Page 13 of Monster's Past

Someone clears their throat and I look up to find Professor Wainwright looking down at our cauldron.

I take a deep breath, hoping she isn’t about to say that we’ve done a good job.

“Adequate,” she says with a nod of her head. “Don’t forget to clean up your bench.” She walks away before either of us can say anything.

“That’s us told,” I mutter, picking up the chopping board and knife.

“Let me, I don’t want you to cut yourself again,” Cethin says.

“Even if it’ll give you another excuse to touch me?” I half-joke.

He chuckles. “If that’s an invitation, I’ll gladly accept.”

“Maybe.” I turn towards the sinks at the edge of the room, my heart racing at the implication of my response.

And just how much I wanted him to touch me again.

CHAPTER6

Cethin

I lookup from my book and out of the window, surprised by how late it’s gotten. I should get back to my dorm before lights out.

I check my watch and grimace. Or I should get back to my dorm because lights out has already been and gone. I close my book and slide it into my bag. I open and close my hand, bringing forth a puff of purple smoke, sending it out in front of me. That should do the trick of telling me if anyone’s around. The last thing I want is for one of the academy staff to run into me and give me detention for being out of bed after hours.

Or maybe it won’t. I don’t know what magic most of them have access to, and that could mean that they ended up spotting me just from the spell I did.

I can’t worry about that now, though. If I get caught, I get caught. There’s nothing I can do about it and will just have to deal with my punishment if it comes. I’m not sure why they even bother with keeping a curfew sometimes, especially when just about everyone breaks it at one point or another.

I pass the opening to one of the courtyards and feel a strange tug in the pit of my stomach, urging me to stop and head inside. I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything like that before and find myself turning without thinking about it.

A figure with flowing silver-white hair and a long white shirt appears in the archway at the other side of the courtyard, and for one horrible moment, I think I’m seeing a woman’s ghost.

The woman stumbles into the light, illuminating familiar features and causing the urge to enter the courtyard to deepen.

Anja.

Mate.

An urge to protect her rushes through me as she almost falls into one of the walls. Without thinking twice about it, I rush forward with more speed and strength than I think I normally possess, reaching her just as she trips.

She falls into my arms with a small shriek and her eyes fly open, only for them to be filled with confusion.

She must have been sleepwalking.

“It’s me,” I whisper, hoping we’ve spent enough time with one another for my voice to soothe her. If she feels anything like the way I do, it stands a chance of working.

She frowns and blinks a few times as she looks up at me. “Cethin?”

I nod.

“But I’m in bed. Am I dreaming about you?” She reaches up and touches my face.

She trails her fingers over my cheek, and it makes me wonder how many times she’s dreamt about me to be reacting like this. A part of me wants to find out, and to discover exactly where this could go, but I know I shouldn’t take advantage of her when she’s in a state like this. I don’t want what isn’t given freely.

I clear my throat to rid myself of the inappropriate thoughts. “You’re not in bed, and this isn’t a dream.” I help her to her feet.

“Why am I outside?”