Once I was alone in my room, the first thing I did was strip off my soil-soaked clothes and toss them on the floor, but as I stood there naked and stared at the bloody pile, all I wanted to do was burn the fabric and never see or wear them again.
“Is everything alright, sir?” Cordelia’s shrill voice rang through the air.
I should have known the obedient ghost-maid would be lurking around here somewhere, and despite how exhausted I was, I couldn’t help but chuckle under my breath.
“It will be,” I replied. “Cordelia, I need to ask you for a small favor. Would you burn these clothes for me? I never want to wear them again.”
“Of course, sir,” she said. “Your bath is already prepared. When you’re finished, I’ll have a fresh set of clothing ready for you.”
“I’m not sure if you’re aware of this,” I started, “but I’m supposed to attend a dinner tonight--”
“Yes, I’m very aware, sir,” Cordelia responded. “In fact, Theodora informed me that it will be a masquerade banquet.”
“Is that so?” I asked as I made my way to the bathroom.
When I stepped inside, the tub was already filled to the brim with hot, sapphire blue water. The bath smelled like a blend between spiced perfume and ripe lemons, and as soon as I stepped into the water, all my muscles loosened up. The red soil slowly dissolved off my skin, and then I scrubbed myself with a sea sponge until I was pink and raw.
“Yes, indeed, sir,” the maid finally answered once I was submerged and comfortable in the water. “I’d be most excited if I were you… I remember when I had my first Ludi Mortiferum masquerade--”
“Is it some kind of tradition?” I asked as I continued to rub at my skin.
“It is,” the invisible maid replied, “and it’s always held before the final game.”
“Well, Theodora never mentioned that,” I answered.
“I’m sure she has a lot on her mind,” Cordelia remarked. “I’m no headmistress, I’m simply a maid, but I can only imagine the number of responsibilities she has on her plate.”
I nodded, and when I finished cleaning myself up, I stepped out of the tub and wrapped a thick warm towel around my waist. Then I headed into the bedroom, and as Cordelia promised, there was a set of clothing folded neatly in the blue velvet chair by the stained-glass window.
When I unfolded the garments, I noticed a black button-down shirt with a matching ebony tie and dark slacks. There was also a black velvet cloak with a crimson silk insert, and the Scholomance crest was sewn into the breast pocket. I slid into the luxurious outfit and slipped on my leather boots, which had been shined and cleaned to perfection. Then I tossed the cloak over my shoulders and sighed as the velvety fabric brushed against my neck.
Once I was fully dressed, I headed over to the sea glass mirror by the bathroom and stared back at my reflection. The color had returned to my cheeks and lips, and I no longer looked like a walking ghost. My jet-black hair was plastered over my forehead, and as I swept it out of my eyes and stared at my reflection, I couldn’t help but think about the woman in the painting. The woman who was hidden down in the secret cellar in the study hall. The same woman who always seemed to come and go as she pleased. Her eyes were the same shade of blue as mine, and the similarities between the rest of our features were just too uncanny.
I had to find out more about her, but first, I needed to attend this banquet. Perhaps I could find out more about the other schools and somehow narrow down who was still loyal to Theodora.
I began to rush toward the door, but Cordelia’s voice stopped me short.
“Sir, I believe you’re forgetting something.”
“What?” I asked, but then I spotted something on my bedside table, and when I got closer, I realized it was a mask. It was made out of black satin and just large enough to cover my eyes and nose, and I quickly pulled it on. “Shit, I nearly forgot… thank you, Cordelia.”
“You look very handsome indeed,” Cordelia giggled.
“Thanks,” I responded. “Well, I’d better get going… wish me luck.”
“You won’t be needing it, sir,” she answered. “I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time.”
I nodded and left my bedroom, and when I slipped down the stairs and into the common room, it was completely empty. Even my coven’s familiars weren’t cuddled up in their usual love pile. The only animal in the room was Alexander, and as soon as he saw me, he flashed me a toothy rabbit grin.
Looking good, Cole, he said. The ladies are going to drop their panties and demand your cock once they see you.
“Is sex the only thing you think about?” I asked. “Not that I’m judging, I’m just curious.”
Yeah, he answered. I mean, what did you expect? I’m a rabbit, for fuck’s sake. Ever heard of the expression, fucking like rabbits?
“Point taken,” I chuckled.
Before Alexander could say another word, his red eyes widened as he gazed behind me, and when I turned around, my coven was quietly walking down the stairs, all dressed in various colored gowns with matching masks. As they stepped down to meet me, I took a long moment to appreciate each witch.
Morgana was dressed in a long, deep sea-blue gown with sheer sleeves and a plunging neckline. Her dark hair was loose, and it tumbled over her creamy white shoulders in long sleek curls. Her lips and cheeks were painted with rouge, and her eyelashes were even longer and darker than usual. She reminded me of a porcelain doll with her flawless ivory skin and radiant complexion. She was taller as well, and when I looked down at her feet, I noticed she was wearing dark blue heels with white, shimmering stones embedded on the fronts. There was also a slit along the left side of her dress which exposed her long, lean leg, and all I wanted to do was trace a finger along her milky skin.
Akira was dressed in a short, skin-tight black dress that showcased her lithe and toned body, and I could see the outline of her ab muscles against the pull of the fabric. She also wore a pair of glittering white gloves that reached her elbows, her short hair was down, and she’d painted her lips an even deeper shade of purple. She was also wearing a pair of knee-high black leather boots, and her eyes were lined with coal black liner. Her ears were pierced and adorned with all kinds of jewels and dangling bones. She smiled coyly at me, and her white teeth contrasted sharply with her dark lips.
Faye decided to dress in a red gown the exact same shade as her hair. It showed off her hourglass figure, and she’d opted to wear her hair up in a loose wavy updo that reminded me of a roaring campfire. Her lips were also painted a deep, blood red, and her cheeks were flushed a pale pink. Her ruby red shoes gave her a little extra height, and she stood tall and proud among the rest of her coven. She wore a thick, velvet black collar around her long neck and the image of fucking her with nothing on but her collar popped into my head.
Finally, Vesta wore a long, full silver dress that matched her eyes and contrasted beautifully against her lavender skin. Her light green hair cascaded all the way down to her slim waist, and she was wearing bright red lipstick. She was also wearing a small jewel in between her eyebrows and a pair of matching teardrop earrings that dangled from her elongated, elvish ears. Her eyes were made up as well, and there was a sparkling silver shadow above and below her eyelids, which made her even more exotic and elegant.
It took all my willpower not to fuck them right there on the stairwell.
“Wow, Cole.” Vesta grinned. “You look sexy as hell.”
“So do all of you,” I remarked as I gave them all the once over. “As much as I’d love to tear those gowns off, though, I think we should be heading to the banquet hall. Agreed?”
“Oh, shit!” Morgana suddenly gasped. “Wait, I forgot something.”
Before anyone could ask what, the brunette sprinted up the stairs as if her life depended on it.
“Let’s see what she’s looking for,” Akira smirked. “I bet it’s a book she wants to hide in her skirts.”
I chuckled under my breath and then followed my women up the stairs, but when Akira pushed the bedroom door open, I was surprised to see only one shared room among all the witches.
“Shit, you all share a room?” I asked with a furrowed brow. “For some reason, I thought you all had your own space.”
“Nope,” Akira muttered. “It’s just one giant room.”
“It’s not that bad,” Vesta added. “Honestly, it may not be pleasing to the eye, but it's still a bedroom.”
“Vesta’s right.” Faye nodded. “I mean, if I had the choice, I would prefer more green in the room, and possibly a couple of wild plants to grow along the walls.”
I stared at the simple bedroom and the four small beds situated against the stone wall. The floors were bare, and the beds were all identical. There was one small window situated near their bathroom, and there was also one shared giant wardrobe.
“I’ll be sure to get you all your own rooms,” I decided as I looked around the pathetic bedroom.
“Really?” Morgana smiled as she searched under her pillow.
“Yeah.” I shrugged. “Why not? I mean, I have my own space. You should be allowed to have your own individual rooms as well. It’s not like it would be any trouble. All Theodora has to do is wave her wand and expand the room into four different ones.”
“That would be nice, Cole,” Akira said as she nudged me.
“Don’t mention it.” I winked. “Anyway, I have a feeling we’re going to be late if we don’t hurry. Morgana, did you find what you were looking for?”
“Yes!” the bookworm answered after a moment. She pulled out a small gold locket and then wrapped it around her ivory neck.
“Did you think your outfit wouldn’t be complete without a small necklace?” Akira scoffed.
“It was my mother’s,” Morgana replied, and she seemed unbothered by Akira’s taunt. “I like to wear it whenever we’re not risking our lives.”
“So, barely ever?” Vesta joked.
Morgana giggled as she clasped the necklace around her slender neck, and then she walked over to us.
“Okay, I’m ready.” She smiled.
“Great, let’s go and get this over with.” Akira rolled her black eyes. “The less time I have to spend fraternizing with warlocks, the happier I’ll be.”
“Same here.” Faye nodded as we stepped out of the room.
“Oh, come on now,” Vesta cooed. “Let’s be poised about this and not behave like a group of adolescent witches.”
We headed down the stairs and then out the common room door. As we walked down the hallways, several witches were running around in gowns and masks, and some of them were already drunk and throwing up in corners of the corridors.
“Hmm,” Akira drawled with a wicked smile. “Maybe this is going to be more entertaining than I thought.”
When we reached the banquet hall doors, I took in a deep breath before I pushed it open, and then we were met with an incredible view.
Theodora had once again expanded the room to fit every single student and more. The floor was covered in golden tiles and gleamed under the firelight, and the tiles shone so brilliantly that when I looked down, I could see my own reflection. When I craned my neck to look up at the ceiling, there were thousands of white candles hanging from the iron chandeliers, and the glow was warm and inviting.
The room was filled with drunken laughter and music, and there were hundreds of witches dancing to a hauntingly beautiful melody played from the front of the room. The music was coming from a black antique piano that had lion paws as legs, and next to it was a magical cello, violin, and a massive golden harp in the corner. All the instruments were placed under a spell, so no one was actually playing them.
Next to the instruments was a grand table, covered entirely with the most absurd dishes I’d ever seen. Bright yellow and red cakes towered to the ceiling and, in the center of the table, was a giant roasted hippogriff.
All the professors and headmasters were comfortably seated and devouring their dinners, and Theodora was sitting right between Vanessa and Headmaster Ravana. Vanessa and Theodora were both wearing simple black gowns and matching masks, and they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter.
When I stared at the Mors Headmaster, he narrowed his eyes, but then he raised his glass as if to silently toast to me.
“What the hell?” I muttered.
“What is it, Cole?” Vesta asked.
“I think the Mors Headmaster is trying to make peace or something,” I replied. “Look at him.”
My coven turned their heads toward the large table, and then Morgana inched a little closer to me.
“I still don’t trust him,” she muttered. “I never did.”
“Neither do I,” I responded. “But for tonight, we’re going to have to play nice.”
“Why?” Akira grumbled.
“Theodora confided in me,” I explained as I glanced around to make sure no one else was in earshot. “She believes one or both of the schools could be turning toward elder magic.”
My coven all gasped in horror and then covered their mouths.
“Unholy shit,” Vesta gawked with her silver eyes as wide as dinner plates. “Is she sure?”
“Not entirely.” I shook my head. “But I think it would be best to keep an eye on both schools, which means we have to play nice with the warlocks… ”
We all turned to look at Akira at the same time, but the black-eyed witch simply shrugged.
“What?” she asked with an innocent smile. “I’m sweet as newt cookies.”
“Of course, you are,” Faye giggled softly, “and I’m terrified of animals and anything to do with the forest.”
We all stifled a laugh and then looked around. After a moment, I spotted bright orange hair in the crowd, and I knew it was Penelope. She was wearing a long, deep purple gown and a matching lace trimmed, lavender-toned mask. Her tangerine-colored hair was pinned back from her face, and she was smiling and laughing with her team.
“You should ask her to dance,” Vesta whispered into my ear. “It will be easier to take her if she’s somewhat willing.”
“I was just about to.” I winked. “Will the rest of you be alright on your own?”
“Of course.” Akira grinned before she snatched a goblet of black wine from a nearby table.
“As long as she has wine in her system, she’ll be a good girl,” Faye joked.
With that settled, I strode over to Penelope and her group, and Beatrix was the first to notice me approaching. The light-haired brunette was wearing a long, black gown that hugged her curves in all the right places. Her neckline was so low I could see all the way down to her toned stomach, and some kind of jewel hung from her belly button. Her mask was made of black velvet, and it made her brown eyes look even more feline and mischievous.
The twins were dressed a little more plainly, and of course, they opted to match their dresses with the random streaks of color in their short hair. Ivy wore a simple light blue dress with a sweetheart neckline and a black pearl necklace. Her dull mask was robin-egg blue, and her short hair was slicked back. Iris dressed exactly the same, but instead of a blue mask and dress, she wore a pale pink gown and unembellished mask.
“Cole,” the light-haired brunette drawled. “You look… good.”
“As do you,” I replied with a cocksure smile. “Penelope, would you care to dance?”
The bright-haired witch blinked in shock and then stared at me with curious, soft brown eyes.
“Sure,” she said after a long moment. “I suppose one dance won’t hurt.”
I grinned as I took her small, pale hand and led her over to the center of the room. I then grabbed onto her small waist and drew her closer to me. She smelled like sweet raspberries, and her face flushed a deep pink as I held onto her warm body.
“Nervous?” I chuckled.
“Oh, please,” she scoffed and averted her gaze. “I nearly faced a deadly army with you today, why would I be nervous about a little dance?”
“Whatever you say.” I smirked, but I could sense her arousal as I spun her around the room, and all eyes were on us.
We danced like this for several minutes, and I reveled in the feel of the orange-haired witch’s body against my own.
“People are staring,” Penelope whispered as she pressed even closer to me.
“Let them,” I muttered. “They wish they were you.”
“Your arrogance is strangely compelling, Cole.” She smiled and then looked deeply into my eyes. Her rosy lips parted slightly as if she were about to say something, but before she could, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
I slowly came to a stop and then Penelope retracted her hand and took a small step back. Her eyes widened at whoever was behind me, and without another word, she fled back to her group.
“Sorry to interrupt like that,” a voice drawled from behind me. “She is quite a vision.”
When I spun around, I was face to face with the two new Mors teams. Both groups of men stared at me with placid smiles on their faces, and their hands were tucked neatly into their pockets. They were all dressed in white tuxedos, and black masks hid most of their features. The one who had tapped me on the shoulder was a tall man, with pale skin and white-blond hair. His eyes were deep purple, and I couldn’t detect any malice or ill-intention behind them.
I could have been wrong, though. Who knew what these guys were really up to?
“She is.” I nodded. “I don’t believe we’ve been formally introduced yet… my name is Cole.”
“We know.” The masked man grinned. “I’m Lex, and these are my companions… obviously.”
“Good to meet you,” I answered with a forced smile.
“You as well,” Lex answered. “Well, I’ll let you continue with your evening. I just thought, given how our former team members behaved, that I’d formally introduce myself. And to let you know there are no hard feelings.”
“Thank you.” I nodded. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think my coven is waiting for me.”
“But of course.” Lex bowed. “Perhaps we’ll be seeing you around.”
“Perhaps,” I replied before I took my leave.
I briskly parted from the Mors group and toward my coven. I had to brush past several drunken witches to get to them, and as soon as they saw me, their eyes went wide with curiosity.
“So?” Faye asked as she leaned forward eagerly. “How did it go with Penelope? We lost you both in the crowd.”
“Well,” I replied, “it was going well until one of the warlocks interrupted me.”
“Bastard,” Akira growled. Her black eyes were glassy, and she was still sipping on her wine.
“What did he want?” Morgana asked before she craned her neck to try and get a better look at the Mors students.
“He just wanted to introduce himself,” I answered.
“Sounds suspicious,” Vesta muttered.
“Shit, Cole,” Faye said as her green-gold eyes went wide with surprise. “Don’t look now, but the Mors Headmaster is headed right for us.”
I cleared my throat and then turned around, just in time to see Headmaster Ravana making his way over to us. He was dressed in a long, white robe with a white mask. His long black beard swayed as he marched over to us, and then his ugly face broke into a smile as he came to a stop in front of me.
“Cole,” he said, “I couldn’t help but notice that my boys were making small talk with you. I hope they were behaving.”
“Yes,” I replied in a cool tone. “They just wanted to introduce themselves.”
“Ahh.” He grinned. “Well, that’s good to hear.”
As he smiled, I noticed his teeth were yellow and gold, and his gums were bloody and covered in blue veins.
“Not to be rude,” I said as I arched an eyebrow, “but did you want to ask me something?”
“As a matter of fact, I did,” he admitted with the same shit-eating grin. “I’d like to invite you to join me for a private dinner. We must let bygones be bygones, yes? How does tomorrow evening sound?”
“Err… ” I blinked and was completely caught off guard. “Sure.”
“Excellent!” he roared as he threw his hands up into the air. “I’ll see you in the Mors quarters around seven sharp, then?”
“Deal.” I nodded.
Headmaster Ravana looked at each witch, and then he narrowed his beady eyes at me, as if he were trying to solve a complicated puzzle.
“Well,” he responded as he cleared his throat. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
“Thank you,” we all replied.
The headmaster turned on his heels, and we watched him as he returned to his table. Theodora was staring right at me now, and I could have sworn I saw her wink.
“Cole,” Morgana whispered. “Are you sure dinner with that creep is a good idea?”
“No.” I shook my head. “But it’s a great opportunity to find out if he’s up to something.”
As I watched Headmaster Ravana conversing with Theodora, though, there was a growing, sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t tell if it was nerves, intuition, or premonition, but I knew I’d find out sooner or later.
Everyone was depending on me.