Page 93 of Reckless Witch

Blade motions with his head in the direction we were headed. “I’d better get you to your dorm. The snow is starting to come down pretty hard.”

I realize he’s right. Snow is falling in big, thick flakes that promise a winter wonderland in the next couple hours. So much for practice outside. It looks like class will take place in that damn practice gym.

We reach Penncarrow Hall and I brush past Blade, hoping he won’t follow me inside. Of course, he does. We climb the stairs to my floor, where the Watchman stands guard, and continue past him to my room. I open the door and turn to close it.

“If I could prove Miriam’s innocence, I would defend to the death,” he says.

I meet his gaze. “That wouldn’t serve the Illumina, now, would it?”

“I’ve been accused of many things, but nothing quite so dastardly as to convict an innocent woman.”

“How sweet,” I say. “I’m your first.”

Hurt appears in his eyes. I should feel bad. I should demand to know why he kept the truth from me. I should explain that deceit is the one thing I can’t abide—that, and the willingness to sacrifice another person for one’s own ends. But there’s not the tiniest part of me that wants to do any of those things. So, I just close the door.

Chapter Forty

LEILAH

If at first you don’t succeed…

Stony has her doubts about me using magic to decipher Grams’ spell book while on Academy grounds but, at my insistence that I will proceed with or without her help, she agrees to stand guard. She snorts from her position in front of the door.

I open the cover of the book on my desk. “I’ll be careful.”

I lift my wand and angle the point so that it’s nearly touching the first page and chant:

Words on these pages

Verses in this book

Decipher me your riddles

Your wisdom shall be mine

Wind gusts with a force that drives me backwards. Stony’s squeal mingles with the howl of wind. My hair whips around my face.

I grip the wand with both hands and point it at the book. “Wind, be gone!”

The wind cuts off and I stumble forward, but catch myself before crashing into the chair. Stony is at my side, snorting loudly.

I spit out a tiny strand of hair. “I know, I know,” I say. “Too much magic.”

I snatch up the book. Foreign words still fill the pages.

“Dammit,” I mutter. “Maybe if I put a shield around the book and amp up the spell.”

Stony squeals loudly. I look at her and frown. She’s right. If I overdo the magic on Academy grounds, that is sure to set off alarms.

“There’s no way The Three are going to grant me permission to leave school grounds until they figure out who tried to kill me,” I tell her. “I can’t wait. I have to see what’s in the book.”

“Decipher one or two pages,” she snorts in piggy English.

I lift my brows. “Speaking English, now?”

She snorts, again, this time piggy snorts, but I know the look. Don’t be a smarty pants.

I return my attention to the book. “A few pages… You think that’s enough to get an idea of what’s in here?”