‘I am far too loyal to you for that,’ Circe said, checking her watch. She wiggled out of the booth. ‘Everyone is angry right now, but the Adelian Resistance are angrier. They believe that the Stratos guards should gather all the vampires and put them into camps. My mother says they’re Devil worshippers.’

Kellan and Bethan both shared a glance. Their eyes had gone wide, their faces paling at Circe’s rant. Things are getting darker in Krete; it is only a matter of time before this unknown threat strikes them.

Circe waved. ‘Anyway, duty calls. I will see you both at home.’

chapter fourteen

bethan kore

hadwicke’s was just as bethan remembered. The winter passed quicker than Bethan anticipated, seeming like it was yesterday when Mr Lenovik had asked her to speak at the school. Perhaps she was far too consumed with the search that the months slipped away from her more and more every day.

She remembered the grounds well, walking arm in arm with Elnora, Circe and Agatha as they charged through the halls. She’d walked past her old locker she would decorate with quotes from her favourite books and film photos of Poe because it was the first two years she had been away from her familiar.

Those familiar halls were made up of high ceilings and stained-glass windows. She focused on the pane that showed the Maiden using her powers on a mysterious male figure. Her power glinted like starlight.

Students eagerly ran past her, holding their long skirts while they did it. An enchanted paper aeroplane flew over her head, and nearly everyone used Small magic to make their bag follow after them so they didn’t have to carry anything.

A classroom of wide-eyed students greeted her, who all stared at her with keen eyes. She used to be just like that, at the edge of her seat listening and taking notes.

Her beloved professor, Lenovik, stood in the classroom corner, wearing his usual uniform of brown tweed and cotton. His grey hair was utterly dishevelled, likely giving his students the impression he was a nutty professor.

Lenovik introduced her warmly to the class, beginning her speech.

By the time she was finished, the students had looked as if they were falling asleep; she wasn’t actually sure her the timing of her speech, but it was obvious she went a bit longer than anticipated.

A student raised her hand. ‘How are vampires different from the ones today? Why did they all go mad?’

‘It was a disease that they couldn’t contain; it altered their cells and made them hungry for humanoid blood.’

‘And the First Grimoire has the cure?’

Bethan nodded.

She thanked the students for their time, the bell ringing through the loudspeaker, all of them bolting from the classroom.

Lenovik chuckled from where he was seated, and she whirled around to face him. He was likely laughing about the abruptness of his students practically running away from her. She was expecting at least a few more questions, but they seemed interested in getting home for the weekend. Bethan shrugged it off. After all, she was there as a favour.