tucked a strand of brown hair behind her pointed ear.
“I’m not,” Sweeny spat. “Have fun with your childish little games. I’m going to study in my room where there’s peace and quiet.”
The disfigured witch shot to her feet and slammed her book shut. The scar tissue that took up the upper half of her face twisted as she snarled in my direction specifically, and the light glinted off her sharp teeth. Then she spun around in a flurry of black robes and stormed out of the hall.
“What toad crawled up her ass?” Morgana whispered to the others.
“She’s always been aloof.” Faye shrugged, and the redhead really seemed unbothered by Sweeny’s abject hostility. “I’m honestly used to it at this point.”
“Me, too,” Vesta added.
“Who cares,” Akira sighed. “Can we please just practice and worry about her later?”
“Agreed,” Vesta said as she played with the gems in her lilac colored hand. “Okay, since I’m the one with the jewels, I’ll decide who gets to go first.”
“Go for it.” Akira smirked.
“Bring it on,” Morgana added, and her ice blue eyes glinted with anticipation.
I wanted to keep studying, but it was difficult since I couldn’t help but look at all the women. Their beautiful faces were all glowing with hope and excitement, and even though they were always giving me shit, there was no denying how gorgeous they all were.
“Alright, Faye, you can go first,” Vesta said after she glanced at the other witches.
“Got it,” the redhead replied, and I watched closely as Faye closed her green eyes and took in a deep breath.
While she was focusing, Vesta jumbled the gems in her hand and picked a deep blue one. The lavender-skinned witch showed the stone to the others before she tucked the rest back into her pocket. Then she closed her hand around the sapphire and smirked.
Faye continued to breathe in and out before she muttered the incantation under her breath. “Da mihi sermonem loquens.”
When she opened her golden-green eyes, she smiled in Vesta’s direction.
“Purple,” Faye said with a confident grin.
“Close.” Vesta winced sympathetically. “Sapphire.”
“Damn it,” the fire-haired woman hissed, and her freckled face contorted with a scowl. “That wasn’t close at all.”
I laughed under my breath, and all the girls shot daggers in my direction.
“Oh, I suppose that you could do better,” Faye snapped. “Arrogant man. Well, go on then, give it a go.”
“I never said I was better,” I corrected her. “You were just too eager.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Faye asked with her arms crossed.
I shook my head and glanced back at my open book. Then I flipped to the chapter about foresight.
“According to the text, you need to take the time to clear your mind and spirit before you jump to the incantation,” I explained. “You literally took one second to close your eyes and breathe in. See what I’m saying?”
“If you think you know everything about it, why don’t you try?” she snapped in defense.
“Sure.” I shrugged. “I can give it a go.”
Faye grinned from ear to ear, and it was the type of smile that said, “I can’t wait to see you fail.”
I’d show her, though.
So, I closed my book and shut my eyes. Then I took in a long, deep breath and focused on nothing but my steady breathing. Despite my wavering thoughts and endless questions, I managed to turn my mind into a blank slate. Everything was blank, and I breathed in again before I muttered the same incantation.
When I opened my eyes, every woman was staring at me with anticipation. I looked at Vesta’s lavender hand, and instantly, I knew she was holding an emerald.
“Green.” I smiled.
Vesta’s silver eyes widened, and she slowly opened her hand to show us all a glittering, emerald gem.
Akira sneered and slammed her open palm on the table.
“Lucky guess,” the black-eyed witch snapped. “Try it again, but this time, put two gems in your hand, Vesta.”
“Ugh, whatever,” the purple witch sighed.
I closed my eyes again and repeated the process, and when I opened them, all gazes were locked on me. I looked down at Vesta’s hand, and I immediately sensed there was a purple and red stone in her palm. It was the strangest sensation, but I knew it was certain.
“Red and purple.” I grinned.
“Damn it,” Vesta sighed as she slowly opened her hand and showed I was right.
The women all groaned, and I slowly closed my textbook.
“How about you all practice some more and then give it a try?” I suggested, and I sounded more than a little smug.
“Luck,” Morgana growled, and the tips of her pale, pointed ears were bright red in aggravation. “It all comes down to luck.”
“No one is that lucky.” I winked. Then I grabbed my book and left the table. I’d had enough of them for one day.
The witches all glared at me as I left the hall, and I could feel their eyes burning a hole into the back of my head.
I had to admit I relished in the fact that they were jealous of me. It sent a pleasant feeling down my body whenever I thought about it.
I returned to my room and put my textbook on my desk, but I still had a few more hours to kill before I needed to go to the library. Whatever I was looking for, I had to keep it secret and safe, and the more I thought about it, the clearer the vision was becoming.
I took off my cloak, tucked my dagger under my pillow, and collapsed onto the bed. Thanks to the vision, it felt as if I hadn’t slept for days. My energy was completely drained, and my head was throbbing, so I thought a nap was in order.
Luckily, I fell into a deep and peaceful sleep, and by the time I woke up, I felt somewhat better. My body was not as sore, and my headache had disappeared, so I rubbed my eyes and gently pulled myself off my bed. It must have been night time. There was no glow shining through the stained glass window, and the candle lights were burning brighter.
So, I grabbed my blade from under my pillow and tucked it into my waistband before I swung my cloak over my shoulders.
As quietly as possible, I pulled my door open and tip-toed down the stairs, and when I entered the corridor, the portraits all stared at me as I made my way to the library. My heart beat like a drum in my chest as I walked down the hall, and the cold, empty corridors seemed like a passageway of caves. Each step I took echoed against the stone walls, and some of the portraits glared in my direction. I guessed I needed to walk a little more quietly since some of them were deep asleep.
When I finally came to the doors of the library, I frowned when I realized they were still bolted.
“Fuck,” I hissed under my breath.
I wasn’t expecting this. I thought the doors would be open, just like they were in my vision. I picked up the gold lock and fumbled with it, and then I saw the keyhole and wondered if I could pick the lock with my blade.
It was worth a shot at least.
So, I retrieved my black dagger and then used the point to pick the lock. I was messing with it for a few minutes until I heard a click.
“Hell, yes!” I whispered to myself.
The lock opened, and I slipped through the doors. When I was inside the massive, three story library, I noticed fur carpets and the glowing fireplace, and books towered from the floor up to the ceiling. It was a gorgeous sight, and it looked exactly the same as it did in my vision. My mouth hung slack, and I stared at all the books in pure amazement. I knew I’d already seen it in my mind, but being here again and in person was a totally unique experience.
I knew I couldn’t just stand here and admire everything around me, though. I had to find the Books of Survival and retrieve the right pages as fast as possible.
“Where to begin?” I asked aloud.
I saw a towering set of drawers by the fireplace, and I pulled the first one open to find a numbered filing system for the books. Each of the numbers was non-negative integers, and I found a section called “History of Powerful Bonds and Lifelong Spells.”
Yes, this had to be it. I could feel it.
I ran over to the correct section and tossed book after book onto the floor until my finger traced the spine of The Book of Survival. I took the book away from its companions and opened it up. The cover was a dark sapphire blue, and it was heavy as a load of bricks with beautiful engraving on the cover. The tome smelled like vanilla and almonds, and I slowly flipped through the pages as I took the book to read by the fireplace.
Finally, a strange sensation spread through my chest when I landed on a particular page. I suspected my premonition sense was trying to tell me something, so I muttered to myself as I read a long-detailed page with the sketch of a pentagram on it. There was a bloody cross in the middle and a group of six witches holding hands in a circle. I was very intrigued as I read on, and my eyes practically devoured the text.
One master will initiate The Blood Pact. This Pact is one of the most complicated but powerful blood and soul bonds of all. When enacted by a master, other willful witches will be bound for life to the one who initiated the spell. Immortality will befall the pact as long as the master remains alive. In addition to immortality, common spells initiated while under the influence of the pact will become stronger and more powerful than before. The most important rule of the Blood Pact is all witches must abide by their master’s will and always do as she says. They must always keep her alive.
Well, now. This blood pact would certainly help me during the finals. As everyone had reminded me time and time again, the final exam could kill, but if I initiated the spell and bound the witches to me, then we’d have a better chance of succeeding, considering that it entailed immortality. That was one hell of a motherfucking game changer, especially if the witches had to keep me alive if they wanted to survive as well.
I had a good feeling about this.
When I flipped the page, I came across the intricate spell that would initiate the Blood Pact. There were several steps to be taken by the master, and while the pact seemed complicated, I knew it had to be done.
I needed to pass and survive the final exam and, with this spell, I knew I could.
I would need to tell the witches about the Pact sooner or later, but not right now. I’d wait for the right moment, maybe right before the exam.
I ripped the page from the book and stuffed it into my cloak pocket. Then I paused and wondered about the other copies I’d seen in my vision. I’d have to find them and take those pages, too. That way the witches couldn’t get their greedy little hands on the spell.
I knew the other women hated my guts and wouldn’t want to join me, but once they learned I’d obtained all the copies, then they would have no choice but to come crawling to me if they wanted to survive. Then they would be mine.
What a delicious thought.
So, I thought carefully back to my vision, and I tried to remember exactly where I’d been, but the vision was growing murkier by the second.
“Shit,” I whispered.
I glanced back down at the book and studied it under the light. Then I thought I saw a number and a letter scribbled into the corner of the page.
A-24
I closed the book, returned it to its spot, and then tried to find the A row. The library was so massive, though, that it took me an hour to find the right A-24 on the bookshelf. Finally, I found the same book and ripped out the page. Again, there was another letter and number scribbled into the corner.
Y-30
I headed over to the next spot and retrieved the third copy, and I repeated the process until I came to the fifth copy.
There was no number written on the corner of this page, so I figure this was the last copy.
Suddenly, I heard a noise and realized I had to get out of here. Dawn was probably not too far off, so I left the library and quickly headed back to my room. Then I stuffed the torn-up pages under my mattress and collapsed on the bed.
My mind was racing with questions, and I knew I’d have to memorize the steps and destroy the copies, as the vision indicated.
Even though my heart was still pounding with excitement, I forced myself to close my eyes and fall asleep.
I had a long day ahead of me tomorrow.
The next morning, I woke up and headed to the Premonition classroom. Everyone was already seated, and no one bothered to look up once I walked in.
“Good morning to you, too,” I said to Morgana.
Today, she was wearing her mahogany brown hair in a loose bun. Wisps of curls framed her heart-shaped face, her cheeks were rosy, and her blue eyes were practically glowing.
“Please don’t speak to me,” she grumbled. “I’m in a good mood today, and I don’t want you to spoil it.”
“That’s a change of pace,” I chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you happy. Are you okay?”
She scoffed and turned her nose up, and I laughed to myself as I opened my own book. I started to re-read the chapters of the bone reading. There were images and diagrams of the bones, and I was doing my best to memorize the differences, so I was deep in concentration when I heard Theodora’s voice echo through the classroom.
“Good morning, class,” she greeted. “Please open your textbooks to the correct page.”
We went through the lesson, and I followed closely as we learned more about reading bones and clearing our minds before reciting the incantation.
The professor then practiced with each of us, one by one. She used numbered cards, turned facedown, and it was up to us to predict which number was on the card.
“Nine,” Morgana said when her turn was up.
The professor lifted the card and flipped it over to reveal the number nine.
“Well done.” Theodora smiled.
When it was my turn, she placed the card down on my table, and I took a deep breath, cleared my mind, and concentrated on the card.
For some reason, I wasn’t picking up on any number at first, so I remained calm and tried to focus on the card.
But there was nothing.
I heard the girls snickering, and for a moment, my heart sank. I thought I had messed up, but then something hit me.
What if it was blank?
“There’s no number.” I smiled and opened my eyes. “It’s a blank card.”
Theodora smirked and turned the card over, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw it was completely blank.
The girls gasped, and I felt a wave of satisfaction wash over me.
“Very few witches guess this card correctly,” Theodora said as her light blue eyes studied me closely. “Most assume they can’t read it, and give up. Well done, Cole.”
“Thank you.” I grinned.
I could feel Morgana fuming by my side, and when I glanced at her, she had her arms crossed, and her pretty face was scrunched up.
“Dumb luck,” she whispered when Theodora was out of earshot.
“You’ll get the hang of it soon.” I smirked. “Hopefully, anyway.”
“I do have the hang of it,” she snapped, and her blue eyes were as cold as ice. “Don’t patronize me.”
“Don’t underestimate me,” I countered.
“Class,” Theodora’s voice boomed across the room, “please pay attention to what I have to say next. It involves the quiz.”
Everyone squirmed in their seats, and all eyes were on the professor. This quiz was the hurtle we had to clear to move on to the next class and come that much closer to the final exam.
If we failed, like everything else at Scholomance, we were dead.
“Tomorrow, you will be teleported to a mythical village in another realm with no money or tools,” Theodora started. “You will have to find your way to the casino to win money, using your skills of premonition to gamble. You must earn money through your acquired skills, and it’s also important that you do not get caught. If you’re caught cheating, you’ll be killed. I’ll explain everything in further detail tomorrow morning.”
“How will we find the casino?” Faye asked, and her green eyes were bright with alertness.
“That’s all up to you,” Theodora replied. “You will need to work as hard as possible to pass this quiz. If you thought that Blood Magic was difficult, then you’re in for a rude awakening.”
I thought I heard Morgana gulp, and when I looked at her, her face was ashen, and she was sweating. Her face was no longer rosy, but it was completely flushed. She was absolutely terrified, but so were the rest of us.
Well, maybe except Sweeny. It was hard to read her expression, what with all the scar tissue.
Theodora finally dismissed the class, and we all filed out of the room. The witches were silent as they walked down the hall ahead of me, and I knew they were all contemplating Theodora’s words and the quiz ahead of us.
Because just like everything here in the academy, this quiz was a life or death situation.
Which gave me an idea.
“Hey, wait up!” I called out as I jogged to catch up with the women.
“Ughh, what does he want now?” Akira complained.
“Just ignore him,” Sweeny growled, and the scarred witch quickened her pace. “Maybe he’ll take the hint.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily.” I smirked as I poured on a bit of speed, pulled out ahead of the witches, and cut them off.
They staggered to a stop and glared at me.
“What do you want, Cole?” Morgana demanded with a frown. “We need to go study.”
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” I said as I crossed my arms over my chest. “I was studying the other night, and I came across a mention of this spell called a blood pact. Do you know it?”
The women turned to look at each other with puzzled expressions.
“No, what is it?” Faye grumbled, and I could tell it bothered her that she didn’t know the answer.
“I think I’ve heard about that before, but I can’t remember the details,” Morgana admitted as her brow furrowed.
“Well, from my understanding, it’s a spell where witches bind themselves under one master witch, and they all achieve immortality as long as they serve the master.” I grinned.
“Annnnddd?” Faye raised a red eyebrow.
“I think this could be the secret to us passing the exam,” I continued. “You all can form the pact with me and be immortal. Then, as long as you protect me, we can pass the final test super easy.”
The witches blinked at me for a long moment before they shared a look, and then slow smiles crept across their faces.
“Oh, really?” Akira laughed, and her coal black eyes were alight with cruel malice. “How interesting, Cole. So, we should just submit to you?”
“Sure,” I answered. “I’m the one who figured out the spell. Imagine being immune to damage. It’s crazy powerful.”
“But then you are our master?” Morgana snickered.
“Well, I’m not sure how that part works exactly,” I admitted. “But the spell does seem to indicate immortal witches are bound to the master one.”
“This sounds like the perfect way to make sure we pass and you fail,” Akira cackled. “Thanks for the tip, idiot. By Satan, you are so fucking stupid. You think we’d just form a blood pact with you? An idiot man?”
I wanted to burst out laughing now. They were making this too easy.
“We should go about this together.” I cocked an eyebrow at the dark-haired witch, but it was a struggle to keep my face straight.
“No thanks,” Faye giggled. “We’ll be just fine on our own. But thanks again for the tip. We’ll go find this spell, see what it actually does, and then one of us will take this master role.”
The redhead winked and blew me a kiss, and the rest of the witches tittered as they slipped past me and continued down the hall.
I smirked to myself as I watched them go. I knew they wouldn’t find shit in the library.
It was too late for them. The Blood Pact was in my possession and beyond their grasp now, so they had no chance of all of them making it through the final exam alive.
Unless they begged me for my help, of course.