She shook. ‘I am, I know I am. Everyone knows I am. What witch loses her powers? None. None have.’

She was met with a wall of silence and impenetrable tension. Kellan steadied his breath.

‘That’s not the way I see you. That’s not the way your friends see you. You’re a smart and loyal friend. I have only known you without your magic, and you’re still the best witch I know. If you could see what we all see, you wouldn’t be saying that shit. So, knock it off.’

Her heart plummeted, and she gulped up the air in her throat in an attempt to swallow the hard pill that Kellan put there.

He shook his head. ‘No, you’re not even sad about that; you’re frustrated.’

She nodded and leant on his shoulder, sucking in a breath before sobbing again.

‘I can’t remember.’ She balled her fists in his shirt. He enveloped her in a hug, gently shushing her to calm down. She focused on his fingers brushing her hair. Her tears stopped eventually.

She pulled back. He still stroked her, tears staining his white T-shirt. She wiped her nose on the sleeve that stretched over her wrists.

‘You’re not broken. You’re not weak. The fact that you wake up every morning and deal with all this tells me the opposite.’

Their faces were inches apart. He stopped brushing her hair but slid his hand to cup her cheek. She stared at his lips; he leant.

Her eyes closed, she let his lips consume hers. With a racing heart, Bethan adjusted herself to face him completely.

She moaned at the softness of his lips against hers.

He cupped her face so delicately.

When he pulled back, she grabbed him for more. His tongue slipped in, sweeping across her lips. If she wasn’t sitting, her knees would have weakened. Too focused on the whereabouts of his tongue, she realised his hands trailed to her hips, pulling her body even closer, to the point where their chests were touching.

His warm breath melted whatever coldness lingered in her before his treacherous lips had consumed her entirely.

It was only a matter of time before they found themselves entangled. She ended it, shooting her eyes open.

Kellan’s heavy breaths were loud against her ears. His eyes widened upon the realisation of what had just happened.

‘I’m sorry—’ he said.

Bethan shook her head and lifted his hand. It scorched her. She gasped as he snatched his hand away.

‘It happens when I lose control,’ he murmured, ‘or get distracted.’

It didn’t hurt her, but she had never felt anything like it, almost like a static shock.

‘I was trying to tell you that I wanted to kiss you.’

He nodded. ‘I wanted to kiss you too, but I overstepped; we’re friends. I only wanted to take your mind off everything.’