Page 66 of Class Studies

“Well.” I shifted from foot to foot. “I tested my replica against Abe’s and got the same results, but not the right results. I think the problem is blood.”

Professor Garnet furrowed his eyebrows. “You tested a potion with blood in it?”

I looked up at the sky. “I know blood magic is illegal, but it’s not as evil as everyone says.” I patted my socket. “Look at my piercings and my earrings. They don’t do anything but affect me.”

“You’re right.” Professor Garnet flexed his back. “But you’re also wrong. Blood magic gives the maker power over whoever has the blood. Ideally, that power isn’t abused. But people, mages even, aren’t all trustworthy.” He took a deep breath. “We have different goals, and in mass, we fear things. Making blood magic legal might allow some good spells. But how long before people start stealing each other’s blood for poisons and curses?”

I looked down at the floor. The potion I’d used was poison. I’d made that with stolen blood to end someone’s life, and I did it repeatedly, not realizing it was even wrong.

“Think about what you’re seeing with Saffron right now,” Professor Garnet continued, unaware of my inner conflict. “Saffron’s been at this Institute for two years. With Mercedes at his side, the two of them ruled this place, setting the example of the perfect way to act and carry yourself.”

I took a deep breath. “Saffron’s good at acting, isn’t he?”

“He is.” Professor Garnet cocked his head to the side. “But he wasn’t acting. Except for his time with me, he followed every rule and jumped through every hoop. Even with his hot head, he’s very good at de-escalating situations between students whether he wants to be or not.”

I bit my bottom lip and nodded, remembering his attempt to maneuver me into his harem so Mercedes and I could be at peace. It hadn’t worked, but he’d tried.

Professor Garnet gave me a worried look but continued his original story. “It’s taken three days for the Institute to turn against him. A student claims Saffron’s Golem ate his friend who disappeared a year ago. We have a record of Advisor Crowe kidnapping the kid. It’s documented fact. Yet people believe the Golem story because it’s the one getting told more.”

“People are stupid, so I can’t use blood magic that’s harmless?”

Professor Garnet sliced his hand through the air. “It means you have to be careful. To live as a society, we have to regulate magic to feel safe. There is a balance in life, Aphy. I know how badly you want to ignore the rules, and I know your master told you they were bad, but they exist for a reason. Try and see the reasons.”

I took a deep breath, letting his words sink in. “You didn’t say not to do it.”

“I didn’t.” Professor Garnet flattened his lips. “I should have, and the old me would have.”

He shifted uncomfortably.

I would bet every ration I had Professor Garnet knew more about blood magic than me. A Stolen Mage who lived in a master-slave situation. What they did with their magic had to be illegal.

I ran my hand along one of the bookshelves. “What happened to your master?”

Professor Garnet stiffened, his face hardening. “I killed him.”

A chill ran up my spine.

“I killed him.” Professor Garnet’s gaze bore into me. “And I used his blood to boil every magic spell we’d done together from existence.”

Professor Garnet took two steps to my side and cupped my cheek. “I enjoyed it. The feeling of having power over him, ridding the world of his evil. The MA found me as I completed my spell, and you know the rest.”

I swallowed, thinking of Ram. Every morning I had to fight not to retrieve him and make him follow me around doing whatever I needed—defending me in death like he’d harassed me in life.

The professor removed his hand. “I’ve never killed anyone else, and I don’t want to. But what my master did to me….” He trailed off. I knew, like me, the professor’s worst memories played in his head. He shuddered and continued. “We can’t help how we feel, but we can strive to learn from it and know ourselves better.” He turned back to the bookshelves. “Now, blood magic and the smell of fruit acids?”

I breathed deeply and nodded, loving how easily both of us moved on.

“Grapefruit specifically.” I slid to his side. “It didn’t snap the spell work, and Abe’s Deltalab paper didn’t need to be charged, so the test’s are mundane.”

Professor Garnet nodded and started pulling books off the shelves. “If blood’s involved, it can’t be mundane anymore.”

I flattened my lips. “Unless I missed something.”

“How likely is that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I bounced on the balls of my feet. “Ah, not very, but I don’t think we can rule it out.”

“Smart, if an annoying truth.” He smiled, pulling a third book out of the shelves.