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I get to my feet and look over to where Cethin is sitting, disappointed to realise he’s already gone. I guess I’ll just be counting down the hours until our Charms and Potions class later.
CHAPTER9
Cethin
The momentthe door to the Charms and Potions classroom opens, everything within me goes on high alert and I look up to find Anja making her way inside. Every part of me screams that she’s my mate, and that I should tell her so that I can seal the bond between us and make her mine in every sense of the word.
But I know I can’t. I have to hold myself back for her sake. She probably has no clue what any of this means, and it isn’t fair to her to force this on her.
I just have to hope that when the time comes, she’ll feel the same.
“Hey,” she says brightly as she reaches her seat.
I smile at her, enjoying every moment of her presence, and the fact that she seems to light up when she’s around me. At least that’s a good sign for when I do tell her that she’s my mate. I feel bad for keeping it from her, but I don’t want to add the pressure of it to her, especially when she seems to be struggling with whatever it is that’s happening in her dreams. “Hi. Ready for another class full of questioning the darker sides of magic?”
“I only do that to you,” she says with a small laugh as she starts to unpack her stuff.
“I appreciate the commentary. It’s all useful for our essay,” I respond.
She lets out a groan and takes a seat. “I’d forgotten about that. When is it due?”
“Just before the holidays, we’ve got time. But if you want to get started, we can schedule some library time next week.” And I’m not just saying that because I want to spend some time alone with her. Though I do. It would be good to get started.
She wrinkles her nose in an adorable way. “Do you have to make it sound so clinical?”
“How else would you like me to say it? We’re talking about studying, not making out in the library.” Even as I say it, images and thoughts about what that might be like flash through my mind and I wonder if it might not be the worst idea.
“Next week sounds good,” she murmurs, an enchanting blush rising to her cheeks.
Perhaps I’m not the only one who likes the idea of spending some time alone in the library. Though there might bebetterplaces for the two of us to be together.
“Good afternoon, class,” Professor Wainwright says cheerfully, cutting off any chance of a continued conversation. “Today we’re going to be attempting thesleep charm.”
Anja lets out a frustrated sigh. “Great, I’m going to fail.”
“You’re not,” I assure her, though I’m not entirely sure about that. She’s passable at the potion side of things, but her charm work leaves something to be desired.
“Everything you may need is in the rooms, you have thirty minutes, I shall be walking around the classroom to observe and give corrections when they’re needed,” the professor says with a clap of her hands.
“Let’s get started with making a fool of myself,” Anja mutters.
“That’s not going to happen.” Because I’m not going to let it.
“I can’t do magic, remember.” She clicks her fingers together as if to demonstrate, but unsurprisingly, nothing happens. “I can just about get away with the potions because the ingredients still do the magic itself, but charms...”
Something sparks a thought and I flip through the pages of the textbook to find what I’m looking for, grateful that my memory has served me well. “You’re in luck.” I push the book over to Anja so she can see what I’m looking at.
“It’s not a charm.” There’s a hint of awe in her voice.
“Itisa charm. Just not the kind of charm you’re thinking of.”
“Huh, this could actually be helpful too.” She runs her finger down the page and whispers to herself as she reads. I’m not even sure she knows she’s doing it. “It says that it’s advised to be used by people who are suffering from nightmares.”
Concern fills me. “Are you still not sleeping well?” I figured she was still having bad dreams, but if they’re this bad...
A protective urge rises inside me. I want to take all of that away and shield her.
She shakes her head. “Though no more sleepwalking, so you’ll be glad to know that your reading time will be uninterrupted.”
