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Better than that, he was also sweet. A lethal combination for a girl like Jess. As soon as he had seen her, fidgeting and looking like a witch lost in the woods, he had taken her under his wing and shown her around the campus. It was all Jess needed to develop a crush. Even I’d let out a sigh when I’d seen how sweet he’d been to Jess.
But I was also pretty sure Kaden looked at Jess and saw a little sister. Which was just as well. She was much too young to worry about presenting.
“What if I told you that the feelings that you are having are perfectly natural?”
“But I know he doesn’t feel that way about me,” she said. She sounded brokenhearted. I hoped no one would present for Kaden while he was at the Academy. I didn’t think I could bear to see her heartbroken at the sight of him falling in love with his mate on campus.
“I mean, why would he?” she continued, pulling my thoughts away from Jess’s potential heartbreak.
“Why wouldn’t he?” Surprise colored my voice. “Granted, you’re too young to be worried about mates at this point in your life. After all, you’ve got decades, if not centuries, to think about finding your mate. But you’re a beautiful young witch who is smart and intelligent. I don’t doubt that one day, people all over the world will know your name because of the amazing witch you are.”
Perhaps that was overstating it. Jess would likely go unnoticed in the human world, but she wouldn’t with witchkind, who had already begun taking notice of her magical talents. I suspected that at some point, I would find out that she had taken on a role as some sort of magical advisor to a world leader.
Of course, those magical advisors were never exactly called that. I knew we would likely see her in the background of a lot of important photographs in the years to come. Look back through history and there’s usually a witch or warlock hidden in some of the most famous world events.
“I know he’s taking Lara to the Solstice Festival next month. I overheard her telling someone about it.”
My heart clenched. This was a feeling that I was familiar with. Aching for someone and not being able to convince them you’re the one for them. She might be young and I suspected she would find another warlock who would become her mate, but I knew that feeling of rejection all too well. I knew how damned bad it hurt.
“I wish I knew what it felt like. Everyone here gets courting gifts. Even you.”
Her eyes slid to the porcelain bird figurine on the windowsill of my office. I’d started getting courting gifts from an anonymous admirer not long after taking up my role as an advisor. It was a joke with the faculty as to who was sending the gifts. The consensus was that I had more than a few young warlocks who had developed a crush on me. Some were betting that it could be another faculty member. The other witches on the staff cooed over who it could be. While there were more than a fair share of handsome warlocks teaching at the Academy, I knew it was pointless to entertain any thoughts of a romance with them.
In a few months, it would be evident that I was pregnant. I also knew that my heart would only ever belong to one warlock, even if that warlock had done his best to get rid of me.
“I was once rejected by someone who I was crazy about,” I said, pulling her attention back to me.
Jess’s eyes widened. “I don’t believe it. You’re having me on, and I don’t appreciate it.”
Sighing, I realized it was going to take more than a little convincing to have her believe me. That was fine. I had nothing but time.
“It’s true,” I said, punctuating the sentence with what I thought was a pretty believable, world-weary sigh. “For years, I was certain he was my mate. He was certain I wasn’t. While it’s a very rare thing to happen, it happened to me. And yes, it hurt like hell.”
I could see by the way that Jess’ eyes grew wide as saucers that I’d convinced her of my plight.
“Do you still love him?” she asked. “Do you still want him?”
Oh, how I wished my answer was anything but the one I was about to give her.
“Every day. But you know what? That’s okay. Because I’m a pretty powerful witch on my own and I’m learning that, sometimes, it’s okay to be alone. And it’s okay if the person you’re most concerned with taking care of is none other than yourself.”
* * *
Queen’s Cloverwas my favorite flower. I missed a lot of things about Mystic Springs. Nothing more than the people I’d left behind, but one thing I’d missed was Queen’s Clover. The flower only grew in the area around Mystic Springs. The rumor was that a witch had cultivated the plant via magic once she’d moved to the little witchkind friendly town. The result had been a flower with petals that were so purple and vibrant that they appeared to change colors as one moved around them. They were breathtaking.
They were also impossible to find in Bishop’s Glen.
And yet, a bouquet of them sat on my desk as I walked into my office.
I stopped in my tracks. It was as if someone had hit me with that freezing spell Sven had hit me with not so long ago. I stared at the impossible bouquet twinkling in the sunlight seeping through the office windows.
“Getting those things past airport security was hell on wheels.”
My body flooded with a thousand different emotions. Elation. Confusion. Wonder. Admittedly, some annoyance. Love. Need.
Jack Beaumont’s deep voice had ran a phantom, feathery touch down my spine. I shivered in its wake.
Finally, I turned, taking in the sight of him. Damn him. He looked haggard, as if he hadn’t slept for days or weeks. Although he was clean-shaven and dressed in a pair of dress slacks and a white Oxford, he looked so worn down that I almost went to him.
